tanegashima

Tanegashima is the easternmost and the second largest (after Yakushima) of the Ōsumi Islands. It is located approximately {{convert|43|km|nmi mi}} south of the southern tip of Ōsumi Peninsula in southern Kyushu, or {{convert|115|km|nmi mi}} south of Kagoshima. The Vincennes Strait (Yakushima Kaikyō) separates it from Yakushima.

The island is of volcanic origin; however, unlike neighboring Yakushima, it presents a flat appearance, with its highest elevation at only {{convert|282|m|ft}} above sea level. The island has a length of {{convert|57|km|mi}} and a width ranging from {{convert|5 to 10|km|}}.

The climate is subtropical. The island, along with neighbouring Yakushima, has been recognised as an Important Bird Area (IBA) by BirdLife International because they support populations of Japanese wood pigeons, Ryukyu green pigeons and Ryukyu robins. {{cite web |url=http://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/yakushima-and-tanegashima-islands-iba-japan|title= Yakushima and Tanegashima islands|author= |date=2021|website= BirdLife Data Zone|publisher= BirdLife International|access-date= 7 February 2021}}

File:犬城IMGP1389.JPG|In the vicinity of Inu Castle Coast, Daikoya District

File:Nakatane_town.jpg|Town area of Nakatane (中種子町), Kagoshima, Japan

File:馬立IMGP1382.JPG|Weathered rocks near Mt. Iwasaki

File:千座の岩屋.jpg|Chikura Caverns

File:Kadokuramisaki.jpg|Cape Kadokura

File:Osumi Islands Map Japan.png|Ōsumi islands map

Tanegashima has a long history of Kofun. Other burials on Tanegashima, namely the Yokomine and Hirota sites, attest to a uniquely well-developed Yayoi period culture at the end of the 4th century AD.{{Cite web|url=http://archaeology.jp/sites/2008/hirota.htm|title=Hirota|website=archaeology.jp|language=en|access-date=2018-04-22}} The artifacts include magatama, an engraved pendant, and emblems with apparent writing.{{cite web |url=http://www.rekihaku.ac.jp/english/exhibitions/project/o020319.html |title=Ancient Japanese writing symbols [From the Golden Stamp to Documents from the Shoso-in]｜Special Exhibitions｜Exhibitions｜National Museum of Japanese History |access-date=2013-09-30 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130729153203/http://www.rekihaku.ac.jp/english/exhibitions/project/o020319.html |archive-date=2013-07-29 }}

During the Nara period, the embryo state of Japan began to make contact with Tanegashima. According to the Nihonshoki, the imperial court hosted a banquet for the islanders of Tanegashima in 677. In 679, the court sent a mission to the island who returned in 681. Other missions to the island mentioned in the book were in 683 and 695. According to the Shoku Nihongi, people from Tane, Yaku, Amami and Dokan (possibly Tokunoshima) came to the imperial court to pay tribute in 699. These activities resulted in the establishment of Tane Province on the island in 702.{{cite book|author=Suzuki Yasutami 鈴木靖民 |chapter=Nantō-jin no raichō wo meguru kisoteki kōsatsu 南島人の来朝をめぐる基礎的考察 | title=Higashi Ajia to Nihon 東アジアと日本 |year=1997 |pages=347–398 |language=ja}} Tane Province lasted until 824 and was merged into Ōsumi Province.

Sometime around 1140, the whole island of Tanegashima became part of the Shimazu Estate, the largest medieval shōen of Japan. In the early Kamakura period, the positions of the land steward of the Shimazu Estate and the military governor of Ōsumi Province were given to the Shimazu clan. However, the clan lost these positions to the Hōjō clan, the de facto ruler of the shogunate. The Hōjō clan sent the Higo clan as deputy governors. A branch line of the Higo clan made itself autonomous on Tanegashima after the Hōjō clan was annihilated and began to claim the clan name of Tanegashima.{{cite book |editor-last=Kamiyaku-chō kyōdoshi henshū-iinkai 上屋久町郷土誌編集委員会 |title=Kamiyaku-chō kyōdoshi 上屋久町郷土誌 |year=1984 |publisher=Kamiyaku-chō Kyōiku-iinkai 上屋久町教育委員会}}

The Tanegashima clan ruled the island until the Meiji restoration. The Tanegashima clan enjoyed a high degree of autonomy until Shimazu unified southern Kyūshū in the late 16th century, and after that, served as a top-ranking retainer to the Satsuma domain. Following the Meiji restoration, the island has been administered as part of Kagoshima Prefecture.

