Kii Peninsula
Encyclopedia
Peninsula
A peninsula is a piece of land that is bordered by water on three sides but connected to mainland. In many Germanic and Celtic languages and also in Baltic, Slavic and Hungarian, peninsulas are called "half-islands"....
on the island of Honshū
Honshu
is the largest island of Japan. The nation's main island, it is south of Hokkaido across the Tsugaru Strait, north of Shikoku across the Inland Sea, and northeast of Kyushu across the Kanmon Strait...
in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. The area south of the “Central Tectonic Line
Japan Median Tectonic Line
, also Median Tectonic Line , is Japan's longest fault system. It connects with the Itoigawa-Shizuoka Tectonic Line , the left blue line on the map, and the Fossa Magna, the pink shaded region....
” is called Nankii (南紀), and includes the most poleward living coral reef
Coral reef
Coral reefs are underwater structures made from calcium carbonate secreted by corals. Coral reefs are colonies of tiny living animals found in marine waters that contain few nutrients. Most coral reefs are built from stony corals, which in turn consist of polyps that cluster in groups. The polyps...
s in the world due to the presence of the warm Kuroshio Current
Kuroshio Current
The Kuroshio is a north-flowing ocean current on the west side of the North Pacific Ocean. It is similar to the Gulf Stream in the North Atlantic and is part of the North Pacific ocean gyre...
, though these are threatened by global warming and human interference. Because of the Kuroshio’s strong influence, the climate of Nankii is the wettest in the Earth’s subtropics
Subtropics
The subtropics are the geographical and climatical zone of the Earth immediately north and south of the tropical zone, which is bounded by the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn, at latitudes 23.5°N and 23.5°S...
with rainfall in the southern mountains believed to reach 5 metres (196.9 in) per year and in the southeastern town of Owase
Owase, Mie
is a city located in the south of Mie, Japan. As of 2008, the city has an estimated population of 21,002 and the density of 109 persons per km². The total area is 193.16 km²....
it averages 3.85 metres (151.6 in), comparable to Ketchikan
Ketchikan, Alaska
Ketchikan is a city in Ketchikan Gateway Borough, Alaska, United States, the southeasternmost sizable city in that state. With an estimated population of 7,368 in 2010 within the city limits, it is the fifth most populous city in the state....
, Alaska
Alaska
Alaska is the largest state in the United States by area. It is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait...
or Tortel
Tortel
Tortel is Chilean commune located at the outflow of Baker and Pascua River to the Pacific Ocean between the Northern and Southern Patagonian Ice Field...
in southern Chile. When typhoons hit Japan the Kii Peninsula is typically the worst affected area and daily rainfalls as high as 940 millimetres (37 in) are not unknown.
Most of the Kii Peninsula is dense temperate rainforest since the climate even in the very limited lowlands is too wet for agriculture, and much of the coast consists of networks of small ria
Ria
A ria is a coastal inlet formed by the partial submergence of an unglaciated river valley. It is a drowned river valley that remains open to the sea. Typically, rias have a dendritic, treelike outline although they can be straight and without significant branches. This pattern is inherited from the...
s into which flow very steep and rapid streams characterised by a large number of high waterfall
Waterfall
A waterfall is a place where flowing water rapidly drops in elevation as it flows over a steep region or a cliff.-Formation:Waterfalls are commonly formed when a river is young. At these times the channel is often narrow and deep. When the river courses over resistant bedrock, erosion happens...
s. Forestry
Forestry
Forestry is the interdisciplinary profession embracing the science, art, and craft of creating, managing, using, and conserving forests and associated resources in a sustainable manner to meet desired goals, needs, and values for human benefit. Forestry is practiced in plantations and natural stands...
and fishing
Fishing
Fishing is the activity of trying to catch wild fish. Fish are normally caught in the wild. Techniques for catching fish include hand gathering, spearing, netting, angling and trapping....
were the traditional economic mainstays of the region and remain important even today despite a declining population and labour force.
Location
Wakayama PrefectureWakayama Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located on the Kii Peninsula in the Kansai region on Honshū island. The capital is the city of Wakayama.- History :Present-day Wakayama is mostly the western part of the province of Kii.- 1953 Wakayama Prefecture flood disaster :...
occupies much of the area, including the entire southern part. To the northwest of Wakayama Prefecture is Osaka Prefecture
Osaka Prefecture
is a prefecture located in the Kansai region on Honshū, the main island of Japan. The capital is the city of Osaka. It is the center of Osaka-Kobe-Kyoto area.- History :...
, whose southern part is on the peninsula. East of Osaka Prefecture is landlocked Nara Prefecture
Nara Prefecture
is a prefecture in the Kansai region on Honshū Island, Japan. The capital is the city of Nara.-History:The present-day Nara Prefecture was created in 1887, making it independent of Osaka Prefecture....
; farther east is Mie Prefecture
Mie Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan which is part of the Kansai regions on Honshū island. The capital is the city of Tsu.- History :Until the Meiji Restoration, Mie prefecture was known as Ise Province and Iga Province....
.
The Seto Inland Sea lies to the west of the Kii Peninsula. To the south and east is the Pacific Ocean and to the north is the valley of the Kiso Three Rivers
Kiso Three Rivers
The refers to the three major rivers that make up the alluvial plain area of the Nōbi Plain of Japan. The three rivers are the Kiso River, the Ibi River and the Nagara River...
and Ise Bay
Ise Bay
Ise Bay is a bay located at the mouth of the Kiso River between Mie and Aichi Prefectures in Japan. Ise Bay has an average depth of 19.5 metres and a maximum depth of 30 metres toward the centre. The mouth of the bay is 9 kilometres wide and is connected to the smaller Mikawa Bay by two channels:...
