Oki Islands
Encyclopedia
Sea of Japan
The Sea of Japan is a marginal sea of the western Pacific Ocean, between the Asian mainland, the Japanese archipelago and Sakhalin. It is bordered by Japan, North Korea, Russia and South Korea. Like the Mediterranean Sea, it has almost no tides due to its nearly complete enclosure from the Pacific...
and belong to 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...
.
Geography
The Oki Islands are situated between 40 to 80 kilometers north of the coast of HonshūHonshu
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...
.
The islands are of volcanic
Volcano
2. Bedrock3. Conduit 4. Base5. Sill6. Dike7. Layers of ash emitted by the volcano8. Flank| 9. Layers of lava emitted by the volcano10. Throat11. Parasitic cone12. Lava flow13. Vent14. Crater15...
origin and have a total area of 346,1 km2. The group consists of 16 islands and the highest elevation is Mount Damanji-San at about 608 meters on Dōgo.
The largest and inhabited islands are:
- DōgoDogo, ShimaneDōgo is the largest of the Oki Islands in the Sea of Japan, north of the Shimane peninsula . The largest city is Okinoshima.-By airplane:Japan Airlines offers two flights per day from Itami Airport, located in Osaka....
(島後), main island, about 243 km2, northeast off the subgroup of the so-called Dōuzen Islands(島前) with - Chiburi-shima (知夫里島), about 14 km2
- Nakano-shima (中ノ島), about 33 km2
- Nishino-shima (西ノ島), about 56 km2
The population is about 24,500 inhabitants spread over the four administrative areas of:
- Okinoshima-chōOkinoshima, Shimaneis a town located on Dōgo, one of the Oki Islands, in Shimane, Japan.Japan considers the disputed Liancourt Rocks to be a part of Okinoshima.As of January 2008, the town has an estimated population of 16,214. The total area is 242.97 km²....
(Okinoshima-town), includes all of Dōgo Island and close by isletIsletAn islet is a very small island.- Types :As suggested by its origin as islette, an Old French diminutive of "isle", use of the term implies small size, but little attention is given to drawing an upper limit on its applicability....
s as Okina-shima, Obana-shima, Tsuname-shima, Shijiki-jima and Ombe-shima, population about 17.000, Japan considers the disputed Liancourt RocksLiancourt RocksThe Liancourt Rocks, also known as Dokdo or Tokto in Korean or in Japanese, are a group of small islets in the Sea of Japan . Sovereignty over the islets is disputed between Japan and South Korea...
to be a part of Okinoshima. - Chibu-muraChibu, Shimaneis a village located on in the Douzen group of islands in the Oki District, Shimane, Japan. Chibu is the only village remaining in Shimane Prefecture as of October 1, 2005....
(Chibu-village), includes all of Chiburi-shima and close by islets as Okaga-shima, Shimazu-jima, Asa-shima and Kami-shima, population about 800. - Ama-chōAma, Shimaneis a town located in Oki District, Shimane, Japan.As of 2003, the town has an estimated population of 2,543 and a density of 75.91 persons per km². The total area is 33.50 km².-External links:*...
(Ama-town), includes all of Nakano-shima and close-by islets as Omori-jima and Matsu-shima, population about 2,600. - Nishinoshima-chōNishinoshima, Shimaneis a town located in Oki District, Shimane, Japan.As of 2003, the town has an estimated population of 3,590 and a density of 64.13 persons per km². The total area is 55.98 km².Nishinoshima is located on one of the Oki Islands.-External links:*...
(Nishinoshima-town), includes all of Nishino-shima and close-by islets as Hoshikami-jima, Futamata-jima and O-kazuro-shima, population about 3,900.
The islands make up the Oki-shichō (Oki District
Oki District, Shimane
is a district located in Shimane, Japan.As of 2003, the district has an estimated population of 24,500 and a density of 70.79 persons per km². The total area is 346.10 km².The Oki District encompasses the Oki Islands, historically called Oki Province....
) and are part of Shimane Prefecture
Shimane Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūgoku region on Honshū island. The capital is Matsue. It is the second least populous prefecture in Japan, after its eastern neighbor Tottori. The prefecture has an area elongated from east to west facing the Chūgoku Mountain Range on the south side and to...
. The island group is also part of the"Daisen Oki Kokuritsu Kōen (Daisen-Oki National Park
Daisen-Oki National Park
is a national park in the Chūgoku region, Honshū, Japan. This park includes Daisen, Oki Islands, Mount Hiruzen, Mount Kenashi and Mount Hōbutsu.-External links:* http://www.biodic.go.jp/english/jpark/np/daisen_e.html...
).
Transportation
The airport Oki Kūkō (Oki AirportOki Airport
is an airport on Dōgo, one of the Oki Islands in the Shimane Prefecture of Japan. It is located in Okinoshima, the most populous town on these islands....