File:TanegashimaGun.jpg

{{See also|Firearms of Japan}}

Tanegashima is traditionally known as the site of the introduction of European firearms to Japan in 1543. Until modern times, firearms were colloquially known in Japan as "Tanegashima", due to the belief that they were introduced by the Portuguese on board the first Portuguese ship.{{Cite book |last=Sansom |first=George |title=A History of Japan, 1334–1615 |publisher=Stanford University Press |year=1961 |isbn=0804705259 |page=263}}

In his memoirs published in 1614, Portuguese adventurer turned author, Fernão Mendes Pinto placed himself in the first landing party, although this claim has since been roundly discredited and in fact contradicts his claims to have been in Burma at the time. The two Portuguese traders, António Mota and Francisco Zeimoto, should actually be credited as the first Europeans to introduce firearms. However, Mendes Pinto does appear to have visited Tanegashima soon thereafter. The Europeans had arrived to trade, not only guns, but also soap, tobacco and other goods unknown in medieval Japan, for Japanese goods.

During the Muromachi period, Tanegashima functioned as a relay station for one of the main routes of Chinese trade that connected Sakai to Ningbo. The Tanegashima clan cooperated with the Hosokawa clan, one of two powers who controlled Chinese trade. The clan also maintained a firm connection with the Honnō-ji Temple of Kyoto. These account for the rapid spread of firearms from Tanegashima to central Japan.{{cite journal |author=Yara Ken'ichirō 屋良健一郎 |title=Chūsei kōki no Tanegashima-shi to minami Kyūshū kaiiki 中世後期の種子島氏と南九州海域 |journal=Shigaku-zasshi 史学雑誌 |volume=121 |issue=11 |pages=1–36|year=2012}}

File:200 escudos 1543-1993 Tanegashima.png|Portuguese escudo commemorating the Portuguese arrival at Tanegashima

File:Hokusai 1817 First Guns in Japan.jpg|First Westerners in Japan in 1542

Edge tools (particularly knives and scissors) made in Tanegashima are famous traditional handicrafts in Japan. Craftsmen in Tanegashima have kept alive traditional techniques for forging and sharpening iron tools. Tanegashima is also famous as the center of iron sand production. The technique has been around since about 1185 when the Taira clan were exiled here from Kyoto by Minamoto no Yoritomo, taking with them craftsmen and chefs from Kyoto. The people of the island speak with a Kyoto accent even now, rather than a Kyūshū or Kagoshima accent, despite its proximity to Kyūshū.{{citation needed|date=April 2014}} These craftsmen were the original users of the distinct techniques used for forging and sharpening. The technique is unique in the world, and produces such tools as "Tanegashima Hōchō" (Tanegashima knives), used by chefs, and "Tane-basami" (Tanegashima scissors), preferred by many for the art of Bonsai. Nevertheless the local population has fallen from over fifty thousand in 1970 to just twenty-eight thousand today, in spite of tourism and space industries, putting traditional crafts at risk.

File:Nishinoomote06122301.jpg|Nishinoomote City on Tanegashima

File:Tanegashima_Godochosya.jpg|Tanegashima government building

File:2012年12月共同フェリーから見た池田港.jpg|Nishinoomote Minato Ward from "New Satsuma" (mid December 2012)

{{main|Tanegashima Space Center}}

The Tanegashima Space Center is Japan's largest space development center. It is run by JAXA, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency and is located at the southeastern end of Tanegashima. It was established in 1969 when the National Space Development Agency of Japan (NASDA) was formed. Activities include assembly, testing, launching and tracking satellites, as well as rocket engine firing tests. Activity includes orbital launches of the H-IIA rockets from the Yoshinobu Launch Complex.

The Space Science and Technology Museum is near the TSC. It offers an intricate view of rocket history and technology in Japan. Though most of the displays are in Japanese, there are English tour pamphlets available.

File:Global_Precipitation_Measurement_(GPM)_Mission_(12812960063).jpg|Full view of the Yoshinobu Launch Complex during roll out of the H-IIA rocket in February 2014

File:Osaki_Range.jpg|Overlooking the Osaki Range, surrounded by green mountains and the sea of coral reefs.

File:宇宙科学技術館.jpg|Space Science and Technology Museum

File:H2A11001.jpg|The H-IIA F11 launch vehicle lifting off from Tanegashima Space Center

File:Global_Precipitation_Measurement_(GPM)_Mission_(12858254354).jpg|A Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) H-IIA rocket at TSC

Tanegashima has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen climate classification Cfa) with hot, humid summers and mild winters. Precipitation is high throughout the year, but is highest in the months of May, June and September.

