Editing Kyushu (section)

==Culture==
Kyushu has maintained the strongest economic and cultural ties with [[Okinawa Prefecture|Okinawa (Ryukyu)]] from ancient times to the present. Traces of Okinawan culture can be seen throughout Kyushu, and vice versa. Okinawan musical scales are often found in local folk songs, and there are many similarities in cuisine and language. Kyushu is also home to a unique traditional instrument called the ''[[gottan]]'', which resembles the ''[[sanshin]]'' and ''[[shamisen]]''. The region boasts a rich tradition of craftsmanship, with numerous traditional crafts such as [[Hakata-ori]] (博多織), [[Beppu bamboo crafts]](別府竹細工), [[Kurume Kasuri]] (久留米絣), and [[Satsuma kiriko|Sathuma Kiriko]]

=== People ===
[[People in Kyushu]] are known for being conservative even within Japan. In particular, men from Kyushu are often referred to as "[[Kyushu danji]]" (九州男児), evoking an image of being wild and strong. It is said that this term has existed since ancient times, originally used to inspire and encourage soldiers. Being from Kyushu is a source of great pride for its people. Thanks to this cultural spirit, Kyushu has preserved a rich variety of unique traditional cultures that continue to thrive today.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Shimbun |first=Minami-Nippon |title=「九州男児」は兵士を勇気づける言葉だった？ 歴史をたどり“起源”に迫る 薩摩の方言「おい、こら」にヒントも |url=https://373news.com/news/local/detail/166270/ |access-date=2025-04-28 |website=南日本新聞デジタル |language=ja}}</ref>

=== Food ===
The main features of Kyushu cuisine are the use of fresh ingredients nurtured by the region’s geography, which is surrounded by the sea and blessed with rich nature, along with distinctive seasonings such as sweet soy sauce ([[Kyushu soy sauce]]) and barley miso, which differ from those used in [[Honshu]].

Each region has its own culinary characteristics: seafood-based dishes are prominent in the north, while meat dishes are more common in the south.<ref>{{Cite web |title=うちの郷土料理：農林水産省 |url=https://www.maff.go.jp/j/keikaku/syokubunka/k_ryouri/index.html |access-date=2025-04-28 |website=www.maff.go.jp}}</ref>

* '''Fukuoka''' – [[Tonkotsu ramen|Hakata ramen (博多ラーメン)]], [[Chikuzenni|gameni (がめ煮,  筑前煮)]], [[Motsunabe|motsunabe (もつ鍋)]], [[Kashiwameshi|kashiwa-meshi (かしわ飯)]], [[okyu-to]] (おきゅうと)
* '''Saga''' – [[Tsunkī dago jiru|Tsunkī dago jiru (つんきーだご汁)]], [[Noppe jiru|noppe jiru (のっぺ汁)]], [[Funanko-gui|funanko-gui (ふなんこぐい)]], [[Noppe jiru|noppe jiru (のっぺ汁)]]
* '''Nagasaki''' – [[Champon|Nagasaki champon (長崎ちゃんぽん)]], [[Sara udon|sara udon (皿うどん)]], rokube (ろくべえ), [[Omura zushi|Omura-zushi (大村寿司)]]
* '''Oita''' – [[Dango jiru|dango jiru (だんご汁)]], [[ami-meshi]] (あみめし), [[Kirasumameshi|kirasu-meshi (きらすまめし)]], [[Toriten|toriten (とり天)]], hocho (鮑腸)
* '''Kumamoto''' – [[Nankan-age maki-zushi|Nankan-age maki-zushi (南関あげ巻き寿司)]], [[Takana zuke|takana zuke (高菜漬け)]], [[Karashi renkon|karashi renkon (からし蓮根)]], [[Dago jiru|dago jiru (だご汁)]]
* '''Miyazaki''' – [[Nimono|nishime]] (煮しめ), [[Chicken nanban|chicken nanban (鶏南蛮)]], na-dōfu (菜豆腐), [[Hiyajiru|hiyajiru (冷や汁)]], [[Hie-zushi|hie-zushi (稗ずーしー)]]
* '''Kagoshima''' – [[Keihan rice|keihan]] (鶏飯), [[Abura-zōmen|abura-zōmen (油ゾーメン)]], [[Satsuma-sumoji|satsuma-sumoji (さつますもじ)]], [[Buri-daikon|buri-daikon (ぶり大根)]], gane(がね)
* '''Okinawa''' – [[Chanpurū|goyā champurū (ゴーヤーチャンプルー)]], [[Okinawa soba|Okinawa soba (沖縄そば)]], [[Rafute|rafutē (ラフテー)]], [[Kufājiushi|kufājiushi (クファジューシー)]]

