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78-599: On 2 May 1955 the Rikuchū Kaigan National Park ( 陸中海岸国立公園 , Rikuchū Kaigan Kokuritsu Kōen ) was created in the Tōhoku region of Honshū in northern Japan . The park extended for 180 kilometers from north to south along the coastline of the Pacific Ocean from northern Miyagi prefecture to northern Iwate prefecture . It had a land area of 121.98 square kilometers (47.10 sq mi). On 24 May 2013

156-467: A few plateaus. In addition, an underwater ridge rising up to 3,500 m (11,500 ft) runs from north to south through the middle of the central part. The Japanese coastal area of the sea consists of Okujiri Ridge, Sado Ridge, Hakusan Banks, Wakasa Ridge and Oki Ridge. Yamato Ridge is of continental origin and is composed of granite , rhyolite , andesite and basalt . It has an uneven bottom covered with boulders of volcanic rock. Most other areas of

234-539: A mountainous character. In contrast, numerous large rivers flow from Honshū and Hokkaidō into the sea, including Japan's four largest rivers: the Shinano , Ishikari , Agano and Mogami . The total annual river discharge into the sea is 210 km (50 cu mi) and is relatively constant through the year, except for a minor increase in July. Most water (97% or 52,200 km  [12,500 cu mi]) flows into

312-544: A population of 104 million as of 2017 , constituting 81.3% of the entire population of Japan, and mostly concentrated in the coastal areas and plains. Approximately 30% of the total population resides in the Greater Tokyo Area on the Kantō Plain . As the historical center of Japanese cultural and political power, the island includes several past Japanese capitals, including Kyōto , Nara , and Kamakura . Much of

390-714: A quarter of all paddy fields in Japan. Chiba Prefecture is famous for its peanuts, also being the largest producer in Japan. Rare species of the lichen genus Menegazzia are found only in Honshu. Most of Japan's tea and silk is from Honshu. Japan's three largest industrial regions are all located on Honshu: the Keihin region , the Hanshin Industrial Region , and the Chūkyō Industrial Area . Honshu

468-651: A speed of 10–25 cm/s (4–10 in/s) in the open sea. They accelerate in the Korea Strait (40–60 cm/s or 16–24 in/s), La Pérouse Strait (50–100 cm/s or 20–40 in/s) and especially in the Tsugaru Strait (100–200 cm/s or 40–80 in/s). The amplitude of the tides is relatively low and varies strongly across the sea. It reaches 3 meters in the south near the Korea Strait, but quickly drops northwards to 1.5 m (5 ft) at

546-534: A wide southern part narrowing toward the north. The coastal length is about 7,600 km (4,700 mi) with the largest part (3,240 km or 2,010 mi) belonging to Russia. The sea extends from north to south for more than 2,255 km (1,401 mi) and has a maximum width of about 1,070 km (660 mi). It has three major basins : the Yamato Basin in the south-east, the Japan Basin in

624-482: Is August, with an average air temperature of 15 °C (59 °F) in the north and 25 °C (77 °F) in the south. Annual precipitation increases from 310–500 mm (12–20 in) in the north-west to 1,500–2,000 mm (59–79 in) in the south-east. A peculiar turbulent cloud pattern, named von Kármán vortices , is sometimes observed over the Sea of Japan. It requires a stable field of low clouds driven by

702-416: Is about 0 °C (32 °F) in the west and 5–6 °C (41–43 °F) in the east. This east-west difference drops to 1–2 °C (1.8–3.6 °F) in summer, and the temperatures rise to 18–20 °C (64–68 °F) in the north and 25–27 °C (77–81 °F) in the south. Because the sea is enclosed, its waters form clearly separated layers which may show seasonal and spatial dependence. In winter,

780-465: Is especially noticeable between October and March when the strong (12–15 m/s [39–49 ft/s] or higher) north-western monsoon wind brings cold and dry continental air. The evaporation is blown further south, causing snowfall in the mountainous western coasts of Japan. This winter monsoon brings typhoons and storms, with the waves reaching 8–10 m (26–33 ft) which erode the western coasts of Japan. Tsunami waves have also been recorded in

