Miyake-jima

There are many theories about the origin of Miyake-jima's name. One theory claims a manuscript about the island's genesis called the Miyakeki (三宅記), written by a Shinto priest from the island, influenced the name. The manuscript explains how a deity, Mashima (三嶋), constructed his palace on the island after having built two other houses on neighbouring islands. Each of the houses had their backs facing the palace, thus giving a lined up impression. This belief is known as the 'three-house theory'. Another hypothesis says that the shrines on Miyake-jima are historically related to those on Miyajima, an island in Hiroshima Bay. As there are many more speculations, the true origin cannot be known.{{Cite journal|doi=10.20620/nihonbungaku.57.7_52|year=2008|volume=57|number=7|pages=52–65|last=Yamamoto|first=Hiroko|script-title=ja:火の島の神話と祭祀 : 『三宅記』を読む(<特集>宗教をめぐる中世の言説)|title=Hi no shima no shinwa to saishi: 'Miyake-ki' o yomu (< tokushū > shūkyō o meguru chūsei no gensetsu)|trans-title=Myths and rituals of the Island of Fire: Reading "Miyakeki" ( Medieval Discourses on Religion)|lang=ja|doi-access=free|journal=Japanese Literature|publisher=Japan Literary Association|via=JSTAGE (Japan Science and Technology Information Aggregator, Electronic)}}

File:Toga Shrine in Miyakejima.jpg

The island is a stratovolcano with a granitic composite cone, dating from the late Pleistocene period, between 10,000 and 2,000 years ago. The island has a roughly circular coastline, 88.3 kilometers in length, with an average diameter of eight kilometers. The highest elevation {{nihongo|Mount Oyama|雄山|Oyama-san}} is an active volcano with a height of 759 meters. The mountain has been recorded to have erupted numerous times throughout history, and is mentioned as far back as Nara period written records. Over the past 890 years, it has erupted 13 times, including five times since the start of the Meiji period. A lava flow in 1940 killed 11 people, and other eruptions occurred in 1962 and 1983.{{cite web|url=http://volcano.und.nodak.edu/vwdocs/volc_images/north_asia/miyakejima/oyama.html |title=Mount Oyama, Miyakejima Island, Japan |access-date=2005-02-03 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050222084014/http://volcano.und.nodak.edu/vwdocs/volc_images/north_asia/miyakejima/oyama.html |archive-date=2005-02-22 }}

On July 14, 2000, Mount Oyama began another series of eruptions, and by September, the island was completely evacuated. After a four-year period of volcanic emissions, residents were allowed to return permanently on February 1, 2005. After the eruption, there has been a constant flow of sulfur dioxide gas coming from Mount Oyama.

Residents of the island were once required to carry gas masks with them at all times. However, masks have not been needed for years. Alarms go off if there is a dramatic increase in the levels of toxic gases in the air.{{Cite web|url=http://www.jnto.go.jp/eng/indepth/featuredarticles/JN/miyake_fishing/miyake_fishing.pdf|title=International Surf Angling Festival for Miyakejima Island Reconstruction|date=November 4, 2006|access-date=January 10, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110626222608/http://www.jnto.go.jp/eng/indepth/featuredarticles/JN/miyake_fishing/miyake_fishing.pdf|archive-date=June 26, 2011|url-status=dead|publisher=Japan National Tourism Organization}} Volcanic gas emissions from this volcano are measured by a Multi-Component Gas Analyzer System, which detects pre-eruptive degassing of rising magmas, improving prediction of volcanic activity.{{Cite conference|title=Real-time Multi-GAS sensing of volcanic gas composition: experiences from the permanent Etna and Stromboli networks|volume=11|date=19–24 April 2009|conference=EGU General Assembly 2009|conference-url=https://meetings.copernicus.org/egu2009/|location=Vienna, Austria|page=5839|last1=Liuzzo|first1=M.|last2=Aiuppa|first2=A.|last3=Giudice|first3=G.|last4=Gurrieri|first4=S.|bibcode=2009EGUGA..11.5839L}}

File:Miyake-jima-map.jpg|Map of Miyake-jima, with Ōnoharajima west south-west of it File:20140516三宅島.jpg|View from Airplane File:Perspective of Miyake-Jima Island.jpg|Perspective of Miyake-Jima Island File:Ako Junior High School gym.jpg|Ruin of a school gym engulfed in a lava flow of 1983 File:Buried Torii of Shiitori Shrie.jpg|Torii of Shiitori Shrine in the mudflow of 2000 eruption

Miyake-jima has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen climate classification Cfa) with very warm summers and mild winters. Precipitation is abundant throughout the year, but is somewhat lower in winter.

