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Kumamoto
Columbia Encyclopedia entry: Kumamoto
Kumamotokoomä'mōtō, city (1990 pop. 579,306), capital of Kumamoto prefecture, W Kyushu, Japan. It was an important castle town in the 17th cent.; one of its castles (built 1651) still stands. There are also several shrines in the city. Kumamoto prefecture (1990 pop. 1,840,383), 2,872 sq mi (7,438 sq km), is noted for the Aso-san volcanic peaks and for its many islands. With a predominantly agricultural economy, Kumamoto has such crops as rice, silk, and tobacco. Forestry and fishing are also important, along with such industries as textiles, processed foods, chemicals, and paper.

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Wikipedia search results for: Kumamoto, Kumamoto
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
is the capital city of Kumamoto Prefecture on the island of Kyūshū, Japan. Greater Kumamoto has a population of 1,460,000, as of the 2000 Census. It is never considered part of the Fukuoka-Kitakyushu metropolitan area despite both bordering each other. Kato Kiyomasa, a contemporary of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, was made daimyo of half of the administrative region of Higo in 1588. After that, Kiyomasa built Kumamoto Castle. Due to its many innovative defensive designs, Kumamoto Castle was considered impregnable, and Kiyomasa enjoyed a reputation as one of the finest castle-builders in Japanese history. After Kiyomasa died in 1611, his son, Tadahiro, succeeded him,...more »
Columbia Encyclopedia search results: Kumamoto
Results 1 - 5  of 5
  • Yatsushiro

    Yatsushiro, city (1990 pop. 108,135), Kumamoto prefecture, W Kyushu, Japan, on Yatsushiro Bay and the Kuma River estuary. It is a major commercial center and fishing port producing cement, pap...

  • Arao

    Arao, city (1990 pop. 59,507), Kumamoto prefecture, W Kyushu, Japan, on Ariake Bay. It is a port and is part of the Omuta-Arao industrial region where chemicals, bricks, fertilizers, and plast...

  • Hitoyoshi

    Hitoyoshi, city (1990 pop. 40,173), Kumamoto prefecture, W central Kyushu, Japan, on the Kuma River. It is an agricultural center, railway junction, and popular resort area noted for its hot s...

  • Amakusa Islands

    Amakusa Islands, archipelago, c.340 sq mi (880 sq km), Kumamoto and Kagoshima prefectures, in the East China Sea, off W Kyushu, Japan. There are about 70 islands in the group. Shimo, the large...

  • Hosokawa, Morihiro

    Hosokawa, Morihiro, 1938–, Japanese politician, a member of a noble family and grandson of Fumimaro Konoye. A journalist and member of the Liberal Democratic party (LDP), he entered politics i...

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