Shibushi Bay - Shibushiwan

It is also called Ariake Bay. It is an inlet that opens eastward from the Osumi Peninsula in Kagoshima Prefecture, and extends for a total of 73 kilometers from Hizaki to Toimisaki. A sand dune area stretches for about 17 kilometers along the coast at the inner bay. The main rivers that flow into the bay are the Kimotsuki River, the Hishida River, and the Anraku River from the south, and the Fukushima River, which flows through Kushima City in Miyazaki Prefecture, also flows into the bay. There are two cities and three towns facing the bay: Kimotsuki Town in Kimotsuki County, Higashikushira Town, Osaki Town in Soo County, and Shibushi City and Kushima City. There is also a small inlet called Uchinoura Bay near the mouth of the bay in the south. About 5km south of Shibushi, in the bay, there is Biroujima (a special natural monument) where subtropical plants such as Chinese fan palm, Chinese lantern tree, and Chinese thrush grow thickly. From Hizaki to the mouth of the Kimotsuki River, except for a part of Uchinoura Bay, the Kimotsuki Mountains approach the coast and form steep cliffs that sink into the sea. From there to the Natsui area of ​​Shibushi City, sand dunes and sandy beaches form a gentle concave arc facing the sea, and behind them continue the large Shirasu plateau including Kasanohara. From here to Toi Cape, except for a part, the steep cliffs of the Wanizuka Mountains meet the sea again. The Kimotsuki Mountains are made of granite, and the Wanizuka Mountains are made of sedimentary rocks known as the Nichinan Group. The Nichinan Coast Quasi-National Park stretches along the bay coast, including Birou Island, and is home to a variety of subtropical plants. Fishing in the bay is thriving, and there is a lot of debate over whether to develop the area, including the coastal areas, or to protect nature.

[Kimihiko Tsukada]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

有明湾(ありあけわん)ともよぶ。鹿児島県大隅半島(おおすみはんとう)から東向きに開いた湾入で、火崎(ひざき)から都井岬(といみさき)に至る総延長は約73キロメートル。湾奥沿岸には延長約17キロメートルの砂丘地帯が形成されている。湾内に流入するおもな河川は、南から肝属(きもつき)川、菱田(ひしだ)川、安楽(あんらく)川などで、宮崎県串間(くしま)市を流れる福島川もこの湾に注ぐ。また、湾岸に面する市町は肝属郡肝付(きもつき)町、東串良(ひがしくしら)町、曽於(そお)郡大崎町、志布志(しぶし)市と串間市の2市3町である。南部の湾口付近には内之浦湾とよぶ小湾入もある。志布志の南約5キロメートルの湾内には、ビロウ、アコウ、タブノキなどの亜熱帯性植物の茂る枇榔島(びろうじま)（特別天然記念物）がある。火崎から肝属川河口に至る部分は内之浦湾の一部を除き肝属山地が海岸まで迫り急崖(きゅうがい)をなして海に没する。そこから志布志市夏井付近までは砂丘または砂浜海岸が緩やかな凹弧(おうこ)を描き海に臨み、背後は笠野原(かさのはら)をはじめとする大規模なシラス台地へと続く。ここから都井岬の間は一部を除き、ふたたび鰐塚山地(わにつかさんち)の急崖で海に接する。肝属山地は花崗岩(かこうがん)類、鰐塚山地は日南層群とよばれる堆積岩(たいせきがん)類からなる。枇榔島を含む湾岸に沿って日南海岸国定公園地域が広がり、各種亜熱帯性植物の自生地があちこちにある。湾内漁業が盛んで、沿岸部も含めた地域の開発か自然保護かで論議が注目されている。

［塚田公彦］

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