KnowraKumamoto PrefectureKumamoto PrefectureA prefecture in central Kyushu, Japan, facing the Ariake Sea and containing Mount Aso and the city of Kumamoto.BriefConnectMount Aso: An active volcanic complex in central Kyushu, known for its vast caldera and inhabited highland landscape. Its caldera dominates the prefecture’s central geography and attracts visitors.Aso Caldera: A large volcanic depression formed by ancient eruptions in central Kyushu. Its scale explains the broad basin and settled terrain around Mount Aso.Higo Province: A former Japanese province covering most of what is now Kumamoto Prefecture. Its historical boundaries provide the predecessor to the modern prefecture.Kumamoto rice: Rice cultivated in Kumamoto Prefecture, including varieties grown in the Aso region. Rice farming links fertile plains and mountain water to the prefecture’s food economy.Kumamoto Castle: A Japanese castle in Kumamoto City, known for its extensive stone walls and distinctive defensive design. The castle is the prefectural capital’s best-known landmark and a symbol of its history.Aso Volcano: An active volcano within the Aso Caldera, including several central cones and Mount Nakadake. Its eruptions and monitoring shape life in the prefecture’s interior.Kato Kiyomasa: A Japanese daimyo and military commander who governed Higo Province around the turn of the seventeenth century. His rule and castle-building left a lasting mark on Kumamoto’s political landscape.Kumamoto agriculture: The cultivation of crops and raising of livestock across Kumamoto Prefecture. Agriculture is a major way residents use the region’s plains, volcanic soils, and water.Amakusa Islands: An archipelago off western Kyushu, divided between islands in Kumamoto Prefecture and nearby waters. These islands extend the prefecture into the Ariake and Yatsushiro seas.2016 Kumamoto earthquakes: A sequence of major earthquakes that struck Kumamoto Prefecture in April 2016. The sequence exposed the region’s seismic risk and damaged towns, infrastructure, and historic sites.Show all 21Linked from 3 pagesFukuoka PrefectureRelated: It is a neighboring Kyushu region linked to Fukuoka by transport and commerce.Saga PrefectureCompared with: It shares Kyushu's agricultural setting while differing in location and volcanic landscapes.Ōita PrefectureCompared with: Kumamoto’s Aso-centered volcanic scenery complements but differs from Ōita’s onsen landscape.