Honshu is the largest island of Japan and is called the Mainland. The island occupies 60% of the total area of Japan. It is the seventh largest island in the world and the second most populous after the island of Java. It is located on the south of Hokkaido island and lies across the Tsugaru Strait.
The area of Honshu is divided into five regions and contains 34 prefectures, including the metropolitan Tokyo. The region has valuable forest reserves but a limited amount of arable land. Shinano, the longest river of Japan, traverses through the central part of Honshu.
The climate of Honshu is mainly of a subtropical type. There are frequent weather changes in the region. The northern part has snowy winters while the southern parts have a warm climate. The weather changes mainly depending on the elevation of the area.
The region of Honshu is very prone to earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. The area is very mountainous and Mount Fuji is the highest peak in the region. Mount Fuji is also an active volcano and frequent eruptions are not uncommon. In addition to Mt. Fuji, the Japanese Alps are responsible for bringing about a marked difference in temperatures between the eastern or southern side and the western or northern side. Most of the rivers in Honshu are short and swift and feed many small hydroelectric plants.
The major cities of Japan are located in Honshu including the 23 special wards of Tokyo, Yokohama, Osaka, Nagoya, Kyoto, Kobe, Akita, Sendai, Fukushima, Niigata and Hiroshima. 25 % of the population resides in and around the areas of Tokyo and Yokohama. The other highly populated areas include Kyoto, Osaka, Kobe, Sendai, Hiroshima and Nagoya. The population is mainly concentrated in the lowland areas.
Honshu is connected to the islands of Hokkaido, Kyushu and Shikoku with the help of tunnels and bridges. Recently, three new bridge systems have been built across the islands of the Inland Sea between Honshu and Shikoku. Most of the great ports of Japan are situated in Honshu. The Seikan Tunnel connects Honshu with Hokkaido.
Some of the great tourist attraction spots in Honshu include:
- Osaka
- Nara
- Fukushima
- Hiroshima
- Shimonoseki
- Nagoya
- Kyoto
- Kawasaki
- Mito
- Shizuoka
- Matsumoto
- Niigata
