Honshu

American  

[hon-shoo, hawn-shoo] / ˈhɒn ʃu, ˈhɔn ʃu /

noun

1. an island in central Japan: chief island of the country. 88,851 sq. mi. (230,124 sq. km).

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Honshu British  

/ ˈhɒnʃuː /

noun

1. Also called: Hondo.  the largest of the four main islands of Japan, between the Pacific and the Sea of Japan; regarded as the Japanese mainland; includes a number of offshore islands and contains most of the main cities. Pop: 102 324 961 (2000). Area: 230 448 sq km (88 976 sq miles)

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Example Sentences

Smaller black bears, meanwhile, are common across large parts of Japan, including on the main island of Honshu, and are responsible for most of the attacks.

From Barron's • May 8, 2026

Lilium pacificum grows on coastal areas facing the Pacific Ocean on Honshu from Ibaraki Prefecture south to Shizuoka Prefecture and the Izu Islands.

From Science Daily • May 1, 2024

The monkey’s real name, he added, was Honshu.

From New York Times • Feb. 1, 2024

ANA flight NH1182 was flying from the city of Sapporo in Hokkaido to Toyama, on Japan's main island, Honshu.

From BBC • Jan. 13, 2024

The largest of the islands, Honshu, is in an especially precarious position, straddling the boundary between the Eurasian and North American Plates.

From "Meltdown" by Deirdre Langeland