Kumamoto Prefecture
From Free net encyclopedia
Kumamoto Prefecture (熊本県; Kumamoto-ken) is located on Kyushu Island, Japan. The capital is the city of Kumamoto.
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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.
- Amakusa
- Arao
- Aso
- Hitoyoshi
- Kami-Amakusa
- Kikuchi
- Koshi
- Kumamoto (capital)
- Minamata
- Tamana
- Uki
- Uto
- Yamaga
- Yatsushiro
Towns and villages
These are the towns and villages in each district.
Mergers
(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 town of Tanoura from Ashikita District merged into the 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 towns of Kahoku, Kamoto, Kao and Kikuka from Kamoto District merged into the 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 municipalities of Kyokushi, Shichijo and Shisui from Kikuchi District merged into the city of Kikuchi.
- On August 1, 2005, the municipalities of Izumi, Kagami, Sakamoto, Sencho and Toyo from Yatsushiro District merged into the 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 towns of Taimei, Tensui and Yokoshima from Tamana District merged into the 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.[1]
Demographics
Tourism
Prefectural symbols
Miscellaneous topics
External links
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et:Kumamoto prefektuur es:Prefectura de Kumamoto eo:Kumamoto (prefektujo) fr:Préfecture de Kumamoto ko:구마모토 현 it:Kumamoto (prefettura) ja:熊本県 pt:Kumamoto sv:Kumamoto prefektur zh:熊本县