Kii Channel

The sea area between northwestern Wakayama Prefecture and eastern Tokushima Prefecture in Shikoku. It is about 40 km east to west and 50 km north to south, and at its narrowest point is about 30 km between Hinomisaki in Wakayama Prefecture and Kamoda Misaki in Shikoku. The water depth is 20 to 100 meters. The southern part opens to the Pacific Ocean, and the northern part connects to Osaka Bay via the Kitan Strait and the Harima Nada Sea via the Naruto Strait, across Awaji Island. Fish species from the inland sea and the open sea migrate here, and fishing is thriving, but industrialization is also progressing along the coast, and ships are frequently sailing through the area, with Wakayama Shimotsu Port on the Honshu side and Tokushima Komatsushima Port on the Shikoku side.

[Yoichi Koike]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

和歌山県北西部と四国の徳島県東部の間の海域。東西約40キロメートル、南北約50キロメートルで、最狭部は和歌山県日ノ御埼(ひのみさき)と四国の蒲生田岬(かもだみさき)間の約30キロメートル。水深は20～100メートル。南部は太平洋に開き、北部は淡路(あわじ)島を挟んで紀淡(きたん)海峡で大阪湾と、また鳴門(なると)海峡によって播磨灘(はりまなだ)に通ずる。内海と外洋の魚族が回遊し漁業も盛んであるが沿岸の工業化も進み、船舶の航行が頻繁で本州側に和歌山下津港、四国側に徳島小松島港がある。

［小池洋一］

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