Description of the island of Honshu, Japan. Features, interesting facts and reviews

Honshu is the largest of the many islands of the Japanese archipelago, unique in its nature and location. In general, Japan, or as it is called, the Land of the Rising Sun, attracts the attention of tourists from all over the world. Description of the most important island of Honshu, which is the capital of the state of Tokyo, will reveal many interesting facts.

A bit of geography

As already mentioned, the island of Honshu is one of the four main islands of Japan and is the largest in the archipelago. Its area is about 228 thousand km ² , and its length is more than 1300 km. These figures indicate that it is Honshu that occupies more than 60% of the entire territory of Japan. For comparison, imagine that the Japanese island of Honshu is not much smaller than the United Kingdom.

The location of Honshu is unique in itself, as it is located on the border of tectonic plates. It has a volcanic origin and is washed from the west by the Sea of Japan, from the east by the Pacific Ocean, and from the south by the Inland Sea of Japan. This position of the island of Honshu creates a diverse climate. In the north it is temperate, and in the south - subtropical. The proximity of the ocean causes monsoon rains, the bulk of which falls on June and July.

Volcanoes of Honshu Island

Many volcanoes, active and extinct, are located on the territory of the island of Honshu. In view of this, it is seismically and volcanically active. The most famous volcano in Japan is Mount Fuji, which is 3,776 meters high, located on the plain almost at sea level. This awesome symbol of Japan is visible from a distance of 80 km in clear weather, and thanks to it, Honshu is among the ten highest islands in the world.

The beauty of extinct, as well as 20 active volcanoes attracts many tourists. In the country there is an opinion that it is necessary to climb Mount Fuji at least once in a lifetime. Interestingly, this mountain is considered sacred as Shinto, and Buddhists. It even built a temple in 806 AD. E. Now on the mountain there is a seismic station and an ancient temple.

Interestingly, Mount Fuji is not the only volcano that draws the attention of curious visitors. The active volcano Osooreima is considered sacred and is directly related to Japanese mythology. Literally the name "Osooreima" means "mountain of fear". The fact is that the mountain really looks awesome because of the yellow or red mass visible in the cracks, and the fetid smell of sulfur. Also located on the top of the lake with hot springs thrills looking at the mountain of tourists.

Prefectures and regions of the island

Like all major states, Japan is divided into regions and prefectures. The very name of the island of Honshu speaks for itself: in Japanese, "Hon" means the main, and the particle "Xiu" - the province. So, it turns out, Honshu is the main province of the Land of the Rising Sun. And if so, then the main cities are located on this island. Tokyo, Yokohama, Kyoto and the notorious Hiroshima are today represented by modern megacities with their unusually ancient culture.

There are only five regions on the island. North - Tohoku, eastern - Kanto, central - Tyubu, southern - Kansai and western - Tyugoku. All of them include 34 prefectures. These are the most economically developed regions of Japan. Each of them is distinguished by its special color, climate and nature.

So, the prefecture of Hiroshima is famous for its potters, excellent reserves and authentic caves. It is located in the western region of Tyugoku. And the magnificent Nagoya is a modern engine of the economy and is located in the southern region. Here you can see small towns with ancient samurai traditions.

Traffic junction

Interestingly, the Japanese island of Honshu is connected to three other islands by bridges and underground tunnels. This unites the regions into a single space and facilitates the quick and comfortable movement of local residents.

The islands of Honshu and Hokkaido are connected by means of a transport tunnel, laid under the Sangar Strait and named Seikan. It is this tunnel that is the world record holder. Also three bridges built through the Inner Sea of Japan connect Honshu and Shikoku, and with the island of Kyushu the message passes through a bridge and two tunnels. Also in the largest metropolis there is a separate metro interchange that connects different parts of the city, a monorail and high-speed trains.

All these connections show how developed the country's economic system is. This is also confirmed by the bulk of the islands, located around the main natural. The peculiarity of economic growth is all the more striking when you realize that for a long time, Japan was an isolated state that does not allow Europeans to enter.

A little history of the island

The first mention of a strong state led by the emperor appeared in the VIII century. The capital from 710 to 784 years was Nara, a city in Japan on the island of Honshu. And to this day it has preserved the ancient Buddhist temples, as well as the famous Imperial Palace Heidze and Sesoin - it contains the jewels of the imperial court.

In 794, the capital was moved to the city of Heianke, today it is called Kyoto. It was in it that a national culture was born, and a special language appeared. Before that time, Chinese was widespread.

The first Europeans on the island appeared in 1543, they were Dutch merchants and missionaries-Jesuits. Further until 1853, trade was conducted only with China and Holland. And just over 150 years ago, Japan began to negotiate with other countries of the world, such as the US, Russia, France and the United Kingdom.

And it is this story that amazes imagination, as today's achievements in the field of science and modern technologies have brought Japan to one of the first places in the world.

Modern cities

The largest metropolis on the island of Honshu is its incomparable capital, Tokyo. This is a giant super-modern city with the largest population on the planet, which is more than 37 million inhabitants. Despite the modern skyscrapers and a huge mass of people, the city beckons with its harmony with old Japan. There are many sights in Tokyo, from majestic and soothing temples to more than 500 different museums.

The ancient capital of the Japanese state of Kyoto today is very lively and youthful. It is here that there are many magnificent parks, a chic botanical garden with many pavilions and the Imperial Palace of Gose, founded in 794. The city is famous for its unique gardens of stones Rean-ji and Sambo-in, and also there are many imperial tombs.

Hiroshima is a city on the island of Honshu, notorious for its nuclear strike in 1945. The rebuilt city is today a symbol of peace. It houses the Atomic Dome, the Eternal Flame and the Memorial Park. But despite these events Hiroshima is a large industrial center, which produces world-famous Mazda cars.

Interesting Facts

Let's look at some interesting facts that will tell even more about the amazing island of Honshu.

1. The world-famous poisonous fugu fish lives in the Pacific waters near the island of Honshu. It is here that the largest individuals are caught.
2. The most famous company for the production of electronic equipment "Hitachi" got its name in honor of the eponymous city located on Honshu.
3. In 1998, Honshu Island (Japan) was elected to host the 18th Winter Olympic Games. They passed in the city of Nagano.
4. Japan is a country with a left-sided movement. All Japanese cars have a rudder on the right side, and not with the left, as Europeans are used to. When you are going to rent a car in Japan, take this fact into account so as not to create problems on the road.
5. Mount Fuji is located in the Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park, where a lot of volcanoes are concentrated in the forest zone and Azi Lake is located, which never freezes. On the shore of this lake are the ritual gates of the Hakone temple, called Tory. Such gates are found all over the island of Honshu.

There are many interesting facts about Honshu Island itself, as well as about Japan and its inhabitants in general. And now a little impression of what he saw.

Reviews of tourists

Many people who have visited Japan are satisfied with the service and courtesy of the Japanese, as well as with the beauties of the area. Unforgettable walks in Tokyo or ancient Kyoto leave no one indifferent. The only thing that should be remembered for tourists: in Japan, English is known only in hotels, airports and some large shopping centers. The bulk of the talk only in Japanese, all the signs are also written in Japanese. But still you must visit this country, you will never regret it.

Many tourists note that the beauty of Mount Fuji is mesmerizing and as if tied to itself by invisible threads. I want to come back again.

The island of Honshu is an unforgettable journey that will be remembered for life.