Rishiri Island

Rishiri derives its name from the Ainu language, and means "high island", or "island with a high peak", a reference to the altitude of Mount Rishiri above sea level.

File:Rishiri Relief Map, SRTM.jpg

Rishiri Island is located roughly {{Convert|20|km|mi}} west of Hokkaido; Rebun Island is a further {{Convert|10|km|mi}} to the northwest. Rishiri is roughly circular with a coastline of {{Convert|63|km|mi}}. The island spans {{Convert|19|km|mi}} from north to south and {{Convert|14|km|mi}} from east to west. Mount Rishiri rises to an altitude of {{Convert|1721|m|ft}} and provides a good source of fresh water; numerous small ponds and springs are located at the foot of the mountain. The residents of Rishiri live in coastal communities, which are connected by a bus service that circumnavigates the island.

File:Mt Rishiri.jpg]]

File:Von Karman vortices off Rishiri Island, Japan.jpg being formed by the peak of Mount Rishiri (lower center) in April 2001.]]

The island has been recognised as an Important Bird Area (IBA) by BirdLife International because it supports populations of black-tailed gulls and Japanese robins.{{cite web |url=http://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/rishiri-island-iba-japan|title= Rishiri Island|author= |date=2021|website= BirdLife Data Zone|publisher= BirdLife International|access-date= 1 February 2021}}

{{Rishiri weatherbox}}

The island is divided between two towns, Rishiri (population 2,304), on the south-west half of island and Rishirifuji (population 2,798) on the north-east half of island, both of which belong to Rishiri District, Sōya Subprefecture.

These towns include the following communities, listed from the north side of the island, clockwise around:

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• Oshidomari (ferry port)
• Himenuma
• Oniwaki
• Numaura
• Misaki, Rishiri
• Senposhi
• Kusure
• Randomari
• Kutsugata (ferry port)
• Shinminato, Rishiri
• Motodomari

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• Ferry service to Rebun, Wakkanai, and Otaru
• Air link to Wakkanai

A bus runs the circuit route around the island.

Rishiri Airport is located in Rishirifuji.

• 1807-1808 Failed military expedition to Sakhalin, part of deceased buried at cape Peshi.
• Ranald MacDonald (1824-1894), first native English teacher in Japan, landed on Rishiri in 1848.
• On February 7, 2013, Russian Sukhoi Su-27 fighter jets had been spotted above Japanese waters off Rishiri Island, and were pursued by four Mitsubishi F-2s.

The economy of Rishiri Island formerly depended on the fishing of Pacific herring, but the herring stock is now mostly depleted. Rishiri Island is now noted for its production of dried kombu.

• Pon-yama ({{convert|444|m}}) - a mountain top near north coast, nearby a site of non-coastal hiking camp on island

Other features of Rishiri Island include:

• Cape Peshi on the East side of the port Oshidomari
• Cape Senhoshi
• Neguma (Sleeping Bear) Rock
• Jimmen Rock
• Ponmoshiri Island
• Hime Marsh
• Menūshoro Marsh
• Otatomari Marsh

• List of islands of Japan

{{reflist|2|refs=

{{cite encyclopedia | encyclopedia = Nihon Rekishi Chimei Taikei |script-title=ja:利尻島 | url = http://rekishi.jkn21.com/ | accessdate = 2013-09-09 | year = 2013 | publisher = Shogakukan | location = Tokyo | language = Japanese | trans-title = Rishiri Island | oclc = 173191044 | url-status = dead | archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20070825113418/http://rekishi.jkn21.com/ | archivedate = 2007-08-25 }}

{{cite encyclopedia | encyclopedia = Dijitaru Daijisen |script-title=ja:利尻島 | url = http://rekishi.jkn21.com/ | accessdate = 2013-12-14 | year = 2013 | publisher = Shogakukan | location = Tokyo | language = Japanese | trans-title = Rishiri Island | oclc = 56431036 | url-status = dead | archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20070825113418/http://rekishi.jkn21.com/ | archivedate = 2007-08-25 }}

{{cite encyclopedia | encyclopedia = Nihon Kokugo Daijiten |script-title=ja:利尻島 | trans-title = Rishiri Island | url = http://rekishi.jkn21.com/ | accessdate = 2013-09-10 | year = 2013 | publisher = Shogakukan | location = Tokyo | language = Japanese | oclc = 56431036 | url-status = dead | archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20070825113418/http://rekishi.jkn21.com/ | archivedate = 2007-08-25 }}

{{cite encyclopedia | encyclopedia = Nihon Daihyakka Zensho (Nipponika) |script-title=ja:利尻島 | url = http://rekishi.jkn21.com/ | accessdate = 2013-09-06 | year = 2013 | publisher = Shogakukan | location = Tokyo | language = Japanese | trans-title = Rishiri Island | oclc = 153301537 | url-status = dead | archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20070825113418/http://rekishi.jkn21.com/ | archivedate = 2007-08-25 }}

Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005). [https://books.google.com/books?id=p2QnPijAEmEC&pg=PA791&dq= "Rishiri-tō"] in Japan Encyclopedia, p. 791.

{{cite web | url = http://town.rishiri.jp/ | script-title=ja:人口 | date = 2013 | publisher = Town of Rishiri | location = Rishiri, Hokkaido | language = Japanese |trans-title=Population | accessdate = 2013-09-18}}

{{cite web | url = http://www.town.rishirifuji.hokkaido.jp/index.html | script-title=ja:人口 | date = 2013 | publisher = Town of Rishirifuji | location = Rishirifuji, Hokkaido | language = Japanese |trans-title=Population | accessdate = 2013-09-18}}

{{cite web | url = https://edition.cnn.com/2013/02/07/world/asia/japan-russia-jets/index.html | date =2013-02-13 | publisher = CNN | location = | language = English | title= Japan scrambles fighters after Russian jets approach island | accessdate = 2022-05-18}}

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• {{Wikivoyage inline|Rishiri Island}}

{{Coord|45|11|N|141|15|E|region:JP_type:isle|display=title}}

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Category:Islands of the Sea of Japan

Category:Islands of Hokkaido

Category:Important Bird Areas of Japan