858-472: Is home to a large portion of Japan's minimal mineral reserves, including small oil and coal deposits. Several coal deposits are located in the northern part of the island, concentrated in Fukushima Prefecture and Niigata Prefecture , though Honshu's coal production is negligible in comparison to Hokkaido and Kyushu . Most of Japan's oil reserves are also located in northern Honshu, along

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936-784: Is located south of Hokkaidō across the Tsugaru Strait , north of Shikoku across the Inland Sea , and northeast of Kyūshū across the Kanmon Straits . The island separates the Sea of Japan , which lies to its north and west, from the North Pacific Ocean to the south and east. It is the seventh-largest island in the world, and the second-most populous after the Indonesian island of Java . Honshu had

1014-399: Is noted for examples of sea erosion, with numerous rock pillars and islands. The northern coast is an example of an uplifted coastline, and is an area which has been subject to several strong earthquakes and tsunami in recent history. The southern coast is an example of a ria coastline of submerged river valleys, with deep inlets and narrow peninsulas, forming many small bays and coves. At

1092-449: Is relatively constant. The surface layer tends to be more fresh in the sea parts which experience ice melting and rains. The average water density is 1.0270 g/cm in the north and 1.0255 g/cm in the south in winter. It lowers in summer to 1.0253 and 1.0215 g/cm , respectively. Few rivers flow into the Sea of Japan from mainland Asia , the largest being Tumen , Rudnaya, Samarga, Partizanskaya and Tumnin; all of them have

1170-513: Is roughly 1,300 km (810 mi) long and ranges from 50 to 230 km (31 to 143 mi) wide, and its total area is 227,960 km (88,020 sq mi), making it slightly larger than the island of Great Britain . Its land area has been increasing with land reclamation and coastal uplift in the north due to plate tectonics with a convergent boundary . Honshu has 10,084 kilometres (6,266 mi) of coastline. Mountainous and volcanic, Honshu experiences frequent earthquakes (such as

1248-412: Is seismically active, and is home to 40 active volcanoes. In 2011, an earthquake of magnitude 9.0–9.1 occurred off the coast of Honshu, generating tsunami waves up to 40.5 meters (133 ft) high and killing 19,747. It was the most powerful earthquake ever recorded in Japan , and the fourth most powerful earthquake in the world since modern record-keeping began in 1900. The tsunami subsequently led to

1326-850: Is the dominant term used in English for the sea, and the name in most European languages is equivalent, but it is sometimes called by different names in surrounding countries. The sea is called Nihon kai ( 日本海 , literally 'Japan Sea') in Japan, Rìběn hǎi ( 日本海 , 'Japan Sea') or originally Jīng hǎi ( 鲸海 , 'Whale Sea') in China, Yaponskoye more ( Японское море , 'Japanese Sea') in Russia, Chosŏn Tonghae ( 조선동해 , literally 'Korean East Sea') in North Korea , and Donghae ( 동해 , literally 'East Sea') in South Korea . The use of

1404-508: Is the lowest at 33.8‰ in the south-east and south-west because of frequent rains, and remains at about 34.09‰ in most other parts. Thawing of ice in spring reduces water salinity in the north, but it remains high at 34.60–34.70‰ in the south, partly because of the inflow of salty water through the Korea Strait . A typical variation of salinity across the sea in summer is 31.5‰ to 34.5‰ from north to south. The depth distribution of salinity

1482-690: The Asian mainland and Sakhalin; La Pérouse Strait between Sakhalin and Hokkaidō; the Tsugaru Strait between Hokkaidō and Honshū; the Kanmon Straits between Honshū and Kyūshū; and the Korea Strait between the Korean Peninsula and Kyūshū. The Korea Strait is composed of the Western Channel and the Tsushima Strait , on either side of Tsushima Island . The straits were formed in recent geologic periods. The oldest of them are

1560-543: The Great Kantō earthquake , which heavily damaged Tokyo in September 1923; and the earthquake of March 2011 , which moved the northeastern part of the island by varying amounts of as much as 5.3 m (17 ft) while causing devastating tsunamis). The highest peak is the active volcano Mount Fuji at 3,776 m (12,388 ft), which makes Honshu the world's 7th highest island . There are many rivers, including

