mainland Japan

American  

[meyn-land juh-pan, -luhnd] / ˈmeɪnˌlænd dʒəˈpæn, -lənd /

noun

1. Japan’s four principal islands (Hokkaido, Honshu, Kyushu, Shikoku), as designated to distinguish them from the thousands of smaller islands of the Japanese archipelago.

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Etymology

Origin of mainland Japan

First recorded in 1800–10

Example Sentences

In the damp shade beneath moss-covered trees, high in the mountains of Taiwan and mainland Japan or deep within the subtropical forests of Okinawa, an unusual organism quietly grows.

From Science Daily • Dec. 20, 2025

Slow-moving Khanun lashed Okinawa in the middle of the week and threatens to curve back to mainland Japan while intensifying rains in China.

From BBC • Aug. 5, 2023

Okinawa is located about 300 miles from mainland Japan and 440 miles from Taiwan.

From Washington Times • Mar. 8, 2023

Typhoon Hinnamnor was bringing high winds to islands south of mainland Japan on Wednesday, a day after forecasters said it was the Northern Hemisphere’s strongest tropical cyclone of the year so far.

From New York Times • Aug. 31, 2022

During U.S. rule, Okinawans used the dollar and followed American traffic laws, and any trips between Okinawa and mainland Japan required passports.

From Seattle Times • May 13, 2022