Honshu

Honshu or Hondo, largest island of Japan, called the mainland. It is bounded on the north by Tsugaru Strait, which separates it from Hokkaido; on the east by the Pacific Ocean; on the south by the Inland Sea and the Strait of Shimonoseki, which separates it from Shikoku and Kyushu; and on the west by the Sea of Japan (East Sea). The island is about 1,290 km (800 mi) long and ranges in width from 48 to 241 km (30 to 150 mi) in the central region; its area (including nearly 200 small offshore islands) is 230,940 sq km (89,166 sq mi). Like the other islands of Japan, Honshu is extremely mountainous. The loftiest peaks of Japan are located in the central mountain mass, often called the Japanese Alps. Fuji, the highest summit of the country, has an elevation of 3,776 m (12,389 ft). Asama, the largest active volcano of Japan, is about 140 km (85 mi) north-west of Tokyo. Honshu is often subject to severe earthquakes. The Tone, Shinano, and Kino rivers, among the largest of Japan, are situated on Honshu, and the island also contains numerous lakes, including Lake Biwa, that are noted as summer resort areas. The virgin forest of Shirakami-Sanchi, in the north of the island, was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1993.

Extending over approximately 8 degrees of latitude, Honshu has wide regional variations of climate. Severe winters, with considerable snow, are common west of the central uplift and in the northern portion of the island. The warm Japan Current brings milder winters to the eastern coastal regions in the central island area. Under the influence of the south-western monsoon, the summers are usually moist and hot, with the extreme temperatures as high as 35° C (95° F). Typhoons, usually occurring in the late summer months, bring heavy rains that often cause serious floods. Considerably more than half the population of Japan resides in the lowlands of Honshu. Besides Tokyo, the leading cities of the island include Osaka, Nagoya, Kyoto, Yokohama, Kōbe, and Hiroshima. The population of Honshu (1990 estimate) is 99,254,194.