1638-841: The Japanese archipelago separated from each other. During the Miocene, the Sea of Japan expanded. The north part of the Japanese archipelago was further fragmented later until orogenesis of the north-eastern Japanese archipelago began in the later Late Miocene . The south part of the Japanese archipelago remained as a relatively large landmass. The land area had expanded northward in the Late Miocene. The orogenesis of high mountain ranges in north-eastern Japan started in Late Miocene and lasted in Pliocene also. The eastern margin of

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1716-654: The Kuril Islands . It is also reflected in various legends, such as the legend of the Heishi rock , which says that once when herring vanished, an old fairy threw a bottle with magic water into the sea, and the herring returned. The bottle got stuck to the seabed and turned into a rock, which became a representation of the God of the Sea of Japan. Vladivostok is a base for the Russian whaling fleet. Although it operates in

1794-728: The Kurushima Kaikyō Bridge ; Shimotsui-Seto Bridge , Hitsuishijima Bridge , Iwakurojima Bridge , Yoshima Bridge , Kita Bisan-Seto Bridge , and the Minami Bisan-Seto Bridge ), the Seikan Tunnel connects Honshu with Hokkaidō, and the Kanmonkyo Bridge and Kanmon Tunnel connect Honshu with Kyūshū . These are notable flora and fauna of Honshu. Being on the Ring of Fire , the island of Honshu

1872-567: The Mediterranean Sea , it has almost no tides due to its nearly complete enclosure from the Pacific Ocean. This isolation also affects faunal diversity and salinity , both of which are lower than in the open ocean. The sea has no large islands, bays or capes. Its water balance is mostly determined by the inflow and outflow through the straits connecting it to the neighboring seas and the Pacific Ocean. Few rivers discharge into

1950-539: The Ogasawara Islands , Sado Island , Izu Ōshima , and Awaji Island . The regions and their prefectures are: Sea of Japan The Sea of Japan ( see below for other names) is the marginal sea between the Japanese archipelago , Sakhalin , the Korean Peninsula , and the mainland of the Russian Far East . The Japanese archipelago separates the sea from the Pacific Ocean . Like

2028-533: The Shinano River , Japan's longest. The Japanese Alps span the width of Honshu, from the 'Sea of Japan' coast to the Pacific shore. The climate is generally humid subtropical in western Japan and humid continental in the north. Honshu has a total population of 104 million people, according to a 2017 estimate, 81.3% of the entire population of Japan. The largest city is Tokyo (population: 13,988,129),

2106-412: The black-tailed gull and shearwater . In terms of larger animals, there have also been sightings of the kamoshika . Honshu Honshu ( 本州 , Honshū , pronounced [hoꜜɰ̃ɕɯː] ; lit.   ' main island ' ) , historically called Akitsushima ( 秋津島 , lit.   ' Dragonfly island ' ) , is the largest and most populous island of Japan . It

2184-607: The 1920s. American , Canadian and French whaleships cruised for whales in the sea between 1847 and 1892. Most entered the sea via Korea Strait and left via La Pérouse Strait , but some entered and exited via Tsugaru Strait . They primarily targeted right whales , but began catching humpbacks as right whale catches declined. They also made attempts to catch blue and fin whales , but these species invariably sank after being killed. Right whales were caught from March to September, with peak catches in May and June. During

2262-673: The Japanese islands. The largest bays are Peter the Great Gulf , Sovetskaya Gavan ; Vladimira Bay, Olga ; Posyet Bay in Russia; East Korea Bay in North Korea; and Ishikari (Hokkaidō), Toyama (Honshū), and Wakasa (Honshū) Bays in Japan. Prominent capes include Lazareva, Peschanyi (sandy), Povorotny , Gromova, Pogibi , Tyk, and Korsakova in Russia; Crillon on Sakhalin ; Sōya , Nosappu , Tappi , Nyuda, Rebun , Rishiri , Okushiri , Daso and Oki in Japan; and Musu Dan in North Korea. As world sea level dropped during

