Place · island

Kyushu

Also known as Kyūshū

Kyushu is the third-largest of Japan's main islands, lying south-west of Honshu and closest to Korea and China. It was an early gateway for continental culture and, in the 16th century, for Portuguese traders and Christianity. Its great warrior houses, such as the Shimazu, Ōtomo and Ryūzōji, fought for control until Toyotomi Hideyoshi conquered the island in 1587.

Kyushu
Image: NASA · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons

Mentioned in 13 state histories

Na (Japan)YamataiHayatoSouthern CourtOuchi clan domainOtomo clan domainShimazu clan domainRyuzoji clan domainChosokabe clan domainToyotomi regimeFukuoka DomainKokura Domainand 1 more

See also

Cite this entry
APA
The Epoch Institute. (2026). Kyushu. In The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/kyushu
MLA
“Kyushu.” The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia, The Epoch Institute, 2026, https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/kyushu. Accessed .
Chicago
The Epoch Institute. “Kyushu.” The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. 2026. https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/kyushu.
Harvard
The Epoch Institute (2026) ‘Kyushu’, The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. Available at: https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/kyushu (Accessed: ).

Last reviewed October 2026Random entry ↻