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Honshu
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Wakayama
Wakayama Beach at Shirahama, Wakayama prefecture, west-central Honshu, Japan.

Honshu

island, Japan
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Japanese historical sites
Japanese historical sites

Honshu, largest of the four main islands of Japan, lying between the Pacific Ocean (east) and the Sea of Japan (west). It forms a northeast–southwest arc extending about 800 miles (1,287 km) and varies greatly in width. The coastline extends 6,266 miles (10,084 km). Honshu has an area of 87,992 square miles (227,898 square km) and contains almost three-fourths of the total number of ken (prefectures) of Japan.

Shiga
ShigaUkimi Temple in Lake Biwa, Katada, Shiga prefecture, central Honshu, Japan.

Honshu is regarded as the Japanese mainland. Much of the country’s early history took place in its southern region. The Pacific coast is the country’s main economic centre, lined with the metropolitan areas of Tokyo–Yokohama and Ōsaka–Kōbe. Honshu contains Japan’s highest mountain, Mount Fuji, and its largest lake, Lake Biwa.

The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica This article was most recently revised and updated by Michael Ray.