2340-558: The Japanese islands. In the 1780s, the Frenchman Jean-François de Galaup, comte de Lapérouse , traveled northward across the sea through the strait later named after him . In 1796, a British naval officer, William Robert Broughton , explored the Strait of Tartary, the eastern coast of the Russian Far East and the Korean Peninsula . In 1803–1806, the Russian navigator Adam Johann von Krusenstern while sailing across

2418-548: The Korean Peninsula, but they also mainly target countries not bordering the Sea of Japan. The major Russian port of Vladivostok mainly serves inland cargos, whereas Nakhodka and Vostochny are more international and have a busy exchange with Japan and South Korea . Other prominent Russian ports are Sovetskaya Gavan , Alexandrovsk-Sakhalinsky and Kholmsk , and the major ports of North Korea are Wonsan , Hamhung and Chongjin . The intensity of shipments across

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2496-532: The Tsugaru and Tsushima straits. Their formation had interrupted the migration of elephants into the Japanese islands at the end of the Neogene Period (about 2.6 million years ago). The most recent is La Perouse Strait, which formed about 60,000 to 11,000 years ago closing the path used by mammoths which had earlier moved to northern Hokkaidō. All the straits are rather shallow, with a minimal depth of

2574-403: The atmosphere in the northern part of the sea and by the currents in the southern part. Winter temperatures are 0 °C (32 °F) or below in the north and 10–14 °C (50–57 °F) in the south. In this season, there is a significant temperature difference between the western and eastern parts owing to the circular currents. So at the latitude of Peter the Great Gulf, the water temperature

2652-481: The basin in Chinese was "Sea of Whales" ), and the crustaceans by shrimps and crabs. Because of the shallow straits connecting the sea with Pacific Ocean, the Sea of Japan has no characteristic oceanic deep-water fauna. Flora and fauna unique to the region near the Sea of Japan are known as "Japan Sea elements". Fishery had long been the main economic activity on the Sea of Japan. It is mainly carried out on and near

2730-579: The bays as early as October and its remains may be seen even in June. Ice cover is continuous only in the bays and forms floating patches in the open sea. Ice melting in spring results in cold currents in the northern areas. In summer the wind weakens to 2–7 m/s (6.6–23.0 ft/s) and reverses its direction, blowing warm and humid air from the North Pacific onto the Asian mainland. The warmest month

2808-540: The capital of Japan and part of the Greater Tokyo Area , the most populous metropolitan area in the world. Honshu is connected to the islands of Hokkaidō, Kyūshū and Shikoku by tunnels and bridges. Three bridge systems have been built across the islands of the Inland Sea between Honshu and Shikoku ( Akashi Kaikyo Bridge and the Ōnaruto Bridge ; Shin-Onomichi Bridge , Innoshima Bridge , Ikuchi Bridge , Tatara Bridge , Ōmishima Bridge , Hakata–Ōshima Bridge , and

2886-462: The continental shelves and focuses on herring, sardines and bluefin tuna. These species are however depleted from after World War II . Squid is mostly caught near the sea center and salmon near the northern and south-western shores. There is also a well-developed seaweed production. The importance of the fishery in the sea is illustrated by the territorial disputes between Japan and South Korea over Liancourt Rocks and between Japan and Russia over

2964-502: The cyclonal character of the sea currents. Other notable expeditions of the 19th century include the American North Pacific Exploring and Surveying Expedition (1853–1856) and British Challenger expedition (1872–1876). The aquatic life was described by V. K. Brazhnikov in 1899–1902 and P. Yu. Schmidt in 1903–1904. The Japanese scientific studies of the sea began only in 1915 and became systematic since

3042-498: The deeper regions. There are no large islands in the sea. Most of the smaller ones are near the eastern coast, except for Ulleungdo (South Korea). The most significant islands are Moneron , Rebun , Rishiri , Okushiri , Ōshima , Sado , Okinoshima , Ulleungdo , Askold, Russky and Putyatin. The shorelines are relatively straight and lack large bays and capes; the coastal shapes are simplest in Sakhalin and are more winding in

