Koshikijima Islands

The Koshikijima Islands (甑島列島, Koshikishima-rettō[1]) in the East China Sea are an island chain located 38 km west of the port city of Ichikikushikino, Kagoshima.

Koshikijima Islands
Native name:
甑島列島 Koshikishima Rettō
Koshikijima Islands
Location in Japan
Geography
LocationEast China Sea
Coordinates31.75328°N 129.78424°E / 31.75328; 129.78424
Archipelagoyes
Total islands11
Major islands3
Area118.68 km2 (45.82 sq mi)
Length39 km (24.2 mi)
Width11 km (6.8 mi)
Administration
Japan
PrefectureKagoshima Prefecture
citySatsumasendai
Demographics
Population5576 (2010)
Pop. density47/km2 (122/sq mi)
Ethnic groupsJapanese

Major islands
IslandCoordinatesarea, km²population (2010)
Kamikoshiki-jima (上甑島)31.834790°N 129.888989°E / 31.834790; 129.88898945.082488
Naka-Koshiki-jima (中甑島)31.802107°N 129.827191°E / 31.802107; 129.8271917.29308
Shimokoshiki-jima (下甑島)31.704047°N 129.723703°E / 31.704047; 129.72370366.272780

Minor islands

All minor islands are currently (as in 2017) uninhabited.

IslandCoordinatesarea, km²
No-jima (野島)31.866071°N 129.960427°E / 31.866071; 129.9604270.11
Chika-jima (近島)31.851494°N 129.950236°E / 31.851494; 129.9502360.10
Futago-jima (双子島)31.862180°N 129.976023°E / 31.862180; 129.9760230.05
Okinoshima (沖の島)31.864498°N 129.984074°E / 31.864498; 129.9840740.02
Benkei-jima (弁慶島)#31.773680°N 129.834574°E / 31.773680; 129.8345740.02
Kasetō (筒島)31.866938°N 129.953346°E / 31.866938; 129.9533460.02
Napoleon Rock31.703060°N 129.687216°E / 31.703060; 129.6872160.01
Yurashima (由良島)[2]31.743005°N 129.755239°E / 31.743005; 129.7552390.01
Matsushima (松島)31.866748°N 129.948315°E / 31.866748; 129.9483150.004
  1. seems to undergo significant erosion and may disappear

History

The islands once consisted of 14 villages, belonging to Shikijima-gun, Satsuma Province (Satsuma no Kuni) during the Meiji period. In 1889, the islands were consolidated into Kami-Koshiki and Shimo-Koshiki villages. In 1897, the islands were merged with Satsuma-gun. Later, Kashima village and Sato village broke off, totalling in 4 villages. In 2004, during "the great Heisei merger", the villages were merged with Sendai, a city that exists on the main island of Kyūshū.

Important Bird Area

The islands have been recognised as an Important Bird Area (IBA) by BirdLife International because they support populations of Japanese wood pigeons and Pleske's grasshopper-warblers.[3]

Attractions

The cruise course visiting many scenic coastal rocks and islets is available from Shimo-Koshiki island.[4]

  1. Teikoku's Complete Atlas of Japan, Teikoku-Shoin Co., Ltd. Tokyo, ISBN 4-8071-0004-1
  2. Yurajima photo
  3. "Koshikijima islands". BirdLife Data Zone. BirdLife International. 2021. Retrieved 28 January 2021.
  4. 甑島：国内屈指の断崖･奇岩クルージング！（観光船かのこ）


See also: Koshikijima Prefectural Natural Park


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