Kumamoto Prefecture

Encyclopedia : K : KU : KUM : Kumamoto Prefecture

is located on Kyushu Island, Japan. The capital is the city of Kumamoto.

Contents

1 History
2 Geography

2.1 Cities
2.2 Towns and villages
2.3

3 Economy
4 Demographics
5 Tourism
6 Prefectural symbols
7 Miscellaneous topics
8 External links

History

Historically the area was called Higo province and was renamed to Kumamoto prefecture during the Meiji Restoration as part of the abolition of the feudal system.

Geography

Kumamoto Prefecture is located in the center of Kyushu, the southernmost of the four major Japanese islands. It is bordered by the Ariake inland sea and the Amakusa archipelago to the west, Fukuoka Prefecture and Oita Prefecture to the north, Miyazaki Prefecture to the east, and Kagoshima Prefecture to the south.

Mt. Aso (1592 m), an extensive active volcano, is in the east of Kumamoto Prefecture. This volcano is located at the center of the Aso caldera, the most famous caldera in Japan.

Cities

14 cities are located on Kumamoto Prefecture.

Towns and villages

These are the towns and villages in each district.

(as of March 27, 2006)
On April 1, 2003, the municipalities of Fukada, Menda, Ue, Sue and Okaharu from Kuma District merged to form the new town of Asagiri.

On March 31, 2004, the towns of Himedo, Matsushima, Oyano and Ryugatake from Amakusa District merged to form the new city of Kami-Amakusa.

On November 1, 2004, the towns of Chuo and Tomochi from Shimomashiki District merged to form the new town of Misato.

On January 1, 2005, the towns of Tanoura and Ashikita from Ashikita District merged to form the new town of Ashikita.

On January 15, 2005, the towns of Misumi and Shiranuhi from Uto District and the towns of Matsubase, Ogawa and Toyono from Shimomashiki District merged to form the new city of Uki. Uto District was dissolved with this merger.

On January 15, 2005, the city of Yamaga merged with the towns of Kahoku, Kamoto, Kao and Kikuka from Kamoto District to form the new city of Yamaga.

On February 11, 2005, the municipalities of Aso, Ichinomiya and Namino from Aso District merged to form the new city of Aso.

On February 11, 2005, the municipalities of Yabe and Seiwa from Kamimashiki District and Soyo from Aso District merged to form the new town of Yamato in Kamimashiki District.

On February 13, 2005, the villages of Choyo, Hakusui and Kugino from Aso District merged to form the new village of Minamiaso.

On March 22, 2005, the city of Kikuchi merged with the municipalities of Kyokushi, Shichijo and Shisui from Kikuchi District to form the new city of Kikuchi.

On August 1, 2005, the city of Yatsushiro merged with the municipalities of Izumi, Kagami, Sakamoto, Sencho and Toyo from Yatsushiro District to form the new city of Yatsushiro.

On October 1, 2005, the towns of Miyahara and Ryuhoku from Yatsushiro District merged to form the new town of Hikawa.

On October 3, 2005, the city of Tamana merged withthe towns of Taimei, Tensui and Yokoshima from Tamana District to form the new city of Tamana.

On February 27, 2006, the towns of Koshi and Nishigoshi from Kikuchi District merged to form the city of Koshi.

On March 1, 2006, the towns of Kikusui and Mikawa from Tamana District merged to form the new town of Nagomi.

On March 27, 2006, the cities of Hondo and Ushibuka merged with the towns of Amakusa, Ariake, Goshoura, Itsuwa, Kawaura, Kuratake, Shinwa and Sumoto (all from Amakusa District) to form the new city of Amakusa.

Economy

Kumamoto hosts a large Honda automobile plant. Beginning in 2007, a Honda factory on the site will produce non-silicon solar cells for homes and businesses, with a projected capacity roughly equivalent to 8,000 households/year.[link]

Demographics

Tourism

Prefectural symbols

Miscellaneous topics

External links

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Coordinates: [32°43′N 130°40′E]

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