=== Sweets ===
Confectionery in Kyushu tends to use more sugar compared to other regions of Japan. This is because Kyushu has historically had close ties with [[Okinawa Prefecture|Okinawa]] ([[Ryukyu Islands|Ryukyu]]), a major producer of sugar. As a result, many traditional sweets from Kyushu incorporate characteristics of [[Ryukyuan culture]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=菓子 {{!}} うちの郷土料理：農林水産省 |url=https://www.maff.go.jp/j/keikaku/syokubunka/k_ryouri/search_menu/type/pastry.html |access-date=2025-04-28 |website=www.maff.go.jp}}</ref>

* [[Karukan]] (かるかん)
* [[Umegae Mochi]] (梅ヶ枝餅)
* [[Ikinari Dango]] (いきなり団子)
* [[Jiriyaki]] (じり焼き)
* [[Ogi Yōkan|Ogi ''Yōkan'']] ''(''小城羊羹)
* [[Kurobo]] (黒棒)
* [[Kashamochi]] (かしゃもち)
* [[Imo manju]] (いも饅頭)
* [[Akumaki]] (あくまき)
* [[Yubeshi]]（柚餅子）
* [[Sake Manjū]] (酒まんじゅう)

=== Musical instruments ===
In Kyushu, there exists a traditional stringed instrument known as the ''[[gottan]](ゴッタン)'', which developed independently within the region’s unique cultural and geographic context. The instrument is considered to be a midpoint between the ''[[shamisen]]'' of [[Honshu|mainland Japan]] and the ''[[sanshin]]'' of [[Okinawa Prefecture|Okinawa]], incorporating characteristics of both. Structurally, it resembles the sanshin more closely—for example, it lacks the ''sawari'', a buzzing mechanism found in the shamisen. This absence, along with its simplified wooden box construction and single string, aligns it with the more minimalistic design typical of southern instruments.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-05-17 |title=鹿児島県・上甑島。島の小さな集落で、幻の楽器の音色に浸る {{!}} ブルータス |url=https://brutus.jp/kamikoshikishima_travel/ |access-date=2025-05-16 |website=BRUTUS.jp |language=ja}}</ref>

Musically, the ''[[gottan]]'' is sometimes used to perform melodies that reflect the Ryukyuan pentatonic scale, suggesting a subtle but notable influence from Okinawan musical traditions. While it remains a distinct and localized folk instrument of Kyushu, its sound and structure reveal traces of a broader cultural exchange within the southern Japanese archipelago, embodying a hybrid identity between the mainland and the Ryukyus.<ref>{{Cite web |title=ゴッタン甑の会 |url=https://peraichi.com/landing_pages/view/koshikigottan/ |access-date=2025-05-16 |website=peraichi.com}}</ref>
* [[Gottan]] (ゴッタン)
* [[Sanshin]] (三線)
* [[Biwa|Chikuzen Biwa]] (筑前琵琶)
* [[Biwa|Sathuma Biwa]] (薩摩琵琶)
* [[Thuchibue]] (土笛)
* [[Iwabue]] (石笛)

=== World Heritage Sites ===
* [[Gusuku Sites and Related Properties of the Kingdom of Ryukyu]], registered in 2000<ref name="heritage" />
* [[Sites of Japan's Meiji Industrial Revolution: Iron and Steel, Shipbuilding and Coal Mining]], registered in 2015
* [[Sacred Island of Okinoshima and Associated Sites in the Munakata Region]], registered in 2017
* [[Hidden Christian Sites in the Nagasaki Region]], registered in 2018

===Sports===
Historically some Kyushu-based [[sports]] team has competed in the top Japanese division of [[Japanese baseball|baseball]] ([[Nippon Professional Baseball|NPB]]), [[Football in Japan|football (soccer)]] ([[J.League]]), [[Basketball in Japan|basketball]] ([[B.League]]) or even [[Rugby union in Japan|rugby union]] ([[Japan Rugby League One|League One]]). Currently the major teams competing in Kyushu's major cities include:
*[[Fukuoka Prefecture|Fukuoka]]:  [[Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks]] (baseball); [[Avispa Fukuoka]], [[Giravanz Kitakyushu]] (football); [[Rizing Zephyr Fukuoka]] (basketball); [[Kyuden Voltex]] (Rugby)
*[[Saga Prefecture|Saga]]: [[Sagan Tosu]] (football); [[Saga Ballooners]] (basketball)
*[[Nagasaki Prefecture|Nagasaki]]: [[V-Varen Nagasaki]] (football); [[Nagasaki Velca]] (basketball)
*[[Kumamoto Prefecture|Kumamoto]]: [[Roasso Kumamoto]] (football); [[Kumamoto Volters]] (basketball)
*[[Ōita Prefecture|Ōita]]: [[Oita Trinita]] (football)
*[[Miyazaki Prefecture|Miyazaki]]: [[Tegevajaro Miyazaki]] (football)
*[[Kagoshima Prefecture|Kagoshima]]: [[Kagoshima United FC]] (football); [[Kagoshima Rebnise]] (basketball)
*[[Okinawa Prefecture|Okinawa]]: [[FC Ryukyu]] (football); [[Ryukyu Golden Kings]] (basketball)