Okinoshima, Shimane
Okinoshima (隠岐の島町, Okinoshima-chō) is a town located on Dōgo, in Oki District, Shimane Prefecture, Japan. As of June 2013, the town had an estimated population of 14,849 and a population density of 61.1 persons per km². The total area was 242.95 km².
Okinoshima
隠岐の島町 | |
|---|---|
.jpg.webp){kind=spacer} Downtown of Okinoshima as seen ftom the SE. | |
 Flag  Seal | |
 Location of Okinoshima in Shimane Prefecture | |
  Okinoshima  Okinoshima Okinoshima (Shimane Prefecture) | |
| Coordinates: 36°12′N 133°19′E | |
| Country |  Japan |
| Region | Chūgoku San'in |
| Prefecture | Shimane Prefecture |
| District | Oki |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Kazuhisa Matsuda |
| Area | |
| • Total | 242.97 km2 (93.81 sq mi) |
| Population (March 1, 2017) | |
| • Total | 14,422 |
| • Density | 61.1/km2 (158/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+9 (Japan Standard Time) |
| -Tree | Cryptomeria |
| - Flower | Oki Rhododendron |
| Phone number | 08512-2-2111 |
| Address | 1 Jōhokumachi, Okinoshima-machi, Oki-gun, Shimane-ken 685-8585 |
| Website | www |
Etymology
Okinoshima Town takes its name from Okinoshima, the traditional name for all four inhabited Oki Islands. There is no single island named Okinoshima.
History
Okinoshima Town was formed from the merger of the town of Saigō, and the villages of Fuse, Goka and Tsuma on October 1, 2004, all from Oki District.
Geography
Okinoshima occupies all of the island of Dōgo, in the Oki Islands archipelago in the Sea of Japan, along with numerous offshore uninhabited islands and rocks. For administrative purposes, the Japanese government officially considers the disputed islet of Takeshima (Liancourt Rocks) to be a part of the town of Okinoshima.
Climate
Okinoshima has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen climate classification Cfa) with very warm summers and cool winters. Precipitation is abundant throughout the year.
| Climate data for Saigō, Okinoshima | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Average high °C (°F) | 7.0 (44.6) |
7.1 (44.8) |
10.5 (50.9) |
16.0 (60.8) |
20.6 (69.1) |
23.5 (74.3) |
27.6 (81.7) |
29.5 (85.1) |
25.3 (77.5) |
20.4 (68.7) |
15.3 (59.5) |
10.3 (50.5) |
17.8 (64.0) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 3.7 (38.7) |
3.7 (38.7) |
6.2 (43.2) |
11.5 (52.7) |
15.9 (60.6) |
19.7 (67.5) |
24.1 (75.4) |
25.7 (78.3) |
21.5 (70.7) |
16.0 (60.8) |
11.2 (52.2) |
6.6 (43.9) |
13.8 (56.9) |
| Average low °C (°F) | 0.5 (32.9) |
0.3 (32.5) |
1.8 (35.2) |
6.7 (44.1) |
11.1 (52.0) |
16.1 (61.0) |
21.2 (70.2) |
22.3 (72.1) |
17.9 (64.2) |
11.6 (52.9) |
7.0 (44.6) |
3.0 (37.4) |
10.0 (49.9) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 171.9 (6.77) |
119.9 (4.72) |
110.0 (4.33) |
115.5 (4.55) |
117.1 (4.61) |
167.6 (6.60) |
195.4 (7.69) |
130.5 (5.14) |
205.9 (8.11) |
118.0 (4.65) |
144.3 (5.68) |
155.0 (6.10) |
1,751.1 (68.95) |
| Average snowfall cm (inches) | 69 (27) |
51 (20) |
10 (3.9) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
1 (0.4) |
27 (11) |
158 (62.3) |
| Average relative humidity (%) | 72 | 72 | 72 | 73 | 75 | 82 | 84 | 81 | 79 | 75 | 73 | 72 | 76 |
| Mean monthly sunshine hours | 79.3 | 92.0 | 156.9 | 197.7 | 231.1 | 181.0 | 186.8 | 224.0 | 163.6 | 169.4 | 116.3 | 88.4 | 1,886.5 |
| Source: NOAA (1961-1990) [1] | |||||||||||||
Economy
The town economy is primarily based on agriculture and commercial fishing.
Transportation
Airport
- Oki Airport (OKI), a Class III facility with a 1991 m runway, is located within the town. It provides air service to Osaka International Airport ("Itami") and Izumo Airport.
Highway
Sea Port
- Saigō Port is the major seaport and ferry terminal in the Oki Islands
Local attractions
- A set of two station bells designated as Important Cultural Property of Japan is located at the (Oki family treasure hall (億岐家宝物館, Oki-ke Hōmotsukan) in Okinoshima.
Notable people from Okinoshima
- Okinoumi Ayumi – sumo wrestler, the first wrestler from Shimane Prefecture to reach the top makuuchi division in 88 years
- Kai Hirano – professional soccer player
External links
Media related to Okinoshima, Shimane at Wikimedia Commons
- Official website (in Japanese)
References
- "Saigo Climate Normals 1961-1990". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved January 5, 2013.
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