Minimap of Honshu
| โ | Players begin on either end of a long narrow island. Mines can be found on the smaller islands nearby. A larger landmass opposite the other coast features a tiny but pivotal Trade Route. The limited supply of Food on the main island will drive players to fish the rich coastal waters. | โ |
| —In-game information | ||
Honshu is a map in Age of Empires III: The Asian Dynasties.
Overview[]



| โ | Honshu: A narrow strip of land is surrounded with islands, one of which features a tiny Trade Route. | โ |
| —In-game description | ||
Honshu features one large land mass in the center of the map with multiple smaller islands on either side of the central mass, on this map players begin with a Dock Rickshaw and three Fishing Boats which, combined with the relatively rich coastal waters can provide a viable map for a water boom. This map also features water treasures that can be collected without fighting any treasure guardians.
The two smaller islands are an essential asset due to their many gold mines and treasures.
A smaller mass of land can be found on either side of the central island and it houses a Trade Route as well as the rarest huntable animal in the game, the Giant Salamander.
- Wildlife
- Herds: Serow (400 food), Giant Salamander (500 food),
- Fish: Catfish 500 food), Squid (500 food)
- Whales: Humpback Whale (Infinite coin)
- Mines: Silver Mines (2,000 coin each), Gold Mines (5,000 coin each)
Click for a list of treasures and their guardians related to Honshu
| Treasure | Reward | Guardians |
|---|---|---|
| A wild patch of bok choy worth | 70 food | 3x |
| A nest of box turtles worth | 40 food | 1x |
| A giant salamander worth | 80 food | 2x |
| A hoard of wild rice worth | 330 food | 4x |
| A wild patch of bok choy worth | 50 food | 2x |
| A grove of flowering cherry trees worth | 60 wood | 3x |
| A stand of live oak worth | 25 wood | 1x |
| A stand of Japanese maple trees worth | 30 wood | 2x |
| Possible remnants of the fabled valley Shangri-La worth | 250 wood | 4x |
| A stand of spruce trees worth | 70 wood | 2x |
| A stand of spruce trees worth | 115 wood | 3x |
| An iridescent dragonfly worth | 90 coin | 2x |
| Pungent ground jasmine leaves worth | 50 coin | 2x |
| Polecats whose furs are worth | 30 coin | None |
| An errant Shipment of tea leaves worth | 120 coin | 2x |
| A cache of tin worth | 140 coin | 3x |
| A chest of wokou loot worth | 190 coin | 4x |
| A wily ferret worth | 80 XP | 2x |
| A scaly pangolin worth | 40 XP | 1x |
| Possible remnants of the fabled valley Shangri-La worth | 265 XP | 2x 2x |
| A den of skunks whose pelts are worth | 35 XP | 1x |
| A trapped Settler, who may join the cause of a rescuer. | 1x | 3x |
| A trapped Settler, who may join the cause of a rescuer. | 1x | 4x |
| A pair of trapped Settlers, who may join the cause of a rescuer. | 2x | 5x |
| A collection of mystical sutras that reduces infantry costs by 5%. | Infantry and banner army cost -5% | 4x |
| The armor of Arkantos, which increases Explorer or Hero hitpoints by | 40% | 1x 1x |
| El Pollo Guapo's guide to healthy living, which increases infantry HP of whomever recovers it by 5%. | Infantry hit points +5% | 5x |
| A pirate map showing the location of all local Treasures. | Reveals the location of all treasures | 3x |
| Driftwood worth | 20 wood | None |
| An enormous swordfish worth | 65 food | 1x |
| A pod of dolphins worth | 30 XP | None |
| Prickly sea urchins worth | 25 coin | None |
| A cache of pearls worth | 60 coin | 1x |
| A large collection of flotsam worth | 55 wood | 1x |
| Preserved remnants of the lost continent Mu worth | 200 food | 1x |
| Preserved remnants of the lost continent Mu worth | 200 wood | 1x |
| Preserved remnants of the lost continent Mu worth | 200 wood | 1x |
| Preserved remnants of the lost continent Lemuria worth | 175 food | 1x |
| Preserved remnants of the lost continent Lemuria worth | 175 wood | 1x |
| A colony of sea lions worth | 200 XP | 4x |
| El Halcon Sincero's secret tar and pitch recipe, which increases warship hitpoints by 5%. | War ship hit points +5% | 4x |
| A half-finished manuscript bearing El Halcon Sincero's signature entitled, "Better Boat Building and You!" Decreases warship building time by 5%. | War ship train time -5% | 4x |
| El Pollo Guapo's rod and reel, which increases the productivity of your fishing boats. | Fishing boat gather work rate for fish and whale +3% | 4x |
| A lump of grey Ambergris worth | 150 coin | 3x |
| A wrecked merchant ship from India carrying spices worth | 200 coin | 3x |
| A lump of fire coral worth | 185 coin | 3x |
| A trapped Fishing Boat, who may join the cause of a rescuer. | 1x | 2x |
History[]
| โ | Often referred to as the Japanese mainland or central Japan, Honshu is the largest of the four Japanese islands. It is 800 miles long and 150 miles wide. Honshu is a mountainous, volcanic region, with Mount Fuji, its highest point, soaring to an impressive peak of 12,389 feet. The mainland is separated from the island of Hokkaido by the Tsugaru Strait, from Kyushu by the Shimonoseki Strait, and from Shikoku by the Inland Sea. The climate of Honshu ranges geographically from snowy winters in the north to warm, subtropical temperatures in the south. While the products of agriculture are rich and varied - rice, cotton, fruits, and vegetables Honshu is the source of two of Japan's most famous resources: silk and tea. Its remote, heavily forested areas are teeming with monkeys, deer, boars, antelope, salamanders, snakes, and birds. In 1543, Portuguese sailors were the first Europeans to make contact with Japan, opening a limited trade relationship between the East and West. In 1549, St. Francis Xavier introduced Christianity to the island. After the death of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, the acting warrior dictator of Japan, Tokugawa Ieyasu claimed the title of shogun. His family would go on to rule Japan for 250 years. Domestic stability reigned during this period, but social progress was curtailed by a powerful central autocracy. Christianity was suppressed and commerce with foreign countries was prohibited. Only the Dutch retained the right to communicate with the Japanese from their single trading post on the island of Nagasaki. |
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