3120-551: The early 19th century, while the Koreas claim that the term "Sea of Japan" arose later while Korea was under Japanese rule , and before that occupation, other names such as "Sea of Korea" or "East Sea" were used in English. In 2012, the International Hydrographic Organization (IHO), the intergovernmental organization that maintains a publication listing the limits of ocean and sea areas around

3198-815: The eastern and southern areas. The oxygen concentration is 95% of the saturation point near the surface; it decreases with the depth to about 70% at 3,000 m (9,800 ft). The high concentration of dissolved oxygen results in the rich aquatic life of the Sea of Japan – there are more than 800 species of aquatic plants and more than 3,500 animal species, including more than 900 species of crustaceans, about 1,000 of fish and 26 of mammals. The coastal areas contain several kg/m of biomass. Pelagic (oceanic) fishes include saury , mackerel, Jack mackerels , sardines, anchovies, herring, sea bream , squid and various species of salmon and trout. The demersal (sea-bottom) fishes include cod , pollock and Atka mackerel . Mammals are represented by seals and whales (ancient name for

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3276-529: The entire sea with the highest levels observed in summer and lowest in winter. Wind may also locally change the water level by 20–25 cm (8–10 in); for example, it is higher in summer at the Korean and lower at the Japanese coasts. The sea waters have blue to green-blue color and a transparency of about 10 m (33 ft). They are rich in dissolved oxygen , especially in the western and northern parts, which are colder and have more phytoplankton than

3354-489: The evolutionary process from the analogue to the digital era. The IHO approved the proposal of the new official nautical chart. The new chart will be marked with a numerical identifier without a name. For centuries, the sea had protected Japan from land invasions, particularly by the Mongols. It had long been navigated by Asian and, from the 18th century, by European ships. Russian expeditions of 1733–1743 mapped Sakhalin and

3432-678: The extremity of Esan Saki (41°48′ N). On the Northeast. In La Perouse Strait (Sôya Kaikyô). A line joining Sôni Misaki and Nishi Notoro Misaki (45°55′ N). On the North. From Cape Tuik (51°45′ N) to Cape Sushcheva. The sea currents circulate in the counterclockwise direction. The Kuroshio (Japan Current), the Tsushima Current and the East Korea Warm Current bring warmer and more saline water to

3510-424: The globe in the ship Nadezhda also explored, in passing, the Sea of Japan and the eastern shores of Japanese islands . In 1849, another Russian explorer Gennady Nevelskoy discovered the strait between the continent and Sakhalin and mapped the northern part of the Strait of Tartary. Russian expeditions were made in 1853–1854 and 1886–1889 to measure the surface temperatures and record the tides. They also documented

3588-513: The ice cap advances of the last Ice Age , the exit straits of the Sea of Japan one by one dried and closed. There is controversy as to whether or not in each ice cap advance the world sea level fell low enough for the deepest, the western channel of the Korea Strait , to dry and close, turning the Sea of Japan into a huge cold inland lake with a surface layer of fresh water, freezing over in the winters. The sea climate has warm waters and monsoons. This combination results in strong evaporation, which

3666-456: The island's southern shore forms part of the Taiheiyō Belt , a megalopolis that spans several of the Japanese islands. Honshu contains Japan's highest mountain, Mount Fuji, and its largest lake, Lake Biwa . Most of Japan's industry is located in a belt running along Honshu's southern coast, from Tokyo to Nagoya , Kyōto , Osaka , Kobe , and Hiroshima ; by contrast, the economy along

3744-645: The limits of the "Japan Sea" as follows: On the Southwest. The Northeastern limit of the Eastern China Sea [From Nomo Saki (32°35′ N) in Kyusyu to the South point of Hukae Sima ( Goto Retto ) and on through this island to Ose Saki (Cape Goto) and to Hunan Kan, the South point of Saisyu To (Quelpart), through this island to its Western extreme and thence along the parallel of 33°17′ North to

3822-822: The mainland] and the Western limit of the Inland Sea [defined circuitously as "The Southeastern limit of the Japan Sea"]. On the Southeast. In Simonoseki Kaikyo . A line running from Nagoya Saki (130°49′,5 E) in Kyûsyû through the islands of Uma Sima and Muture Sima (33°58′,5 N) to Murasaki Hana (34°01′ N) in Honsyû . On the East. In the Tsugaru Kaikô . From the extremity of Siriya Saki (141°28′ E) to

