is the third-largest and most southerly of Japan's four main islands. In the past, it has been known as , and . The historical regional name referred to Kyushu and its surrounding islands. Kyushu has a land area of 36782 km2 and a population of 12,382,121 as of 2025.

There is a theory that Kyushu was in ancient times home to its own independent dynasty, where a unique, southern-influenced culture and tradition distinct from that of Honshu flourished.