Shikinejima
Encyclopedia
is a volcanic
Japanese island in the Philippine Sea
, administered by Tōkyō
and located approximately 160 kilometres (99.4 mi) south of Tōkyō and 36 kilometres (22.4 mi) south of Shimoda
Shizuoka Prefecture
. It is one of the of the Izu Seven Islands group of the seven northern islands of the Izu archipelago
. The island is the smaller inhabited component of the village of Niijima
, which also contains the larger, neighboring island of Niijima and the smaller, uninhabited Jinaitō. It is part of the Ōshima Subprefecture
of Tokyo Metropolis. As of 2009, the island's population was 600. Shikinejima is also within the boundaries of the Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park
.
during the 1703 Genroku earthquake
has no basis in geology.
on the island. With plentiful water and seafood from the warm Kuroshio Current
, there is a continuous record of habitation on the island from the Heian period
through the Edo period
. Convict boats on their way to or from Hachijōjima
frequently spotted at Shikinejima waiting for favorable winds.
In the Meiji period
, the island was base for commercial fishing
and salt production. In the modern period, tourism based on sports fishing, hot spring resorts
, and water sports dominates the economy.
Access to Shikinejima is by ferry from Takeshiba Sanbashi Pier in Tokyo, operated by Tokai Kisen. Ferries also leave from Shimoda
Shizuoka Prefecture
. A village operated ferry also makes several daily crossings between Niijima and Shikinejima. The crossing is approximately 10 minutes.
elsewhere.
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...
Japanese island in the Philippine Sea
Philippine Sea
The Philippine Sea is a marginal sea east and north of the Philippines occupying an estimated surface area of 2 million mi² on the western part of the North Pacific Ocean...
, administered by Tōkyō
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
and located approximately 160 kilometres (99.4 mi) south of Tōkyō and 36 kilometres (22.4 mi) south of Shimoda
Shimoda, Shizuoka
is a city and port in Shizuoka, Japan.As of 2010, the city had an estimated population of 25,054 and a population density of 242 persons per square kilometer...
Shizuoka Prefecture
Shizuoka Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region on Honshu island. The capital is the city of Shizuoka.- History :Shizuoka prefecture was formed from the former Tōtōmi, Suruga and Izu provinces.The area was the home of the first Tokugawa Shogun...
. It is one of the of the Izu Seven Islands group of the seven northern islands of the Izu archipelago
Izu Islands
The are a group of volcanic islands stretching south and east from the Izu Peninsula of Honshū, Japan. Administratively, they form two towns and six villages; all part of Tokyo. The largest is Izu Ōshima, usually called simply Ōshima....
. The island is the smaller inhabited component of the village of Niijima
Niijima, Tokyo
is a volcanic Japanese island in the Philippine Sea, administered by Tokyo Metropolitan Government. It is one of the Izu Seven Islands group of the seven northern islands of the Izu archipelago, and is located approximately south of Tōkyō and south of Shimoda Shizuoka Prefecture...
, which also contains the larger, neighboring island of Niijima and the smaller, uninhabited Jinaitō. It is part of the Ōshima Subprefecture
Oshima Subprefecture (Tokyo)
is a subprefecture of Tokyo, Japan. The organization belong to Tokyo Metropolitan Government Bureau Of General Affairs.It includes the following towns and villages on the Izu Islands:*Ōshima *Toshima...
of Tokyo Metropolis. As of 2009, the island's population was 600. Shikinejima is also within the boundaries of the Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park
Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park
is a national park in Yamanashi, Shizuoka, and Kanagawa Prefectures, and western Tokyo Metropolis, Japan. It consists of Mount Fuji, Fuji Five Lakes, Hakone, the Izu Peninsula, and the Izu Islands....
.
Geology
Shikinejima has an irregular and highly indented coastline with many small bays. The interior of the island is of low elevation, rising to 99 m above sea level at and to 109 metres (357.6 ft), near , the highest elevation on the island. Shikinejima is approximately 3 km long by 2.5 km wide. Signs of geothermal activity can be found along the southern coast where hot springs occur. The legend that Niijima and Shikinejima were formerly one island, and were separated by a giant tsunamiTsunami
A tsunami is a series of water waves caused by the displacement of a large volume of a body of water, typically an ocean or a large lake...
during the 1703 Genroku earthquake
1703 Genroku earthquake
The occurred at 02:00 local time on December 31 . The epicenter was near Edo, the forerunner of present-day Tokyo, in the southern part of the Kantō Region, Japan. It shook Edo and an estimated 2,300 people were killed by the shaking and subsequent fires...
has no basis in geology.
History
The history of human settlement on Shikinejima dates to prehistoric times, and archaeologists have found number remains from the Jōmon periodJomon period
The is the time in Japanese prehistory from about 14,000 BC to 300 BC.The term jōmon means "cord-patterned" in Japanese. This refers to the pottery style characteristic of the Jōmon culture, and which has markings made using sticks with cords wrapped around them...
on the island. With plentiful water and seafood from 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...
, there is a continuous record of habitation on the island from the Heian period
Heian period
The is the last division of classical Japanese history, running from 794 to 1185. The period is named after the capital city of Heian-kyō, or modern Kyōto. It is the period in Japanese history when Buddhism, Taoism and other Chinese influences were at their height...
through 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....
. Convict boats on their way to or from Hachijōjima
Hachijojima
is a volcanic Japanese island in the Philippine Sea, administered by Tōkyō and located approximately south of the Special Wards of Tōkyō. It is the southernmost and most isolated of the Izu Seven Islands group of the seven northern islands of the Izu archipelago...
frequently spotted at Shikinejima waiting for favorable winds.
In the Meiji period
Meiji period
The , also known as the Meiji era, is a Japanese era which extended from September 1868 through July 1912. This period represents the first half of the Empire of Japan.- Meiji Restoration and the emperor :...
, the island was base for commercial fishing
Commercial fishing
Commercial fishing is the activity of catching fish and other seafood for commercial profit, mostly from wild fisheries. It provides a large quantity of food to many countries around the world, but those who practice it as an industry must often pursue fish far into the ocean under adverse conditions...
and salt production. In the modern period, tourism based on sports fishing, hot spring resorts
Onsen
An is a term for hot springs in the Japanese language, though the term is often used to describe the bathing facilities and inns around the hot springs. As a volcanically active country, Japan has thousands of onsen scattered along its length and breadth...
, and water sports dominates the economy.
Access to Shikinejima is by ferry from Takeshiba Sanbashi Pier in Tokyo, operated by Tokai Kisen. Ferries also leave from Shimoda
Shimoda, Shizuoka
is a city and port in Shizuoka, Japan.As of 2010, the city had an estimated population of 25,054 and a population density of 242 persons per square kilometer...
Shizuoka Prefecture
Shizuoka Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region on Honshu island. The capital is the city of Shizuoka.- History :Shizuoka prefecture was formed from the former Tōtōmi, Suruga and Izu provinces.The area was the home of the first Tokugawa Shogun...
. A village operated ferry also makes several daily crossings between Niijima and Shikinejima. The crossing is approximately 10 minutes.
Education
The island has one elementary school, Shikinejima Elementary School and one junior high school, Shikinejima Junior High School. High school students either travel by ferry, daily, to Niijima to attend Niijima High School or attend a boarding schoolBoarding school
A boarding school is a school where some or all pupils study and live during the school year with their fellow students and possibly teachers and/or administrators. The word 'boarding' is used in the sense of "bed and board," i.e., lodging and meals...
elsewhere.