Hikoshima
{{Short description|Island in Yamaguchi, Japan}}
{{Infobox islands
| name = Hikoshima
| map = Japan
| map_caption = Location in Japan
| native_name = 彦島 Hikoshima
| native_name_link = Japanese language
| nickname =
| location = East China Sea
| coordinates = {{coord|33|56|14|N|130|54|52|E|display=inline,title}}
| archipelago =
| total_islands =
| major_islands =
| area_km2 = 10.58
| length_km = 5.7
| width_km = 2
| coastline_km =
| highest_mount = mount {{nihongo|大山|Ooyama}}
| elevation_m = 111.8
| country = Japan
| country_admin_divisions_title = Prefecture
| country_admin_divisions = Yamaguchi Prefecture
| country_admin_divisions_title_1 = city
| country_admin_divisions_1 = Shimonoseki
| country_admin_divisions_title_2 =
| country_admin_divisions_2 =
| country_largest_city =
| country_largest_city_population =
| population = 30182
| population_as_of = 2011
| density_km2 = 2853
| ethnic_groups = Japanese
| additional_info =
}}
{{nihongo|Hikoshima|彦島}} (also called {{nihongo|Hikishima|引島}} in Nihon Shoki) is an island on the south-west tip of Honshu, Japan.
Geography
The island is irregularly shaped and hilly. The strait, as narrow as {{convert|40|m|yd|sigfig=2}}, separates the island from the main island of Honshu. The parts of sprawling city of Shimonoseki occupy most of the island, making it the most populous minor island in Yamaguchi Prefecture, albeit only sixth in size by area.{{Cn|date=March 2025}}
Transportation
The island is connected to the Japanese mainland of Honshu by three bridges, one above a ship lock. The Kanmon Railway Tunnel connects the island to Kyushu, but the San'yō Main Line has no stop-overs on island, the nearest station being Shimonoseki Station in the downtown area.[http://www.travel-around-japan.com/k73-06-shimonoseki.html Let's travel around Japan - Shimonoseki city] Also, there is a bridge connection to the small {{nihongo|竹ノ子島|Takenoko-jima}} on the northwestern tip of the Hikoshima.{{Cn|date=March 2025}}
History
The island was inhabited since prehistory, as evidenced by petroglyphs found in 1918.David S. Whitle, "Handbook of Rock Art Research", p. 766 Following the Battle of Dan-no-ura, the refugees from the Taira clan has migrated to island and set the basis for the local agriculture. The island was an important site of Shimonoseki Campaign in 1863-1864 when it was much feared the island would become the Japanese variant of Hong Kong.Keiya Mizuno, Naoki Naganuma, "Life Works Itself Out: (And Then You Nap)", p.48 The island industrialization began in 1924 with the building of ammonium sulphate plant with German license in 1924.Akira Kudo, "Japanese-German Business Relations: Co-operation and Rivalry in the Interwar Period", p. 240 Currently island is heavily populated and industrialized, including a shipyard[https://www.mhi.com/company/location/contents/map/enoura.html Shimonoseki Shipyard & Machinery Works Enoura Plant/ Yamatomachi Plant] and a titanium & zinc smelter.U.S. Geological Survey Minerals Yearbook, 2013, V. 3, Area Reports, International, Asia and the Pacific, p. 13.9
Attractions
Notable residents
- Michiyo Kogure - film actress
- Shinji Yamashita - actor
- Atsushi Tamura - comedian
- Shinobu Otowa - enka singer
- Hideo Fujimoto - baseball pitcher
- Masashi Nishiyama - judoka
See also
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.hikoshima.jp/ Hikoshima official site]
{{Commons category}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:Islands of Yamaguchi Prefecture