Ieshima

The old name of a town (Ieshima-cho) in Shikama-gun, southern Hyogo Prefecture. Currently, it is a district located southwest of the Honshu district of Himeji City. It is made up of over 40 Ieshima Islands, large and small, floating in the Harima Nada Sea. It was incorporated as a town in 1928 (Showa 3). The town's name is "Ieshima", but it has long been called "Ejima". It was incorporated into Himeji City in 2006 (Heisei 18). There is a regular ferry service from Himeji City's Shikama Port. There is little flat land, and settlements such as Miya and Maura on Ieshima Island are concentrated in the inner bay. It has long been a key location on the Seto Inland Sea route, known as a refuge port, and was also the center of inland sea fishing, with the good fishing grounds of the Harima Nada Sea nearby. After the Meiji period, quarrying and shipping industries became popular along with the development of the Hanshin region and Harima industrial area on the opposite shore. In recent years, the town has been working on aquaculture and tourism development, taking advantage of the beautiful scenery of the Setonaikai National Park. Drinking water is a problem, so the town receives water from Ako City via boat and undersea water pipes.

[Mamoru Otsuki]

"Ieshima Town Journal" (1979, Ieshima Town)

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

兵庫県南部、飾磨郡(しかまぐん)にあった旧町名（家島町(ちょう)）。現在は姫路(ひめじ)市の本州地区から南西方向にある一地区。播磨灘(はりまなだ)に浮かぶ大小40余の家島諸島からなる。1928年（昭和3）町制施行。町名は「いえしま」だが、古くから「えじま」とよばれる。2006年（平成18）姫路市に編入。姫路市飾磨港から定期船の便がある。平地に乏しく、家島本島の宮や真浦(まうら)など集落は湾奥に密集している。古くから瀬戸内海航路の要地であり、避難港として知られるとともに、播磨灘の好漁場を控えた内海漁業の中心地でもあった。明治以後は、対岸の阪神地方や播磨工業地域の発展とともに、採石業や海運業が盛んとなった。近年は養殖漁業や、瀬戸内海国立公園に含まれる美しい景観をいかした観光開発に努めている。飲料水不足が悩みで、船と海底送水管で赤穂(あこう)市からも供給を受けている。

［大槻　守］

『『家島町誌』（1979・家島町）』

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