The Shikoku reference article from the English Wikipedia on 24-Jul-2004
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Shikoku

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Shikoku region, Japan

Shikoku (四国, "four provinces") is the smallest and least populous of the four main islands of Japan. It contains the prefectures of Ehime, Kagawa, Kochi, and Tokushima.

Shikoku consists of few large cities, and from a city perspective has no cities. Shikoku consists of small towns, and mainly villages. Shikoku has the least amount of Western influence out of the four islands and Okinawa. The largest center on Shikoku is the eastern town of Takamatsu.

Population: 4.5 million. Area: 18,292 km².

Mount Ishizuchi in Ehime at 1982m is the highest mountain on the island.

Pioneering organic farmer Masanobu Fukuoka, author of The One-Straw Revolution, developed his methods here on his family's farm.

See also: Geography of Japan, List of regions in Japan