:Awaji Island

File:Location-of-Awaji-island-en.png

The island is separated from Honshū by the Akashi Strait and from Shikoku by the Naruto Strait. Since April 5, 1998, it has been connected to Kobe on Honshū by the Akashi Kaikyo Bridge, the second longest suspension bridge in the world.{{cite web |url=http://www.tfhrc.gov/pubrds/julaug98/worlds.htm |title=World's Longest Suspension Bridge Opens in Japan |access-date=2008-03-22 |author=James D. Cooper |date=July–August 1998 |publisher=U.S. Department of Transportation |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080406065236/http://www.tfhrc.gov/pubrds/julaug98/worlds.htm |archive-date=6 April 2008 |url-status=live}} Since its completion, the Kobe-Awaji-Naruto Expressway across the island has been the main eastern land link between Honshū and Shikoku. The Naruto whirlpools form in the strait between Naruto, Tokushima and Awaji.{{Cite news |last=Keene |first=Donald |date=6 October 1985 |title=Afloat on Japan's Inland Sea |work=The New York Times Magazine |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1985/10/06/magazine/afloat-on-japan-s-inland-sea.html?scp=5&sq=Donald+Keene+and+Rising&st=nyt}}

The Nojima Fault, responsible for the 1995 Great Hanshin earthquake, cuts across the island. A section of the fault was protected and turned into the Nojima Fault Preservation Museum in the {{nihongo|Hokudancho Earthquake Memorial Park|北淡町震災記念公園}} to show how the movement in the ground cuts across roads, hedges and other installations. Outside of this protected area, the fault zone is less visible.{{cite news |last=Chiu |first=Yu-Tzu |date=28 December 2000 |title=What has Japan done since the Kobe earthquake? |work=Taipei Times

|url=http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/feat/archives/2000/12/28/67358 |access-date=2009-05-04}}

The {{nihongo|Onaruto Bridge Memorial Museum|大鳴門橋記念館|Ōnarutokyō Kinenkan}} and the {{nihongo|Uzushio Science Museum|うずしお科学館|Uzushio Kagakukan}} are located near Fukura.{{cite web |url=http://www.jnto.go.jp/eng/ttp/ptg/PS/pg-606.pdf |title=Awaji Island and Shodo Island |access-date=2008-03-22 |year=2001 |publisher=Japan National Tourist Organization}}

According to the creation myth in Shinto, Awaji was the first of the ōyashima islands born from the kami Izanagi and Izanami.{{cite web |url=http://www.wsu.edu:8080/~wldciv/world_civ_reader/world_civ_reader_1/kojiki.html |title=Japanese Creation Myth |access-date=2008-03-22 |author=Genji Shibukawa |work=Tales from the Kojiki |publisher=Harcourt Brace Custom Publishing |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080415031601/http://www.wsu.edu:8080/~wldciv/world_civ_reader/world_civ_reader_1/kojiki.html |archive-date=15 April 2008 |url-status=live}} Awaji constituted a province between the 7th and the 19th century, Awaji Province, and was a part of Nankaidō. Today the island consists of three municipalities: Awaji, Sumoto and Minamiawaji.

The Awaji Ningyō-Jōruri, a more-than-500-year-old form of traditional puppet theater, or ningyō-jōruri, daily performs several shows in the {{nihongo|Awaji Ningyō-Jōruri Hall|人形浄瑠璃館}} in Minamiawaji, Hyōgo in the southern part of the island and is designated an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Japan. The Awaji puppets perform popular traditional dramas but have their origins in religious rituals.{{cite web |url=http://www.accu.or.jp/ich/en/arts/A_JPN3.html |title=Awaji Ningyo Joruri |access-date=2008-03-22 |author=Hiroko Yamamoto |publisher=Asia-Pacific Database |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080406073054/http://www.accu.or.jp/ich/en/arts/A_JPN3.html |archive-date=6 April 2008 |url-status=live}}

Starting in the 1830s, the local potter Minpei started producing what would be then known as Awaji ware, also known as Minpei ware.

Tadao Ando designed several structures on the island, among them, the {{nihongo|Hompuku-ji water temple|本福寺}}{{cite web |url=http://www.floornature.com/projects-commerce/project-tadao-ando-water-temple-hompuki-japan-1989-1991-4043/ |title=Tadao Ando, Water Temple, Hompuki, Japan, 1989-1991 |access-date=2008-03-22 |author=Flores Zanchi |date=September 2002 |publisher=Floornature |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120209012137/http://www.floornature.com/projects-commerce/project-tadao-ando-water-temple-hompuki-japan-1989-1991-4043/ |archive-date=2012-02-09 |url-status=dead }}{{cite web |url=http://viatraveldesign.com/archive/E277EDA0CC06CDAB/ |title=Water Temple – ARCHITECTURE OF NOTE – Hompukuji |access-date=2008-03-22 |publisher=Via Travel Design }}{{dead link|date=July 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} and the Awaji Yumebutai,{{cite web |url=http://www.galinsky.com/buildings/awaji/index.htm |title=Awaji Yumebutai, Hyōgo, Japan |access-date=2008-03-22 |author=Kari Silloway |year=2004 |publisher=Galinsky}}{{cite web |url=http://www.yumebutai.org/english/yumebutai/yumebutai.html |title=About Yumebutai |access-date=2008-03-23 |year=2006 |publisher=Awaji Yumebutai The Westin Hotel and Resort and International Conference Center |archive-date=2017-12-24 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171224113128/http://www.yumebutai.org/english/yumebutai/yumebutai.html |url-status=dead }} both located in Awaji, Hyōgo.

In 1995, this island was the epicenter of the Kobe earthquake, which killed over 5,502 people. The earthquake caused enormous damage around the northern part of the island, which experienced a severe earthquake with a seismic intensity 7. The earthquake has a seismic fault called Nojima Fault. This fault is one of the closest faults to the epicenter and was designated as a national natural monument in 1998. {{citation needed|date=January 2011}}

There are 3 municipalities in Awaji island: Awaji, Sumoto and Minamiawaji. They are part of Hyōgo Prefecture.

File:Awaji in Hyogo Prefecture Ja.svg|Awaji municipality on Awaji Island

File:Sumoto in Hyogo Prefecture Ja.svg|Sumoto municipality on Awaji Island

File:Minamiawaji in Hyogo Prefecture Ja.svg|Minamiawaji municipality on Awaji Island

File:Sumoto Castle 02.JPG|Sumoto Castle

File:The whirling current in Naruto.JPG|Naruto whirlpools

File:Westin Awaji Island Hotel 02.jpg|Awaji Yumebutai flower beds

File:AKNGP08s3200.jpg|Akashi-Kaikyō National Government Park

File:Akashi Bridge.JPG|Akashi Kaikyo Bridge

{{Portal|Japan|Islands|Geography}}

• Thirteen Buddhas of Awaji Island

{{Reflist}}

{{Commons category|Awaji Island}}

{{Wikisource1911Enc|Awaji}}

{{Wikivoyage}}

• {{in lang|ja}} [http://web.pref.hyogo.jp/area/awaji/ Awaji website of Hyōgo prefecture]
• {{in lang|ja}} [https://www.awajishima-kanko.jp/ Awaji Island Tourist Association]
• {{in lang|ja}} [http://www.awaji-web.com/ Awaji Island Portal]

{{Authority control}}

Category:Islands of Hyōgo Prefecture

Category:Kansai region

Category:Islands of the Seto Inland Sea