Kyūshū

Kyushu (九州 Kyūshū^?, lit. "Nine Provinces") is the third largest island of Japan and most southwesterly of its four main islands.^[2] Its alternate ancient names include Kyūkoku (九国^?, "Nine States"), Chinzei (鎮西^?, "West of the Pacified Area"), and Tsukushi-no-shima (筑紫島^?, "Island of Tsukushi").

The historical regional name is Saikaidō (西海道^?, lit. West Sea Circuit) referred to Kyushu and its surrounding islands.

The island is mountainous, and Japan's most active volcano, Mt Aso at 1,591 metres (5,220 ft), is on Kyushu. There are many other signs of tectonic activity, including numerous areas of hot springs.
The most famous of these are in Beppu, on the east shore, and around Mt. Aso, in central Kyushu.

The name Kyūshū comes from the nine ancient provinces of Saikaidō situated on the island: Chikuzen, Chikugo, Hizen, Higo, Buzen, Bungo, Hyūga, Osumi, and Satsuma.

Today's Kyushu Region consists of seven prefectures on the island of Kyushu (which also includes the former Tsushima and Iki as part of Nagasaki), and also Okinawa Prefecture to the south.

The Azumi people were an ancient group of people who inhabited parts of northern Kyūshū .