Amakusa Shimoshima

Japanese: 天草下島

Located in Amakusa City, Kumamoto Prefecture, this island is the largest in the Amakusa Islands. Its area is approximately 507.17 square kilometers. Its official name is Shimojima. It is connected to Amakusa Kamijima, located to the east, by the Amakusa Seto Bridge across the Honse Strait. Many of the Christians who rose up in the Amakusa-Shimabara Rebellion were from this island, and there are many related historical sites, such as a Christian cemetery and the Tomb of a Thousand Martyrs. At the Amakusa Christian Museum, you can see the Amakusa Shiro Camp Flag, a nationally designated important cultural property. Myokenura, a reef in the west of the island, is a nationally designated place of scenic beauty and natural monument.

Source: About Shogakukan Digital Daijisen Plus Information

Japanese:

熊本県天草市、天草諸島にある県内最大の島。面積約507.17平方キロメートル。正称は「下島(しもじま)」。東側に位置する天草上島とは本瀬瀬戸を挟み天草瀬戸大橋で結ばれる。天草・島原の乱で蜂起したキリシタンの多くがこの島の出身で、キリシタン墓地、殉教千人塚など関連史跡が多い。天草キリシタン館では国の重要文化財「天草四郎陣中旗」を見ることができる。島西部の岩礁「妙見浦」は国の名勝かつ天然記念物。

出典　小学館デジタル大辞泉プラスについて　情報

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