22 N. Yamasaki 



A comparatively wide plain extends along the sliore of Ariake 

 Bay. It is divided into two parts by the hilly region of Miike. 

 The northern plain is drained by tlie Chikugo-gawa, the largest 

 river of Kyushu, and is densely x)opulated. Higo Plain on the south 

 has in its centre the city of Kumamoto. This plain is extreuiely 

 fertile and produces rice of the best quality. The warm climate of 

 the southern i)rovinces favors the production of cane sugar as is the 

 case in Satsuma. Among many islands, there are the twin islands of 

 Amakusa, and the Koshiki and Goto Groups, to the west, while 

 Iki and Tsushima to the north form stepping stones between Japan 

 and Korea. The neighbouring seas are well known for very ricli 

 fishing of bonito, inkfish, etc. 



iv. Ryukyu : — All the islands stretching between Kyushu and 

 Taiwan (Formosa) are comprised under the name of the Eyukyu 

 Group. But politically the norther^n group of these islands belongs to 

 Kyushu. These islands are nothing but the peaks of a submerged 

 mountain ridge along the edge of the continental shelf. Geologically 

 the arc of Eyukyu is divided into thi-ee zones. The islands in tlie 

 central zone are mostly of older geologic formations while those in 

 the outer zone are of the later Tertiary period. The inner zone is of 

 volcanic origin, and is the continuation of the Kirishima volcauic 

 chain of Kyushu. Coral reefs develop near the coast of the islands, 

 and there are also old raised reefs on some islands. The tilted struc- 

 ture of the land is especially remarkable in the Taeyama Islands of 

 the southernmost group. Okinawa-jima, the largest island, is situated 

 in the centre of this arc. Most of the islands are hilly, with the 

 exception of Yaku-shima, in which there is the granite mountain of 

 Miyanoura-dake, 1935 m. Many of the islands are very densely popu- 

 lated and cane sugar manufacture is the principal industry. 



V. Taiwan (Formosa) : — This spindle-shaped island is at the 

 southern extremity of the Empire and lies next to the province of 

 Fokien of South China from which it is separated by the Taiwan 

 Channel. Slight development of the coastal line characterizes this 

 island, there being no large indentations. Kelung, the gate to this 

 island on its northern end, is but a small rias harbour. The back- 

 bone of Taiwan consists principally of Palaeozoic slate and limestone. 

 It begins with the precipitous cliif of Cape Bito on the northern 

 coast, and stretches southwestwest for some distance, then turns to the 

 southsouthwest. Here stands the second highest peak of the island, the 



