Kabe Island

This island is located in the northwest of Saga Prefecture and belongs to Karatsu City. It has an area of ​​2.68 square kilometers. It lies outside the port of Yobuko at the northern end of the Higashi Matsuura Peninsula, which juts out into the Iki Strait. It was once called "Kabeshima" (wall island), and serves as a breakwater for the refuge ports of Yobuko and Nagoyaura. There are two settlements on the island: Kabeshima, which is for agriculture and fishing, and Katashima, which is for fishing. It is connected to Yobuko on the Kyushu mainland on the opposite shore by the Yobuko Bridge (built in 1989). Behind Katashima at the southern end is Mount Tendo, which is 112 meters above sea level, and in the central and northern parts behind the Kabeshima settlement is a basalt plateau with an elevation of less than 40 meters. Amanatsukan, strawberries, garlic, and other crops are cultivated on the plateau, and rice fields and beef cattle are also seen. In addition to yellowtail farming, the fishing industry also produces squid, sea bream, sea urchins, and seaweed. The squid in particular is known as "Yobuko squid." Tajima Shrine, known for its Nagoshi Festival, is a famous shrine in the Engishiki and has long been revered as a god of maritime safety. Sayohime Shrine within the shrine grounds tells the tragic story of Matsuura Sayohime, and Toyotomi Hideyoshi donated a shrine estate to the shrine when he was stationed in Nagoya. It is part of the Genkai Quasi-National Park and tourism development is also progressing. Population 516 (2012).

[Shigeru Kawasaki]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

佐賀県北西部、唐津市(からつし)に属する島。面積2.68平方キロメートル。壱岐(いき)水道に突き出す東松浦半島の北端呼子(よぶこ)の港外に横たわる。古くは「壁嶋(かべしま)」とあるように、避難港の呼子や名護屋(なごや)浦の防波堤の役割を果たしている。島には農漁業の加部島と、漁業の片島(かたしま)の二つの集落があり、対岸の九州本土呼子とは呼子大橋で結ばれる（1989年架橋）。南端片島の背後に標高112メートルの天童(てんどう)岳、加部島集落背後の中・北部には標高40メートル以下の玄武岩台地が広がる。台地にはアマナツカン、イチゴ、ニンニクなどを栽培し、水田や肉用牛飼育もみられる。漁業はハマチ養殖のほか、イカ、タイ、ウニ、海草類などの水揚げをもつ。とくにイカは「呼子イカ」として知られる。夏越(なごし)祭で知られる田島神社は『延喜式(えんぎしき)』の名社で、海上安全の神として古くから崇敬を集めている。その境内の佐用姫(さよひめ)神社は松浦佐用姫(まつらさよひめ)の哀話を伝え、豊臣(とよとみ)秀吉も名護屋在陣のおりに社領を寄進した。玄海国定公園(げんかいこくていこうえん)の一部で、観光開発も進んでいる。人口516（2012）。

［川崎　茂］

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