The Japanese archipelago is formed by numerous islands; Honshu is the largest one. It attracts millions of tourists from across the world.
The largest city
on Honshu Island is Tokyo, the great ultramodern city comprising the largest population on this planet, accounting for over 37 million residents. Tokyo has numerous attractions, from beautiful and soothing buildings to over 500 different museums. The total area of Honshu Island encompasses around 228 thousand square km. Lengthwise, it is more than 1300 km. These indicators signify the vastness, Honshu occupies over 60% of the entire area of Japan. It is special for its unique location and nature. This article will reveal numerous interesting facts about Honshu Island.
What is the meaning of 'Honshu'?
Generally, Japan is known as the Land of the Rising Sun. In Japanese, 'Hon' and 'Xiu' mean the 'main one' and 'province' respectively. So, literally, 'Honshu' depicts the 'main province' of the Land of the Rising Sun.
You will see numerous volcanoes in Honshu.
Honshu Island is a place of volcanoes. It harbors numerous volcanoes, be they active or extinct. Because of this, the region is volcanically and seismically active. The most popular volcano in Japan is Mount Fuji, with a height of approximately 3776 meters. It is located on a plain almost at the mean sea level. You can view this attractive symbol of Japan from a distance of 80 km when the weather is clear. You will be surprised to know that Honshu is one of the 10 highest islands in the world.
You must climb Mt. Fuji once in your lifetime.
The beauty of the extinct, along with the 20 active volcanoes, attracts tourists across the globe. There is a popular belief that every Japanese must climb Mount Fuji at least once in their lifetime. You will observe a seismic station on this mountain.
The mountain of fear is equally attractive.
The active volcano Osoreyama is regarded as sacred, which is directly linked to Japanese mythology. The literal meaning of 'Osoreyama' is 'mountain of fear'. The mountain looks attractive due to the red or yellow mass observable in the cracks, with the smell of sulfur.
Different regions of this island should be on the list of must-visit places in Japan.
There are five regions on this island. The North, East, Central, South, and West sides are known as Tohoku, Kanto, Chubu, Kansai, and Chugoku, respectively. All five of them include a total of 34 prefectures. These are considered the most economically developed regions of this country. However, each of them is different in its special climate, flavor, and nature.
All those islands are connected.
Surprisingly, the island is connected to three other islands with bridges, along with underground tunnels. This helped in the unification of the entire region into a single space, facilitating quick and comfortable movement for the residents. The islands of Honshu and Hokkaido are linked via a transport tunnel, laid under the Sangar Strait, also known as Seikan. Moreover, three bridges are built across the Inland Sea of Japan to connect Honshu and Shikoku.
If you are in Japan, you must visit Honshu Island at least once.
