Amami Islands

Islands scattered in the sea 380 to 580 km south of Kagoshima City. They belong to Oshima District, Kagoshima Prefecture. They are also called the Amami Islands. The islands are part of the Nansei Islands (Ryukyu Islands), and extend from Amami Oshima, which is located about 380 km from Kagoshima City (near 29 degrees north latitude), to Yoron Island, which is about 200 km further southwest (near 27 degrees north latitude). Amami Oshima, Kikaijima, Kakeromajima, Yorojima, Ukejima, Tokunoshima, Okinoerabujima, and Yoronjima are scattered here, roughly from northeast to southwest. Amami-Oshima, Tokunoshima, Kakeromajima, Yorojima, and Ukejima have exposed the basement of the Paleozoic, Mesozoic, and older volcanic rock layers, and have a highly undulating topography. On the other hand, most of Kikaijima, Okinoerabujima, and Yoronjima are covered with raised coral reefs, and have a low island silhouette with little relief. For this reason, the former group, such as Amami-Oshima and Tokunoshima, have a well-developed water system, while the latter group, such as Kikaijima, has a karst topography with many limestone caves and dolines, and the surface water system is extremely poorly developed. The highest point is Yuwandake on Amami-Oshima at 694 meters, followed by Inokawadake (645 meters) on Tokunoshima, and there are very few areas on the other islands that exceed 300 meters. Due to the influence of latitude and ocean currents, the climate is subtropical and frost-free all year round, and flowers such as cycads, pandanus, and banyan trees, as well as hibiscus and bougainvillea can be seen on the islands. The islands are also frequently hit by typhoons. These natural conditions are clearly reflected in the location of settlements, transportation routes, house construction, windbreaks, methods of securing irrigation water, and many other aspects of life and industry on each island, with each island adopting methods suited to its own circumstances.

These islands, which used to be important trade routes between the mainland and the Ryukyu Islands as "road islands," belonged to the Ryukyu Kingdom since the early Middle Ages. However, after the conquest of the Ryukyu Islands by Shimazu Iehisa in 1609 (Keicho 14), they became Japanese territory and became part of the Satsuma Domain, and after the Meiji era, they became part of Kagoshima Prefecture. For about eight years after the Second World War, all islands south of the 30th parallel north were under the control of the US military, and these islands were no exception. Until their return to Japan on December 25, 1953 (Showa 28), they were left abandoned without sufficient financial assistance for war damage reconstruction. Due to these circumstances, they were left behind in the economic and social development of the country. Even now, as the development process accelerates, efforts are continuing to make up for the delay, such as improving ports, roads, and tourist facilities. These islands, which were located at the intersection of the cultures of the mainland, the Ryukyu Islands, and Japan, still have a unique region where the influences of each country remain mixed together in their language, customs, religious events, and performing arts. The political and economic center is the Naze district of Amami City on Amami Oshima, where the Oshima branch office is located.

[Kimihiko Tsukada]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

鹿児島市の南方380～580キロメートルの海上に点在する島々。鹿児島県大島郡に属す。奄美群島ともよぶ。南西諸島（琉球列島(りゅうきゅうれっとう)）のうち鹿児島市から約380キロメートルの地点（北緯29度付近）にはじまる奄美大島から、さらに約200キロメートル南西に進んだ位置（北緯27度付近）にある与論(よろん)島まで。ここには奄美大島、喜界島(きかいじま)、加計呂麻島(かけろまじま)、与路島(よろじま)、請島(うけじま)、徳之島、沖永良部島(おきのえらぶじま)、与論島がほぼ北東から南西に向かって点在する。奄美大島、徳之島、加計呂麻島、与路島、請島などは古生層、中生層、旧期火山岩層の基盤がそのまま露出し、起伏の大きい地形を示す。一方、喜界島、沖永良部島、与論島では島の大部分が隆起サンゴ礁などで覆われ、起伏の小さい、低い島影の地形を示す。このため、奄美大島、徳之島などの前者のグループでは水系の発達はよく、喜界島などの後者のグループはカルスト地形で、鍾乳洞(しょうにゅうどう)やドリーネなどが多く、表流水系の発達は著しく悪い。奄美大島にある694メートルの湯湾岳(ゆわんだけ)が最高で、徳之島の井之川岳（645メートル）がこれに次ぎ、そのほかの島々では300メートルを超える部分はきわめて少ない。気候は緯度や海流などの影響から終年無霜、亜熱帯性で、ソテツ、アダン、ガジュマルのほか、ハイビスカス、ブーゲンビリアなどの花々がみられる。台風の常襲地帯にもあたっている。これらの自然条件は、各島内の集落立地、交通路、家のつくり、防風垣、用水確保の方法、その他多くの生活や産業などに如実に反映し、個々の島にあう方法がとられている。

　古くは「道の島」として大陸や琉球との交易の要路にあったこれらの島々は、中世初期以来琉球王朝に属していたが、1609年（慶長14）の島津家久(しまづいえひさ)による琉球征服以来、日本領となり薩摩(さつま)藩、そして明治以後、鹿児島県に属している。第二次世界大戦後の約8年間は北緯30度以南の島々はすべてアメリカ軍の軍政下に置かれたため、この諸島も例外ではなく、1953年（昭和28）12月25日の日本復帰まで、十分な戦災復興のための資金援助もないまま放置された状態にあった。これらの事情が重なり、国内の経済社会発展に取り残されてきた。現在もさらに加速された発展過程のなかで、遅れを取り戻すべく港湾、道路、観光施設の充実など懸命の努力が続けられている。大陸、琉球、日本の各文化の接点に位置したこれら諸島には、いまもって言語、風俗、宗教行事、芸能などに各々の影響が入り交じって残存し、独特な地域を形成している。政治、経済の中心は奄美大島の奄美市名瀬(なぜ)地区で、大島支庁が置かれている。

［塚田公彦］

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