{{Weather box|width=auto

|location = Miyake-jima (1991−2020 normals, extremes 1942−present)

|single line = Y

|metric first = Y

|Jan record high C = 20.1

|Feb record high C = 21.8

|Mar record high C = 23.5

|Apr record high C = 24.9

|May record high C = 28.1

|Jun record high C = 31.1

|Jul record high C = 33.1

|Aug record high C = 32.8

|Sep record high C = 32.3

|Oct record high C = 29.9

|Nov record high C = 26.4

|Dec record high C = 23.8

|Jan high C = 12.1

|Feb high C = 12.4

|Mar high C = 15.0

|Apr high C = 18.6

|May high C = 21.9

|Jun high C = 24.2

|Jul high C = 27.8

|Aug high C = 29.1

|Sep high C = 26.7

|Oct high C = 22.9

|Nov high C = 19.0

|Dec high C = 14.6

|Jan mean C = 9.9

|Feb mean C = 10.0

|Mar mean C = 12.3

|Apr mean C = 15.8

|May mean C = 19.2

|Jun mean C = 21.8

|Jul mean C = 25.3

|Aug mean C = 26.6

|Sep mean C = 24.5

|Oct mean C = 20.8

|Nov mean C = 16.8

|Dec mean C = 12.5

|Jan low C = 7.1

|Feb low C = 6.9

|Mar low C = 9.2

|Apr low C = 12.7

|May low C = 16.2

|Jun low C = 19.5

|Jul low C = 23.2

|Aug low C = 24.3

|Sep low C = 22.2

|Oct low C = 18.4

|Nov low C = 14.1

|Dec low C = 9.7

|Jan record low C = -1.2

|Feb record low C = -1.4

|Mar record low C = -0.2

|Apr record low C = 2.8

|May record low C = 7.4

|Jun record low C = 12.1

|Jul record low C = 14.8

|Aug record low C = 18.2

|Sep record low C = 14.1

|Oct record low C = 8.9

|Nov record low C = 3.7

|Dec record low C = 0.9

|precipitation colour = green

|Jan precipitation mm = 150.9

|Feb precipitation mm = 170.9

|Mar precipitation mm = 275.6

|Apr precipitation mm = 229.3

|May precipitation mm = 243.3

|Jun precipitation mm = 349.7

|Jul precipitation mm = 240.2

|Aug precipitation mm = 206.6

|Sep precipitation mm = 330.9

|Oct precipitation mm = 418.9

|Nov precipitation mm = 234.2

|Dec precipitation mm = 171.1

|year precipitation mm = 3024.7

| unit precipitation days = 1.0 mm

|Jan precipitation days = 9.2

|Feb precipitation days = 10.1

|Mar precipitation days = 14.1

|Apr precipitation days = 11.5

|May precipitation days = 11.3

|Jun precipitation days = 13.6

|Jul precipitation days = 10.2

|Aug precipitation days = 8.9

|Sep precipitation days = 13.5

|Oct precipitation days = 13.8

|Nov precipitation days = 12.0

|Dec precipitation days = 10.7

|Jan humidity = 65

|Feb humidity = 66

|Mar humidity = 70

|Apr humidity = 73

|May humidity = 79

|Jun humidity = 86

|Jul humidity = 87

|Aug humidity = 86

|Sep humidity = 83

|Oct humidity = 78

|Nov humidity = 72

|Dec humidity = 67

|Jan sun = 114.8

|Feb sun = 117.9

|Mar sun = 133.5

|Apr sun = 166.7

|May sun = 181.8

|Jun sun = 126.8

|Jul sun = 182.8

|Aug sun = 221.9

|Sep sun = 136.0

|Oct sun = 103.9

|Nov sun = 107.2

|Dec sun = 108.7

|year sun = 1693.3

|source 1 = Japan Meteorological Agency{{cite web

| url = https://www.data.jma.go.jp/obd/stats/etrn/view/rank_s.php?prec_no=44&block_no=47677&year=&month=&day=&view=

|script-title=ja:観測史上1～10位の値（年間を通じての値）

| publisher = JMA

| access-date = February 23, 2022}}{{cite web

| url = https://www.data.jma.go.jp/obd/stats/etrn/view/nml_sfc_ym.php?prec_no=44&block_no=47677&year=&month=&day=&view=

|script-title=ja:気象庁 / 平年値（年・月ごとの値）

| publisher = JMA

| access-date = February 23, 2022}}}}

{{Graph:Weather monthly history

| table=Ncei.noaa.gov/weather/Miyakejima.tab

| title=Miyake-jima temperature

}}

Miyake-jima is home to an unusually rich flora and fauna with several rare species of birds and animals, although its natural habitats are constantly under threat from human and volcanic activity.

