本州(ほんしゅう)

本州(ほんしゅう) is the largest and most populous of Japan's four main islands, containing roughly 80% of the country's population.

Writing

本(ほん) (main, true) + 州(しゅう) (province, state). Literally "main province."

JAPAN'S four main islands

• 北海道(ほっかいどう): Hokkaido (northernmost)
• 本州(ほんしゅう): Honshu (largest, central)
• 四国(しこく): Shikoku (smallest of the four)
• 九州(きゅうしゅう): Kyushu (southernmost)

Regions on honshu

• 東北(とうほく): Tohoku (northeast)
• 関東(かんとう): Kanto (includes Tokyo)
• 中部(ちゅうぶ): Chubu (central)
• 近畿(きんき)/関西(かんさい): Kinki/Kansai (includes Osaka, Kyoto)
• 中国(ちゅうごく): Chugoku (western)

Honshu is the seventh-largest island in the world by area.