3900-617: The meltdown of 3 nuclear reactors at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant , leading to the Fukushima nuclear disaster . Honshu island generates around US$ 3.5 trillion or more than 80% of Japan's GDP . Fruit, vegetables, grains, rice and cotton make up the main produce grown in Honshu. The Tohoku region, spanning the north-eastern part of the island, is notable for its rice production, with 65% of cultivated land being rice paddy fields – almost

3978-786: The migration of ice age megafauna . Surviving artifacts from this period include finely-crafted stone blades, similar to those found in Siberia . Honshu was the target of devastating air raids during the Pacific War of World War II . The first air raid to strike Honshu and the other home islands was the Doolittle Raid . With the introduction of the Boeing B-29 Superfortress , the firebombing of Tokyo culminated in Operation Meetinghouse ,

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4056-640: The most destructive air raid in human history, which destroyed 16 square miles (41 km ; 10,000 acres) of central Tokyo , leaving an estimated 100,000 civilians dead, and over one million homeless. The war ended with the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki shortly before Japan's surrender and signing of the Japanese Instrument of Surrender on September 2, 1945, on board the USS ; Missouri  (BB-63) in Tokyo Bay . The island

4134-500: The most heavily used. The San'yō Shinkansen , connects the two largest cities in western Japan, Shin-Osaka in Osaka with Hakata Station in Fukuoka . Both the Tokaido Shinkansen and the Sanyo Shinkansen help form a continuous high-speed railway through the Taiheiyō Belt megalopolis. The island is divided into five nominal regions and contains 34 prefectures, including metropolitan Tokyo. Administratively, some smaller islands are included within these prefectures, notably including

4212-486: The north and the Tsushima Basin (Ulleung Basin) in the south-west. The Japan Basin is of oceanic origin and is the deepest part of the sea, whereas the Tsushima Basin is the shallowest with the depths below 2,300 m (7,500 ft). On the eastern shores, the continental shelves of the sea are wide, but on the western shores, particularly along the Korean coast, they are narrow, averaging about 30 km (19 mi). There are three distinct continental shelves in

4290-432: The north. There they merge into the Tsugaru Current and flow into the Pacific Ocean through the Tsugaru Strait. They also feed the Sōya Current and exit through the La Perouse Strait to the Sea of Okhotsk. The returning branch is composed of the Liman, North Korea and Central (or Mid-) Japan Sea currents which bring fresh and cold water along the Asian coast to the south. Water temperature is mostly affected by exchange with

4368-425: The northern part (above 44° N). They form a staircase-like structure with the steps slightly inclined southwards and submerged to the depths of 900–1,400 (3,000–4,600), 1,700–2,000 (5,600–6,600) and 2,300–2,600 m (7,500–8,500 ft). The last step sharply drops to the depths of about 3,500 m (11,500 ft) toward the central (deepest) part of the sea. The bottom of this part is relatively flat, but has

4446-415: The northern part of Japan and Sakhalin Island. The intensity of shipments across the sea is moderate, owing to the cold relations between many bordering countries. As a result, the largest Japanese ports are on the Pacific coast, and the significant ports on the Sea of Japan are Niigata , Tsuruta and Maizuru . Major South Korean ports are Busan , Ulsan , and Pohang situated on the south-eastern coast of

4524-600: The northern part of the national park there is an 8-kilometer-long (5.0 mi) and 200-meter-high (660 ft) set of cliffs called the Kita Yamazaki . The scenic coastal rock formations are nicknamed the "Alps of the Sea". Aomori : Hachinohe , Hashikami Iwate : Fudai , Iwaizumi , Kamaishi , Kuji , Miyako , Noda , Ōfunato , Ōtsuchi , Rikuzentakata , Tanohata , Yamada Miyagi : Ishinomaki , Kesennuma , Minamisanriku , Onagawa , Tome Flora includes groves of Japanese red pine , rhododendrons and Rosa rugosa . Fauna includes numerous bird species, including