.
Notable places
Notable places in the Kii Peninsula include :- NaraNara, Narais the capital city of Nara Prefecture in the Kansai region of Japan. The city occupies the northern part of Nara Prefecture, directly bordering Kyoto Prefecture...
, former capital of Japan. - Mount KoyaMount Koyais the name of mountains in Wakayama Prefecture to the south of Osaka. Also, Kōya-san is a modifying word for Kongōbuji . There is no one mountain officially called Kōya-san in Japan....
(or Kōyasan), the headquarters of the Shingon sect of Buddhism. - Wakayama, former home of the Kii (or Kishu) Tokugawa clanTokugawa clanThe was a powerful daimyo family of Japan. They nominally descended from Emperor Seiwa and were a branch of the Minamoto clan by the Nitta clan. However, the early history of this clan remains a mystery.-History:...
. - Matsuzaka, now the center of major beef-producing area, former the center of Ise merchants.
- IseIse, Mie, formerly called Ujiyamada , is a city located in eastern Mie Prefecture, on the island of Honshū, Japan.Ise is home to Ise Grand Shrine, the most sacred Shintō Shrine in Japan, and is thus a very popular destination for tourists. The city has a long-standing nickname—Shinto —that roughly means...
, the location of the Grand Shrine of Ise and center of pearl production. - Yoshino DistrictYoshino District, NaraYoshino is a district located in Nara Prefecture, Japan.As of 2003, the district has an estimated population of 59,020 and a density of 26.14 persons per km²...
, a wild area of heavily forested deep mountains, home of the Southern Imperial Court during the Nanboku-chōNanboku-choThe , spanning from 1336 to 1392, was a period that occurred during the formative years of the Muromachi bakufu of Japan's history.During this period, there existed a Northern Imperial Court, established by Ashikaga Takauji in Kyoto, and a Southern Imperial Court, established by Emperor Go-Daigo in...
period of Japanese history. - Kumano RegionKumano RegionThe is a region situated on the southern part of the Kii Peninsula in Japan. It includes parts of Mie Prefecture, Wakayama Prefecture, and Nara Prefecture.In 2004 it became a UNESCO designated World Heritage Site.-See also:...
, home of the Kumano ShrineKumano ShrineA ' is a type of Shinto shrine which enshrines the three Kumano mountains: Hongū, Shingū, and Nachi . There are more than 3000 Kumano shrines in Japan, and each has received its kami from another Kumano shrine through a process of propagation called or...
s and the Nachi Waterfall. Another name is Muro District. - Kushimoto, WakayamaKushimoto, Wakayama-Demographics:The population of Kushimoto is 20,618, consisting of 9,561 men and 11,057 women. There are a total of 9,397 families.-Junior high schools:*Kushimoto Junior High School*Kushimoto-Nishi Junior High School*Nishi-Mukai Junior High School...
, the southernmost point in Honshū. - Taiji, WakayamaTaiji, Wakayamais a town located in Higashimuro District, Wakayama, Japan.As of 1 January 2011, the town has an estimated population of 3,225 and a population density of 541 persons per km². The total area is 5.96 km². Taiji is the smallest local government by area in Wakayama Prefecture because, unlike others,...
, the birth place of the Japanese traditional whaling.
The Kii Peninsula is the location of a UNESCO
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
World Heritage Site
World Heritage Site
A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a place that is listed by the UNESCO as of special cultural or physical significance...
: Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage Routes in the Kii Mountain Range
Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage Routes in the Kii Mountain Range
Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage Routes in the Kii Mountain Range is a UNESCO World Heritage Site located on the Kii Peninsula in Japan.- Selection criteria :...
.
In 2004, UNESCO designated three other locations on the Kii Peninsula as World Heritage Sites. They are:
- YoshinoYoshino District, NaraYoshino is a district located in Nara Prefecture, Japan.As of 2003, the district has an estimated population of 59,020 and a density of 26.14 persons per km²...
and Mount OmineMount Omine, is a sacred mountain in Nara, Japan, famous for its three tests of courage.Officially known as , it is more popularly known as Mount Ōmine due to its prominence in the Ōmine mountain range...
, mountainous areas in the north of the peninsula. - Kumano ShrineKumano ShrineA ' is a type of Shinto shrine which enshrines the three Kumano mountains: Hongū, Shingū, and Nachi . There are more than 3000 Kumano shrines in Japan, and each has received its kami from another Kumano shrine through a process of propagation called or...
s, three shrines at the southern tip of the peninsula. - Mount KoyaMount Koyais the name of mountains in Wakayama Prefecture to the south of Osaka. Also, Kōya-san is a modifying word for Kongōbuji . There is no one mountain officially called Kōya-san in Japan....
, the mountain at the west of the peninsula
Transportation
- Nanki-Shirahama AirportNanki-Shirahama Airportis a third class airport in Shirahama, Wakayama, Japan. It serves the southern part of the Kii Peninsula with three daily Japan Airlines round-trips to Tokyo International Airport.-Airlines and destinations:-External links:* in Japanese...
in ShirahamaShirahama, Wakayamais a town located in Nishimuro District, Wakayama, Japan.On March 1, 2006 the town of Hikigawa, from Nishimuro District, was merged into Shirahama....
serves the southern part of the Kii Peninsula. - Kisei Main Line connects Wakayama to Mie Prefecture and runs along the peninsula's coastline.