, airport code "OKI") lies on the southeastern part of Dōgo and provides air service to Osaka International Airport
Osaka International Airport
or Osaka-Itami International Airport is the primary domestic airport for the Kansai region of Japan, including the major cities of Osaka, Kyoto, and Kobe. It is classified as a first class airport....
(Itami, "ITM") and Izumo Airport
Izumo Airport
is an airport in the Hikawa area of Izumo, Shimane Prefecture, Japan, about 20–30 minutes by car from central Izumo or Matsue city centre.This airport is also known as Izumo En-Musubi Airport「出雲縁結び空港」; meaning Izumo Airport of Romantic Fate....
("IZO").
The islands can be reached by ferries
Ferry
A ferry is a form of transportation, usually a boat, but sometimes a ship, used to carry primarily passengers, and sometimes vehicles and cargo as well, across a body of water. Most ferries operate on regular, frequent, return services...
from harbours like Sakaiminato
Sakaiminato, Tottori
is a city in the northern Tottori Prefecture, Japan. At the northern end of Yumigahama Peninsula, it faces the Sea of Japan, another sea Nakaumi and Sakai channel.As of 2008, the city has an estimated population of 35,710 and the density of 1,240 persons per km²...
, Shichirui and Kaga on the mainland.
Weather
- Summers (June–August) average around 30 degrees Celsius plus humidity. There usually is a strong sea breeze. The sea waves during the summer rarely exceed 2 meters.
- Autumn (September–November) is temperate. It begins to rain more often and the waves begin to grow. The Rainbow ferry stops operating in November.
- Winters (December to the end of February) are relatively mild. Temperatures rarely drop below freezing. Also, due to the warming influence of the sea, Oki does not get much snow. What snow there is does not lie for long because the ground is not cold enough. The ferry is more likely to be canceled due to high waves, but it is still possible to leave the island.
- Spring (March–May) is generally regarded as the best season. There are many opportunities for viewing cherry blossoms on Oki during the spring. The Rainbow starts running in March.
History
It is uncertain as to when the islands were discovered; they are mentioned in the KojikiKojiki
is the oldest extant chronicle in Japan, dating from the early 8th century and composed by Ō no Yasumaro at the request of Empress Gemmei. The Kojiki is a collection of myths concerning the origin of the four home islands of Japan, and the Kami...
and the Nihon Shoki
Nihon Shoki
The , sometimes translated as The Chronicles of Japan, is the second oldest book of classical Japanese history. It is more elaborate and detailed than the Kojiki, the oldest, and has proven to be an important tool for historians and archaeologists as it includes the most complete extant historical...
.
Already under the Nara period
Nara period
The of the history of Japan covers the years from AD 710 to 794. Empress Gemmei established the capital of Heijō-kyō . Except for 5 years , when the capital was briefly moved again, it remained the capital of Japanese civilization until Emperor Kammu established a new capital, Nagaoka-kyō, in 784...
the islands were used as an exile for persons from the mainland.
From the Kamakura period
Kamakura period
The is a period of Japanese history that marks the governance by the Kamakura Shogunate, officially established in 1192 in Kamakura by the first shogun Minamoto no Yoritomo....
the islands were administrated as "Oki no kuni" (Oki Province
Oki Province
was an old province of Japan which is now Shimane Prefecture. It was sometimes called . Oki province consisted of the Oki Islands in the Sea of Japan, located off the coast of the provinces of Izumo and Hōki....
) and primarily governed by the shugo
Shugo
was a title, commonly translated as "Governor," given to certain officials in feudal Japan. They were each appointed by the shogun to oversee one or more of the provinces of Japan...
(governor) from Izumo Province
Izumo Province
was an old province of Japan which today consists of the eastern part of Shimane Prefecture. It was sometimes called . The province is in the Chūgoku Region.- History :It was one of the regions of ancient Japan where major political powers arose...
.
In 1198 Emperor Go-Toba
Emperor Go-Toba
was the 82nd emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. His reign spanned the years from 1183 through 1198....
(tennō
Emperor of Japan
The Emperor of Japan is, according to the 1947 Constitution of Japan, "the symbol of the state and of the unity of the people." He is a ceremonial figurehead under a form of constitutional monarchy and is head of the Japanese Imperial Family with functions as head of state. He is also the highest...
) was sent to exile to Dōgo where he stayed until his death in 1239. Between 1331 and 1333 tennō Go-Daigo
Emperor Go-Daigo
Emperor Go-Daigo was the 96th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession....
was exiled to Nishino-shima.