4602-436: The northern part of the sea in winter and is brought south by the sea currents; it is rather stable and is observed all through the year. The hydrological isolation of the Sea of Japan also results in slightly lower average water salinity (34.09‰, where ‰ means parts per thousand) compared with the Pacific Ocean. In winter, the highest salinity at 34.5‰ is observed in the south where evaporation dominates over precipitation. It

4680-444: The northern seas, its production is processed and partly distributed in the Vladivostok area. Vladivostok is also a terminal point of the Trans-Siberian Railway which brings many goods to and from this major port . There is a regular ferry service across the Strait of Tartary between the Russian continental port of Vanino and Kholmsk in Sakhalin. The sea has magnetite sands as well as natural gas and petroleum fields near

4758-646: The northwestern Sea of Japan coast is largely based on fishing and agriculture. The island is linked to the other three major Japanese islands by a number of bridges and tunnels. The island primarily shares two climates, with Northern Honshu having a mainly humid continental climate while the south has a humid subtropical climate . The name of the island, Honshū ( 本州 ) , directly translates to "main province" or "original land" in English. Humans first arrived in Honshu approximately 37,000 years ago, and likely earlier. The first humans to arrive in Honshu were Stone Age hunter-gatherers from Northeast Asia, likely following

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4836-440: The order of 100 meters or less. This hinders water exchange, thereby isolating the water and aquatic life of the Sea of Japan from the neighboring seas and oceans. The sea has a surface area of about 1,050,000 km (410,000 sq mi), a mean depth of 1,752 m (5,748 ft) and a maximum depth of 4,568 m (14,987 ft). It has a carrot-like shape, with the major axis extending from south-west to north-east and

4914-559: The park was incorporated into Sanriku Fukkō National Park. This was in the aftermath of the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami . It also includes the former Tanesashi Kaigan Hashikamidake Prefectural Natural Park . On 31 March 2015, the Ministry of the Environment extended the park to include the former Minami Sanriku Kinkasan Quasi-National Park . Subsequently, the park will be extended to include Kesennuma Prefectural Natural Park , Kenjōsan Mangokuura Prefectural Natural Park , and Matsushima Prefectural Natural Park . The entire coastline

4992-412: The peak years of 1848 and 1849 a total of over 170 vessels (over 60 in 1848, and over 110 in 1849) cruised in the Sea of Japan, with significantly lesser numbers in following years. The Sea of Japan was landlocked when the land bridge of East Asia existed. The Japan Arc started to form in the Early Miocene . In the Early Miocene the Japan Sea started to open, and the northern and southern parts of

5070-439: The sea and their total contribution to the water exchange is within 1%. The seawater has an elevated concentration of dissolved oxygen that results in high biological productivity. Therefore, fishing is the dominant economic activity in the region. The intensity of shipments across the sea has been moderate owing to political issues, but it is steadily increasing as a result of the growth of East Asian economies. Sea of Japan

5148-403: The sea are of oceanic origin. Seabed down to 300 m (980 ft) is of continental nature and is covered with a mixture of mud, sand, gravel and fragments of rock. The depths between 300 and 800 m (980 and 2,620 ft) are covered in hemipelagic sediments (i.e., of semi-oceanic origin); these sediments are composed of blue mud rich in organic matter. Pelagic sediments of red mud dominate

5226-421: The sea may host an incipient subduction zone responsible for large earthquakes in 1940 , 1964 , 1983 and 1993 . Nowadays the Sea of Japan is bounded by the Russian mainland and Sakhalin island to the north, the Korean Peninsula to the west, and the Japanese islands of Hokkaidō , Honshū and Kyūshū to the east and south. It is connected to other seas by five straits : the Strait of Tartary between

5304-485: The sea through the Korea Strait and discharges through the Tsugaru (64% or 34,610 km  [8,300 cu mi], La Pérouse 10,380 km  [2,490 cu mi]) and Korea straits. Rainfall, evaporation and riverine inflow make only 1% of the water balance. Between October and April, the outflow exceeds the inflow due to the lower income through the Korea Strait; this balance reverses between May and September. The sea has complex tides , which are induced by

