Oki Islands

Japanese: 隠岐諸島 - おきしょとう

A group of islands in the Sea of Japan in northern Shimane Prefecture. The circular island in the east is called Dogo, while Chiburi Island, Nakanoshima, and Nishinoshima in the west are called Dozen. These four islands and about 180 other small islands make up Oki County. Okinoshima Town is located in Dogo, while Nishinoshima Town, Ama Town, and Chibu Village are in Dozen, and the Oki Subprefecture is located in Okinoshima Town. The area is about 346 square kilometers. The population is 22,466 (2009). The population density is 64.9 per square kilometer.

There are several theories about the names Dozen and Dogo, including that they come from Dozen and Dogo on the San'in Road, or that they mean the front and rear of the Oki Islands.

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Nature

The geology of Dogo is in the same continental alkaline rock region as the Korean Peninsula, and it belongs to the Baekdu volcanic belt. Dogo became an alkaline rock region in the Miocene, and remained as a landform in the Pleistocene (Pleistocene). Lowlands are only found in the Yabi River and Omosu River basins, and the settlement of Saigo, the center of Okinoshima Island, is located on the delta at the mouth of the Yabi River. Dozen is made of Tertiary period trachyte basalt, and consists of plateaus and hills about 200 meters above sea level. The three islands of Dozen are considered to be an outer rim of mountains with Mount Takuhi (452 meters) as the central crater cone. The climate is warm due to the influence of the Tsushima warm current. Saigo's average annual temperature is about 14°C. The annual precipitation is 1,750 mm.

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history

Under the Ritsuryo system, it became Oki Province. It was also written as Iki or Onki. In ancient times, it was a lower province of the Seven Provinces of the San'in Road, but was important for the security of Silla. It was designated as a place of exile from ancient times, and many people, including Emperor Gotoba and Emperor Godaigo, were exiled there. In the Middle Ages, it became the territory of the Sasaki, Kyogoku, and Amago clans, and during most of the Edo period, it was under the jurisdiction of the Matsue Domain. From the end of the Edo period to the beginning of the Meiji period, it came under the jurisdiction of the Tottori Domain after the Oki Disturbance, in which the Matsue Domain's county governor and the islanders who supported the reverence of the Emperor and expulsion of foreigners came into conflict. In 1869 (Meiji 2), Oki Prefecture was established, and after the Haibutsu Kishaku movement, it became Omori Prefecture, and then Hamada Prefecture, Shimane Prefecture, and Tottori Prefecture, and in 1881 it became Shimane Prefecture, which it remains today.

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industry

As there is little lowland, there are more farmlands than paddy fields, and rice fields are often terraced. Rice cannot be produced on the island itself, so it is imported from the mainland. In the past, farming was done on a four-year cycle, with farming and grazing being rotated, and in 1795 (Kansei 7), this was institutionalized in each village, but today only grazing remains. The fishing industry became more active with the development of the Nishimawari shipping route, and dried abalone, dried sardines (bags) and dried squid were exported, and dried squid became known as Oki dried squid. The commercialization of fishery products led to the development of the shipping and shipbuilding industries, and forestry (wood transportation) also became more active. When shipping declined with the construction of the mainland railway, such as the opening of the San'in Main Line, Oki's character as an isolated island strengthened, and the distribution of goods became dependent on the mainland, leading to relatively high prices on the island. During the period of rapid economic growth, the area saw a large population outflow and was designated a depopulated remote island. Currently, the area is undergoing improvement of its industrial structure and regional development.

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traffic

There has been ship traffic between Shimane Peninsula and Okinoshima since ancient times, such as between Chikumi (Matsue City) in ancient times and Mihonoseki in early modern times. Currently, there are regular shipping routes between Sakaiminato Port and Shichirui Port (Matsue City) in Tottori Prefecture. Okinoshima Town has Oki Airport, which has flights from Izumo Airport in Osaka.

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Tourism and Culture

Almost the entire Oki Islands are included in Daisen-Oki National Park. The coastal scenery of Shiroshima and Jodogaura on Dogo Island, Kuniga Coast and Chibu Sekiheki on Dozen Island is particularly magnificent. There are also four marine parks: Jodogaura, Shiro, Kuniga and Ama. There are also many shrines and historic sites, such as the remains of Emperor Godaigo's temporary residence and Tamawakasu-no-mikoto Shrine. Events include the medieval custom of bull-pushing (a nationally designated intangible folk cultural property) and the Oki Kokubunji Renge Mai dance (a nationally designated important intangible folk cultural property).

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"Research on the Early Modern History of Oki Islands" by Kazumasa Nagaumi (1972, Matsue Hokosha)

[Reference] | Oki Disturbance | Oki Province | Shimō | Shimō-zen

Shirashima Beach
Part of Daisen-Oki National Park. Nationally designated Place of Scenic Beauty Nationally designated Natural Monument Okinoshima Town, Oki District, Shimane Prefecture ©Okinoshima Town Hall ">

Shirashima Beach

Kuniga Coast
Daisen-Oki National Park. Nationally designated scenic spot and natural monument. Nishinoshima Town, Oki District, Shimane Prefecture . ©Ministry of the Environment .

