Kikai Island

Japanese: 喜界島 - きかいじま

It is one of the Amami Islands, located about 25 km east of Amami Oshima in Kagoshima Prefecture. It is a flat island with an area of 56.82 square kilometers, and its highest point is Shichito-bana, which is 211.96 meters high. It belongs to Kikai Town in Oshima County and consists of one island and one town. The island's axis stretches from northeast to southwest for about 13 kilometers. The island has several levels of raised coral reefs that form a terrace topography, and the coast is bordered on all four sides by fringing reefs, presenting a unique landscape. Hyakunodai (a high plateau of raised coral reefs) in the center of the island, Araki Coast in the west, and the coast in the northeast (Tonbizaki Coast, Shidooke Coast) are designated as Amami Gunto National Park. It has a subtropical climate that is warm all year round, and many types of tropical plants such as banyan trees and pandanus grow thickly. Due to its low and flat terrain, precipitation is low compared to Amami Oshima, and water is scarce. Agriculture is centered on sugarcane cultivation. Watermelon cultivation has also started on the island's large sandy soil. Oshima Tsumugi silk and tourism utilizing the natural scenery are the island's main industries. The registered population is 6,976 (2019), and 7,212 in the 2015 census.

[Kimihiko Tsukada, May 21, 2019]

Folklore

The folk customs of the Amami Islands are similar to those of Okinawa in some ways and the mainland in others, and this tendency is particularly evident on Kikaijima. In terms of folk beliefs, festivals in the shima (village) are presided over by noro (celebrants), and yuta (shrine maidens) play an active role in divination and mediumship, which are similar to Okinawa. However, the summer festival of the old June guardian deity was called rokugatsudo (sixth month lanterns) because each household offered a lantern from their children, which shows similarities with southern Kyushu. Three major festivals are held in August, from shichiunmi (seasonal turning point) to shibasashi and donga, and the lively August dance can be seen, just like on Amami Oshima. However, an event called tonnya in September, which is said to be for divination for a good harvest, is unique to Kikaijima. Additionally, legends of Minamoto no Tametomo and the Heike refugees remain in various parts of the island, testifying to the fact that the island was once located on a key transportation route to the southern islands.

[Takeda Dan]

[Reference] | Kikai (town)

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

Japanese:

鹿児島県奄美(あまみ)大島の東約25キロメートルにある奄美諸島の一つ。面積56.82平方キロメートル、最高点は七島鼻(しちとうばな)の211.96メートルで、扁平な島である。大島郡喜界町に属し1島1町。島軸は北東―南西に延び約13キロメートルある。島には数段の隆起サンゴ礁が段丘地形をなし、海岸部は四周を裾礁(きょしょう)で縁どられ特異な景観を呈す。島の中央部に広がる百之台(ひゃくのだい)（隆起サンゴ礁の高台地）、西部の荒木海岸、北東部の海岸（トンビ崎海岸、志戸桶(しどおけ)海岸）などが奄美群島国立公園に指定されている。亜熱帯性の気候で、年中暖かく、ガジュマル、アダンなど多種の熱帯植物が茂る。地形が低平なため、奄美大島と比べて降水量が少なく、水は乏しい。農業はサトウキビの栽培が中心である。そのほか、島内の広い砂地を利用したスイカの栽培も行われるようになった。大島紬(つむぎ)や自然景観を利用した観光などが主要な産業である。住民登録人口6976（2019）、2015年の国勢調査では7212人。

［塚田公彦　2019年5月21日］

民俗

奄美諸島の民俗は一面沖縄に類似し、他面本土と一致するが、喜界島もその傾向が著しい。民間信仰の面で、シマ（集落）の祭りをノロ（祝女）が主宰し、卜占(ぼくせん)や霊媒にユタ（巫女(ふじょ)）が活躍したことなど沖縄と等しい。しかし旧6月氏神の夏祭を六月灯(ろくがつどう)というのは各戸から子供の献灯があったからで、これは南九州との一致を示している。8月にはシチウンミ（節折目）からシバサシ、ドンガに至る三度の大祭が催され、盛んな八月踊りがみられることは奄美大島と同じである。しかし9月のトンニャーとよばれる行事は豊作占いの意味といわれるが、喜界島独自のものである。また源為朝(ためとも)や平家落人(おちゅうど)の伝説が島内各地にとどめられ、この島もかつて南島交通の要路にあったことを物語っている。

［竹田　旦］

[参照項目] | 喜界（町）

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

<<: Premature beat

>>: Steel for machine structure