Kyushu Island is the third largest after Honshu and Hokkaido in the Japanese archipelago. Its area is more than forty thousand square kilometers. The island is located in the south and lies in a subtropical climate zone. The mountainous terrain with active volcanoes attracts lovers of tracking here. And hot springs - wanting to soak up, and at the same time heal. It is believed that all of Japanese civilization was born in Kyushu. It is difficult to say whether it is so or not, but it was from this island that the contacts of the Land of the Rising Sun with the outside world began. On old Russian maps, Kyushu was designated as Kiu-Siu or Kiu-Shiu. It is separated from the main Japanese island of Honshu by the Shimonoseki Strait. A bridge and numerous Kammon tunnels (railway, road and pedestrian) were laid across this water barrier. In this article we will talk about the nature and attractions of Kyushu. It is rightly considered a famous tourist region.
Where is Kyushu Island
This land is located closer to the coast of South Korea. Therefore, Kyushu became the flagship of contact with Western civilizations after so many years of isolation. Most likely, ancient people from the mainland also came here. Therefore, Kyushu is considered the cradle of Japanese culture. From the west, the island is washed by the East China Sea. On the other hand, the Pacific approaches him. And in the northeast the Inland Sea is splashing. Kyushu island relief is mountainous. Only in the northwest are plains and low hills found. The highest point - the extinct paleovolcano Kuju (1788 meters above sea level) - is located almost in the center of the island. The western coast of Kyushu is heavily indented and teeming with picturesque bays. There are coal deposits on the island (Hizen, Miike, Chikugo), although the mountains are composed of volcanic rocks, schists and granites.
Climate Kyushu
Monsoon plays an important role in the formation of weather conditions. Although Kyushu Island in Japan has a subtropical climate, most rainfall occurs in summer. The average annual rainfall is three thousand millimeters. The Kyushu climate is characterized by pronounced altitudinal zonation. So, in January, on average, the air temperature in the mountains drops to zero, while on the coast the thermometer does not drop below + 10 ° C. In the hottest month of the year, July, +15 ° C is observed at an altitude, while at the sea - as much as +26 ° C. Winter monsoon often brings typhoons. In the formation of the Kyushu climate, especially the coastal zones, a large role is played by the warm currents - Tsushima and Kuroshio. In the south of the island, humid tropical forests are widespread, where ferns and palm trees predominate. On the rest of the Kyushu territory, vegetation is subject to altitudinal zonation. Magnolias and camellias grow in the lower tier, pine, azaleas, cryptomeria, which are replaced by alpine meadows, grow above.
Seismological situation
In addition to the extinct volcano Kuju, there is no shortage of active ones on the island. The most active Aso, a height of 1592 meters. The capricious and unpredictable Sakurajima and Kirishima are not far behind him. The whole island is considered a seismic zone. Not so long ago, Kyushu hit the first news feed. In mid-April of this year, a major earthquake occurred in Japan on the island of Kyushu. Its epicenter with a magnitude of eight points was near the city of Kumamoto. A series of aftershocks, which lasted a whole week, claimed forty-four human lives. More than a thousand people were injured. Due to landslides and destruction, more than one hundred thousand people had to be evacuated. But such a dangerous seismological situation has another, attractive side. Non-cooling bowels of the earth give rise to thermal springs. Aso, the most active volcano on the island of Kyushu, gives a steady income to the balneological resort of Beppu.
How to get to Kyushu
If you arrive on the island by air, you will most likely be met by Fukuoka International Airport. This hub connects many flights with Europe, Asia and the rest of Japan. Airports in other Kyushu cities offer a smaller range of destinations. Most of them can fly to Shanghai and Seoul. Fukuoka can be reached from South Korea by ferry. The Sanyo-Shinkansen High-Speed Railway starts in Osaka and leads to Kagoshima via Fukuoka. Trains also stop at Kokur and Hakat. A trip in such high-speed trains is equivalent to a tourist attraction: from Tokyo to Fukuoka, the whole journey will take only half an hour. You can come to the island through the tunnel by bus. Willer Express ships its vehicles daily to Kyushu from Tokyo, Osaka, and Nagoya.
Attractions Nagasaki
This port on Kyushu is also one of the main cities in Japan. It is located in the west, on the shores of Nagasaki Bay. There are so many attractions in this city that we can only list them. A must-see is Peace Park with the Atomic Bomb Museum and a memorial hall for victims of the American bombing. Puccini created the opera Madame Butterfly, based on the true story of Thomas Glover's love for the daughter of the samurai Tsuru Yamamur. There is a garden in Nagasaki where a romance was played out. Other attractions of the city include Suva and Sanno Jinja temples, Uroki Cathedral, a monument to 26 Christian martyrs, Chinatown, the Historical Museum, the ghost island of Hashima, Fukusai, Sofuku and Kofuku-ji monastery complexes, Oura Church.
Things to do in Kyushu
The mountainous landscape with active volcanoes is one of the attractive attractions of the island. One of the items on the “mast do” list is a trip on an old train with three “Hitoshi-go” wagons, which runs from the designated point to Kumamoto through the picturesque places of the Kuma River Valley . An excursion to the Shimabar Peninsula will be interesting. Here in the seventeenth century there was an uprising, as a result of which all of Japan became isolated from the rest of the world for two centuries. Only Dutch and Chinese merchants were allowed to come to Shimabaru, and even then at a very limited quota. The country of the rising sun did not open its ports to foreigners until 1854. A trip to Kyushu Island will be incomplete without visiting the surroundings of Aso. This volcano has the world's largest caldera. Several pedestrian safe routes with observation platforms have been developed, from where a stunning view of the "moon landscape" of the Aso lava fields opens. More extreme will be a trip to Kagoshima. Volcanic ash from Sakurajima falls on the roofs of this city as often as rains.
Kyushu Island Attractions
Fukuoka is an eternally young and bustling city. Night clubs, high-tech technology museums and traditional Japanese culture coexist here side by side. Here you can go to performances in the theaters of Kabuki and No, as well as chat with robots of the latest design in Robosquare. It is also good to view Fukuoka from a bird's eye view, climbing a 234-meter tower. In Kumamotu, Fujisaki Shrine, Castle and Suizenji Gardens are a must. Kyushu is famous throughout Japan for its thermal springs. To soak in them, you should go to the resort of Beppu. The most famous is a complex of hot springs under the ominous name "Nine Hells." If you like mountain trekking, head to the southern volcanic chain of Kirishima. Well, if you are a fan of surfing, take a trip to the beaches of Miyazaki.
What to try and buy as a keepsake
Kyushu Island is famous for its cuisine. In Kumamoto you need to try the Karashirenkon crown dish. This is a lotus stem stuffed with mustard seeds , fried in wheat and soy breading. On the island of Kyushu, as in Catalonia, black pigs are raised. Therefore, the local specialty is the Japanese analogue of jamon - tonkottsu ramen. Basashi dish is a raw horse meat with soy sauce, eaten with ginger. Various tropical fruits and sugar cane are grown on the southern island of Kyushu. For drinks, try the shochu. This region is famous for its pottery. Dishes should be bought in Arita and Karatsu.