Kuniga Coast

Tamawakasu Shrine
The worship hall. In the foreground on the right is Yaosugi (a nationally designated natural monument). Okinoshima Town, Oki District, Shimane Prefecture © Shimane Tourism Federation

Tamawakasu Shrine

Oki Kokubunji Renge-e Dance
The photo shows the "Sleeping Buddha" dance. Nationally designated Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property Okinoshima Town, Oki District, Shimane Prefecture © Shimane Tourism Federation

Oki Kokubunji Renge-e Dance

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

Japanese:

島根県北部、日本海にある島群。東の円形状の島を島後(どうご)、西の知夫里島(ちぶりしま)、中ノ島、西ノ島を島前(どうぜん)とよぶ。この4島と約180の小島で隠岐郡を構成する。島後に隠岐の島町が、島前に西ノ島町、海士(あま)町、知夫村があり、隠岐の島町に隠岐支庁が置かれる。面積約346平方キロメートル。人口2万2466（2009）。人口密度1平方キロメートル当り64.9。

　なお、島前、島後の称は、山陰道の道前、道後によるとか、隠岐諸島の前方と後方の意とかの説がある。

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自然

地質は朝鮮半島と同じ大陸系のアルカリ岩区で白頭火山帯に属す。島後は中新世にアルカリ岩区になり、更新世（洪積世）に地塁として残る。低地は八尾(やび)川、重栖(おもす)川流域にみられるだけで、八尾川河口デルタに隠岐の島町中心地である西郷の集落をのせる。島前は第三紀の粗面玄武岩で、標高200メートル内外の台地と丘陵からなる。島前三島は焼火山(たくひやま)（452メートル）を中央火口丘とする外輪山とされている。気候は対馬(つしま)暖流の影響で温暖。西郷の年平均気温は約14℃。年降水量は1750ミリメートル。

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歴史

律令(りつりょう)制下には隠岐国となる。意伎、隠伎とも記した。古代には山陰道七か国の下国であるが、新羅(しらぎ)に対する警備上重視された。古代から遠流(おんる)の地と定められ、後鳥羽(ごとば)上皇、後醍醐(ごだいご)天皇など多くの配流があった。中世は佐々木、京極、尼子(あまご)氏などの領となり、江戸時代のほとんどは松江藩の預り地であった。幕末から明治初年にかけては松江藩郡代と尊王攘夷(そんのうじょうい)島民が対立した隠岐騒動ののち鳥取藩管轄、1869年（明治2）隠岐県設置、廃仏毀釈(きしゃく)後大森県、さらに浜田県、島根県、鳥取県を経て、1881年島根県となり現在に至っている。

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産業

低地が少ないため水田より畑地が多く、水田は棚田を形成するところが各所にみられる。米は島内で自給できず本土から移入している。畑作は、かつては4年周期で畑作と放牧を輪転式に利用する牧畑農業(まきはたのうぎょう)が行われ、1795年（寛政7）には各村で制度化されたが、現在では放牧だけが残っている。水産業は西廻(にしまわり)航路などの発達で活発化し、干し鮑(あわび)、いりこ（俵物）やするめが移出され、するめは隠岐するめとして知られた。水産物の商品化は海運業や造船業を発展させ、林業（木材搬出）も活発化した。山陰本線の開通など本土の鉄道敷設で海運が後退すると、隠岐は離島としての性格を強め、商品の流通も本土に従属したシステムとなって島の物価を比較的高くしている。高度成長期には人口流出が著しく、離島の過疎地に指定された。現在産業構造の改善と地域開発が進められている。

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交通

古代には千酌(ちくみ)（松江市）と、近世には美保関と、など古くから島根半島との間に船の往来があった。現在、鳥取県境港(さかいみなと)、七類(しちるい)港（松江市）との間に定期航路がある。隠岐の島町には隠岐空港があり、大阪・出雲(いずも)空港からの便がある。

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観光・文化

隠岐諸島のほぼ全域が大山(だいせん)隠岐国立公園に含まれる。とくに島後の白島、浄土ヶ浦、島前の国賀海岸、知夫赤壁の海岸景観は壮大である。また、浄土ヶ浦、代(しろ)、国賀、海士の4海域公園がある。後醍醐天皇行在所(あんざいしょ)跡、玉若酢命(たまわかすのみこと)神社などの史跡、神社も多い。行事には中世からの牛突きの習俗（国の選択無形民俗文化財）や、隠岐国分寺蓮華会舞(れんげえまい)（国の重要無形民俗文化財）などがある。

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『永海一正著『近世隠岐島史の研究』（1972・松江報光社）』

[参照項目] | 隠岐騒動 | 隠岐国 | 島後 | 島前

白島海岸

国賀海岸

玉若酢命神社

隠岐国分寺蓮華会舞

出典　小学館　日本大百科全書(ニッポニカ)日本大百科全書(ニッポニカ)について　情報 | 凡例

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