From the Muromachi period
Muromachi period
The is a division of Japanese history running from approximately 1336 to 1573. The period marks the governance of the Muromachi or Ashikaga shogunate, which was officially established in 1338 by the first Muromachi shogun, Ashikaga Takauji, two years after the brief Kemmu restoration of imperial...
the islands were ruled successively by the Sasaki clan
Sasaki clan
are a historical Japanese clan. - Brief history :They are descended directly from Emperor Uda by his grandson Minamoto no Masanobu , but were adopted by the Seiwa Genji...
, the Yamana clan
Yamana clan
The ' was a Japanese samurai clan which was one of the most powerful of the Muromachi period ; at its peak, members of the family held the position of Constable over eleven provinces. Originally from Kōzuke province, and later centered in Inaba province, the clan claimed descendance from the Seiwa...
and the Kyogoku clan
Kyōgoku clan
The were a Japanese samurai kin group which rose to prominence during the Sengoku and Edo periods. The clan claimed descent from the Uda Genji. The name derives from the Kyōgoku quarter of Kyoto during the Heian period....
until the Amago clan
Amago clan
The , descended from the Emperor Uda by the Sasaki clan .Sasaki Takahisa in the 14th century, having lost his parents at the age of three years, he was brought up by a nun...
to the Sengoku period
Sengoku period
The or Warring States period in Japanese history was a time of social upheaval, political intrigue, and nearly constant military conflict that lasted roughly from the middle of the 15th century to the beginning of the 17th century. The name "Sengoku" was adopted by Japanese historians in reference...
.
Under the Edo period
Edo period
The , or , is a division of Japanese history which was ruled by the shoguns of the Tokugawa family, running from 1603 to 1868. The political entity of this period was the Tokugawa shogunate....
the Tokugawa family
Tokugawa shogunate
The Tokugawa shogunate, also known as the and the , was a feudal regime of Japan established by Tokugawa Ieyasu and ruled by the shoguns of the Tokugawa family. This period is known as the Edo period and gets its name from the capital city, Edo, which is now called Tokyo, after the name was...
took control over the islands and they were put under the direct control of the Shogun
Shogun
A was one of the hereditary military dictators of Japan from 1192 to 1867. In this period, the shoguns, or their shikken regents , were the de facto rulers of Japan though they were nominally appointed by the emperor...
through a governor. Later they became part of the Matsue Domain
Matsue Domain
The ' was a Japanese domain of the Edo period. It was headquartered in what is now Matsue, Shimane.-List of lords:*Horio clan, 1600-1633 #Horio Yoshiharu#Horio Tadauji#Horio Tadaharu*Kyōgoku clan, 1634-1637...
. During that time the islands were a stopover point for trading boats traveling to and from Asia.
After the Meiji Restoration
Meiji Restoration
The , also known as the Meiji Ishin, Revolution, Reform or Renewal, was a chain of events that restored imperial rule to Japan in 1868...
which introduced a succession of reforms to restructure the Japanese state, the islands first became part of the Tottori Prefecture
Tottori Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūgoku region. The capital is the city of Tottori. It is the least populous prefecture in Japan.- History :Before the Meiji Restoration, Tottori encompassed the old provinces of Hōki and Inaba...
in 1871 and were transferred to the Shimane Prefecture
Shimane Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūgoku region on Honshū island. The capital is Matsue. It is the second least populous prefecture in Japan, after its eastern neighbor Tottori. The prefecture has an area elongated from east to west facing the Chūgoku Mountain Range on the south side and to...
in 1881.
On October 1, 2004, the town of Saigō
Saigo, Shimane
was a town located on the island of Dōgo in Oki District, Shimane, Japan.On October 1, 2004, Saigō was merged the villages of Fuse, Goka and Tsuma, all from Oki District, to form the new town of Okinoshima....
and the villages of Fuse
Fuse, Shimane
was a village located in Oki District, Shimane, Japan.On October 1, 2004 Fuse was merged the town of Saigō, and the villages of Goka and Tsuma, all from Oki District, to form the new town of Okinoshima....
, Goka
Goka, Shimane
was a village located in Oki District, Shimane, Japan.On October 1, 2004 Goka was merged the town of Saigō, and the villages of Fuse and Tsuma, all from Oki District, to form the new town of Okinoshima....
and Tsuma
Tsuma, Shimane
was a village located in Oki District, Shimane, Japan.On October 1, 2004 Saigō was merged the town of Saigō, and the villages of Fuse and Goka, all from Oki District, to form the new town of Okinoshima....
were administratively merged into the town of Okinoshima
Okinoshima, Shimane
is a town located on Dōgo, one of the Oki Islands, in Shimane, Japan.Japan considers the disputed Liancourt Rocks to be a part of Okinoshima.As of January 2008, the town has an estimated population of 16,214. The total area is 242.97 km²....
even though the townships still exist as separate towns.
