KnowraHonshuHonshuHonshu is the largest and most populous island of Japan. It contains Tokyo and many of the country’s other major cities.BriefConnectJapanese archipelago: The island chain forming Japan, extending from Hokkaido to the Ryukyu Islands. Honshu is the archipelago’s largest island and its central geographic anchor.Tokyo: Japan’s capital and the core of its largest metropolitan area. Tokyo lies on Honshu’s Kantō Plain and dominates the island’s population and economy.Mount Fuji: Japan’s highest mountain, a stratovolcano on the boundary of Yamanashi and Shizuoka prefectures. Its iconic summit rises near the island’s Pacific-side urban corridor.Hokkaido: Japan’s northernmost main island, known for its cooler climate and lower population density. Its size is substantial, but its population and urban concentration are far below Honshu’s.2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami: The earthquake and tsunami that devastated northeastern Japan on March 11, 2011. The disaster prompted major reconstruction and changed risk planning across Honshu.Kantō region: A region of eastern Japan centered on the Kantō Plain and Tokyo. The region contains Tokyo and Japan’s largest metropolitan concentration.Osaka: A major Japanese port city and commercial center in the Kansai region. Osaka anchors Honshu’s second major metropolitan region.Hiroshima: A Japanese city on Honshu that was destroyed by an atomic bomb in 1945. Its history makes the island a central setting in the Pacific War’s final days.Kyushu: The southwesternmost of Japan’s four main islands. Kyushu shares volcanic terrain with Honshu but has a smaller population and different regional role.Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster: The nuclear accident triggered by the 2011 earthquake and tsunami at Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant. The plant’s location on Honshu made the disaster a defining event in the island’s recent history.Show all 28Linked from 25 pagesJapanese island arcBroader topic: Honshu contains major volcanic and tectonic belts where several plate boundaries converge.Seto Inland SeaRelated: Its southern coast forms the sea’s northern boundary.Chiba PrefectureNarrower topic: Chiba occupies the island’s eastern side, across Tokyo Bay from central Tokyo.Kanmon StraitsRelated: Its southwestern tip faces Kyushu across the straits.Shizuoka PrefectureNarrower topic: Shizuoka occupies Honshu’s Pacific coast, between the Kantō and Chūbu regions.Tsugaru StraitRelated: The island forms the strait’s southern shore.Izu PeninsulaNarrower topic: Izu extends south from Honshu, though its volcanic origins distinguish it from the island’s main body.Kantō PlainNarrower topic: The plain lies on Honshu’s eastern side.Show all 25