{{Weather box

|location = Tanegashima (1991−2020 normals, extremes 1948−present)

|single line = Y

|metric first = Y

|Jan high C = 14.2

|Feb high C = 15.2

|Mar high C = 17.6

|Apr high C = 21.0

|May high C = 24.1

|Jun high C = 26.8

|Jul high C = 30.4

|Aug high C = 31.0

|Sep high C = 29.1

|Oct high C = 25.1

|Nov high C = 21.1

|Dec high C = 16.7

|Jan mean C = 11.7

|Feb mean C = 12.3

|Mar mean C = 14.5

|Apr mean C = 17.8

|May mean C = 21.2

|Jun mean C = 24.0

|Jul mean C = 27.5

|Aug mean C = 28.1

|Sep mean C = 26.2

|Oct mean C = 22.3

|Nov mean C = 18.1

|Dec mean C = 13.8

|Jan low C = 8.5

|Feb low C = 9.0

|Mar low C = 11.1

|Apr low C = 14.5

|May low C = 18.1

|Jun low C = 21.3

|Jul low C = 25.1

|Aug low C = 25.7

|Sep low C = 23.6

|Oct low C = 19.5

|Nov low C = 14.9

|Dec low C = 10.5

|Jan record high C = 24.4

|Feb record high C = 25.6

|Mar record high C = 26.9

|Apr record high C = 28.1

|May record high C = 30.6

|Jun record high C = 32.7

|Jul record high C = 34.9

|Aug record high C = 35.9

|Sep record high C = 34.1

|Oct record high C = 31.3

|Nov record high C = 28.8

|Dec record high C = 27.2

|year record high C= 35.9

|Jan record low C = 0.0

|Feb record low C = -0.6

|Mar record low C = 2.1

|Apr record low C = 4.5

|May record low C = 10.0

|Jun record low C = 15.2

|Jul record low C = 17.5

|Aug record low C = 20.6

|Sep record low C = 14.9

|Oct record low C = 10.3

|Nov record low C = 4.5

|Dec record low C = 2.6

|year record low C= -0.6

|precipitation colour = green

|Jan precipitation mm = 96.5

|Feb precipitation mm = 122.5

|Mar precipitation mm = 160.4

|Apr precipitation mm = 198.0

|May precipitation mm = 233.3

|Jun precipitation mm = 556.4

|Jul precipitation mm = 261.7

|Aug precipitation mm = 188.7

|Sep precipitation mm = 293.2

|Oct precipitation mm = 194.5

|Nov precipitation mm = 134.8

|Dec precipitation mm = 92.7

|year precipitation mm= 2532.5

|Jan rain days = 9.5

|Feb rain days = 10.3

|Mar rain days = 12.6

|Apr rain days = 10.8

|May rain days = 11.1

|Jun rain days = 17.0

|Jul rain days = 9.6

|Aug rain days = 11.0

|Sep rain days = 11.6

|Oct rain days = 9.3

|Nov rain days = 9.2

|Dec rain days = 8.2

|humidity colour = green

|Jan humidity= 65

|Feb humidity= 66

|Mar humidity= 69

|Apr humidity= 71

|May humidity= 76

|Jun humidity= 84

|Jul humidity= 83

|Aug humidity= 81

|Sep humidity= 79

|Oct humidity= 73

|Nov humidity= 69

|Dec humidity= 65

|year humidity= 73

|Jan sun = 107.1

|Feb sun = 114.9

|Mar sun = 140.1

|Apr sun = 163.1

|May sun = 158.5

|Jun sun = 114.7

|Jul sun = 222.7

|Aug sun = 222.8

|Sep sun = 166.6

|Oct sun = 157.9

|Nov sun = 129.7

|Dec sun = 119.4

|year sun= 1822.0

|source 1 = JMA{{cite web

| url = https://www.data.jma.go.jp/obd/stats/etrn/view/rank_s.php?prec_no=88&block_no=47837&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 18, 2022}}

|source 2 = JMA{{cite web

| url = https://www.data.jma.go.jp/obd/stats/etrn/view/nml_sfc_ym.php?prec_no=88&block_no=47837&year=&month=&day=&view=

|script-title=ja:気象庁 / 平年値（年・月ごとの値）

| publisher = JMA

| access-date = February 18, 2022}}}}

The Tanegashima "Rocket Marathon" takes place in March each year.JAXA [http://www.jaxa.jp/topics/2005/03_e.html March 2005 News]

{{Portal|Japan|Islands|Geography}}

• Kōbō Kenichi – sumo wrestler
• Wakashimazu Mutsuo – sumo wrestler
• Miyu Uehara – gravure idol and TV personality

{{reflist}}

• Lidon, Olof. Tanegashima: The Arrival of Europe in Japan, NIAS Press (2002) {{ISBN|8791114128}}

{{commons category}}

• {{Wikivoyage-inline}}
• {{OSM relation|4098981}}

{{Ōsumi Islands}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:Ōsumi Islands

Category:Islands of Kagoshima Prefecture

Category:Important Bird Areas of the Nansei Islands