5382-492: The sea. In addition, the monsoon enhances the surface water convection, down to the depths of 30 m (98 ft). The coldest months are January and February, with an average air temperature of −20 °C (−4 °F) in the north and 5 °C (41 °F) in the south. The northern one-quarter of the sea, particularly the Siberian coast and the Strait of Tartary, freezes for about 4−5 months. The timing and extent of freezing vary from year to year, so ice may start forming in

5460-399: The southern tip of Korean Peninsula and to 0.5 m (1.6 ft) at the North Korean shores. Similar low tides are observed in Hokkaidō, Honshū and south Sakhalin. The amplitude however increases to 2.3–2.8 m (7.5–9.2 ft) toward the north of the Strait of Tartary due to its funnel-like shape. Apart from tides, the water level also displays seasonal, monsoon-related variations across

5538-404: The sun and tropical monsoons increases the depth gradient in spring–summer. In the north the surface layer (down to 15 m or 49 ft) may heat up to 18–20 °C (64–68 °F). The temperature would drop sharply to 4 °C (39 °F) at 50 m (160 ft), then slowly decrease to 1 °C (34 °F) at 250 m (820 ft) and remain so down to the seabed. On the contrary,

5616-427: The temperature in the south could gradually decrease to 6 °C (43 °F) at 200 m (660 ft), then to 2 °C (36 °F) at 260 m (850 ft) and to 0.04–0.14 °C (32.07–32.25 °F) at 1,000–1,500 m (3,300–4,900 ft), but then it would rise to about 0.3 °C (32.5 °F) near the bottom. This cold layer at about 1,000 m (3,300 ft) is formed by sinking of cold water in

5694-417: The temperature is almost constant with the depth in the northern part of the sea. However, in central-southern parts, it may be 8–10 °C (46–50 °F) down to 100–150 m (330–490 ft), 2–4 °C (36–39 °F) at 200–250 m (660–820 ft), 1.0–1.5 °C (33.8–34.7 °F) at 400–500 m (1,300–1,600 ft) and then remain at about 0 °C (32 °F) until the bottom. Heating by

5772-440: The term "Sea of Japan" as the dominant name is a point of contention. South Korea wants the name "East Sea" to be used, either instead of or in addition to "Sea of Japan;" while North Korea prefers the name "East Sea of Korea". The primary issue in the dispute revolves around a disagreement about when the name "Sea of Japan" became the international standard. Japan claims the term has been the international standard since at least

5850-461: The tidal wave of the Pacific Ocean penetrating through the Korea Strait and Tsugaru strait. The tides are semi-diurnal (rise twice a day) in the Korea Strait and in the northern part of the Strait of Tartary. They are diurnal at the eastern shore of Korea, Russian Far East and the Japanese islands of Honshū and Hokkaidō. Mixed tides occur in Peter the Great Gulf and Korea strait. The tidal waves have

5928-404: The west coast, spanning Niigata, Yamagata , and Akita Prefectures. Most of Japan's copper, lead, zinc and chromite is located on Honshu, along with smaller, scattered deposits of gold, silver, arsenic, sulfur and pyrite . The Tokaido Shinkansen , opened in 1964 between Tokyo and Shin-Ōsaka , is Japan's first high-speed rail line. It is the world's oldest high-speed rail line and one of

6006-411: The wind over a small (isolated) and tall obstacle, and usually forms over small mountainous islands. The Sea of Japan meets these conditions as it has frequent winds and cloudy skies, as well as compact, tall islands such as Rishiri (1,721 m or 5,646 ft), Ulleungdo (984 m or 3,228 ft) and Ōshima (732 m or 2,402 ft). The International Hydrographic Organization defines

6084-518: The world, abandoned its most recent of several attempts in the last 25 years to revise its publication of the sea's name. This was primarily because of the lack of agreement between the Koreas and Japan over the naming issue. In September 2020, the IHO announced that it would adopt a new numerical system, also known as "S-130". In November 2020, S-23, the previous version of the nautical chart made in 1953 will be made public as an IHO publication to demonstrate

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