Kyūshū

, literally "Nine Provinces," is the third largest island of Japan and most southerly and westerly of the four main islands. It is considered the birthplace of the Japanese civilization because of the warm climate and high forestry and agricultural production. Its alternate ancient names include Kyūkoku (九国, literally "Nine Nations" or "Nine Countries"), Chinzei (鎮西, literally "Pacifying the West"), and Tsukushi-no-shima (筑紫島, "the Island of Tsukushi"). The ancient region Saikaidō consists of Kyūshū and its surrounding islands.