mainland Japan

American  

[mayn-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

See Examples For:

mainland Japan

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

After passing over Okinawa, Nanmadol is expected to weaken and become a “very strong typhoon” by the time it reaches mainland Japan, the meteorological agency said.

From New York Times ● Sep. 17, 2022

U.S. troops, in their push for mainland Japan, landed on Okinawa’s main island on April 1, 1945.

From Seattle Times ● May 13, 2022