Underwater, the island is valued by divers for its coral reefs and marine fauna (including the dolphin population outside nearby Mikura-jima). The island has been recognised as an Important Bird Area (IBA) by BirdLife International because it supports populations of Japanese wood pigeons, Japanese murrelets, Pleske's grasshopper warblers, Ijima's leaf-warblers and Izu thrushes (akakokko). {{cite web |url=http://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/miyakejima-island-iba-japan|title= Miyakejima island|author= |date=2021|website= BirdLife Data Zone|publisher= BirdLife International|access-date= 30 January 2021}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.asahi.com/ajw/|title=The Asahi Shimbun | Breaking News, Japan News and Analysis|website=The Asahi Shimbun|accessdate=30 June 2023}}

The island is administered by the Miyake subprefecture of the Tokyo Metropolitan government. As of June 1, 2016, the population of the island was 2451. {{nihongo|Miyake Village|三宅村|Miyake-mura}} serves as the local government of the island, and also includes nearby tiny uninhabited Ōnoharajima west south-west of Miyake-jima.

Miyake village consists of the five traditional hamlets of Izu, Kamitsuki, Igaya, Ako and Tsubota, with Tsubota on the southeast coast as the administrative center.

File:Flag of Miyake, Tokyo.svg

File:Miyakejima Police Station.jpg

The island is accessible by an over-night ferry called the Tachibana Maru (橘丸), which is operated by Tōkai Kisen. The ferry departs from Takeshiba Pier, near Hamamatsuchō Station, Tokyo at 22:30 and arrives at Miyakejima at 5:00. Depending on the wind and weather conditions, the Tachibana Maru will dock at one of three ports; Miike Port Pier (三池港桟橋), Igaya Port (伊ヶ谷港), or Sabigahama Port (錆ヶ浜港). The port where the boat will dock is not predictable and changes on a daily basis. Generally, the boat will arrive at a port that is complementary with the wind direction. A second large passenger ship named Salvia Maru (さるびあ丸) also started servicing Miyake-jima on June 25, 2020.{{Cite web|url=https://www.tokaikisen.co.jp/en/|title = Tokai Kisen Co., LTD. | Travel and Tours to the Izu Islands}}

There are flights connecting Miyakejima Airport and Haneda Airport with an approximate flying time of 50 minutes. Flights are also operated from Chofu Airport. The area is prone to high volume of sulfuric gas and flights were suspended for almost eight years after the July 14, 2000 volcano eruption. Flights resumed during April 2008, after sulfuric gases in the air dropped to levels below 0.2ppm.{{Cite web|url=http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/national/news/20080426-OYT1T00501.htm|archive-url=https://archive.today/20080426162442/http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/national/news/20080426-OYT1T00501.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=2008-04-26|title=三宅島—羽田間空路、７年８か月ぶり再開 : 社会 : Yomiuri Online（読売新聞）}} There is a helicopter that arrives via Izu Ōshima. There are also two helicopter flights operated by Tokyo Island Shuttle which originate in Aogashima and Izu Ōshima and fly to Toshima, Miyake-jima, Mikura-jima, Hachijō-jima and Aogashima.

File:Miyakejima plane.jpg|Plane at Miyake-jima Airport File:Miyakejima-runway.jpg|Runway with Mikura-jima in the distance. File:Miyakejima.heliport.jpg|Miyakejima Helipad

There are two bus routes on the island. Both bus routes service the same stops, but one route goes clockwise and the other route goes counter-clockwise. The time between each bus stop arrival can vary greatly from a few minutes to up to 3 hours.{{cite web

|url=https://www.miyakejima.gr.jp/wp/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/basjikokuhyou20180501.pdf|title=三宅村営バス時刻表 （平成30年5月1日より

|website=miyakejima.gr.jp|language=ja|access-date=30 June 2023}}

File:Miyake-jima Bus Stop.jpg

{{Portal|Tokyo|Islands}}

• List of volcanoes in Japan
• List of islands of Japan
• Izu Islands
• Devil's Sea
• Jack Moyer (1929–2004), former resident and marine biologist
• Two Car (2017), an animated television series set in Miyake-jima

{{reflist}}

• Teikoku's Complete Atlas of Japan, Teikoku-Shoin., Ltd. Tokyo 1990, {{ISBN|4-8071-0004-1}}

{{Commons category|Miyakejima}}

{{Wikivoyage|Miyakejima}}

• [http://www.miyakemura.com/ Miyake Village Official Website]
• [http://www.data.jma.go.jp/svd/vois/data/tokyo/320_Miyakejima/320_index.html Miyakejima] - Japan Meteorological Agency {{in lang|ja}}
• {{cite web|url= http://www.data.jma.go.jp/svd/vois/data/tokyo/STOCK/souran_eng/volcanoes/062_miyakejima.pdf |title=Miyakejima: National catalogue of the active volcanoes in Japan }} - Japan Meteorological Agency
• [https://gbank.gsj.jp/volcano/Quat_Vol/volcano_data/G07.html Miyake Jima] - Geological Survey of Japan
• {{cite gvp|name=Miyakejima|vn=284040|access-date=2021-06-24}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:Izu Islands

Category:Stratovolcanoes of Japan

Category:Active volcanoes

Category:Islands of Tokyo

Category:Volcanoes of Tokyo

Category:Important Bird Areas of the Nanpo Islands

Category:Seabird colonies

Category:Holocene stratovolcanoes