Tsushima Straits

It refers to the sea area between Iki and Tsushima in Nagasaki Prefecture. On the charts issued by the Japan Coast Guard's Oceanographic Information Department (formerly the Hydrographic Department), the sea area between Iki and Tsushima is called the East Channel of the Tsushima Strait, and the sea area between Tsushima and the Korean Peninsula is called the West Channel of the Tsushima Strait. However, the East Channel is generally called the Tsushima Strait, and the West Channel is called the Korean Strait. The Tsushima Strait is a water area about 50 kilometers wide, and the Tsushima Warm Current flows northward, with the water surface temperature ranging from 27 to 28 degrees Celsius in summer and 13 to 14 degrees Celsius in winter. This sea area has played an extremely important role as a route connecting the continent and Japan since ancient times. Currently, ferries run between Hakata (Fukuoka City) and Izuhara (Izuhara Town, Tsushima City) and Hitakatsu (Kamitsushima Town, Tsushima City). It is also a squid fishing ground, and is bustling with fishing lights during the fishing season.

[Yasuyoshi Ishii]

"Ancient Whaling Along the Coast of Korea and the Tsushima Strait" by Hiraguchi Tetsuo (included in "Sea of ​​Japan Cetology Research" No. 1, 1991, Sea of ​​Japan Cetology Research Group)" ▽ "Northern Road, Southern Road - Japanese Culture and Maritime Routes" by Kokubun Naokazu (1992, Daiichi Shobo)" ▽ "Island Pilgrimage Written in Sketches" by Koizumi Minoru (1997, Nippon Tosho Kankokai, Kindai Bungeisha)" ▽ "Japan's Defense Seen from the Sea - Learning from the War History of the Tsushima Strait" by Matsumura Takashi (PHP Shinsho)

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

長崎県壱岐(いき)と対馬の間の海域をいう。海上保安庁海洋情報部（旧水路部）発行の海図では、壱岐と対馬の間の海域を対馬海峡東水道とし、対馬と朝鮮半島との間の海域を対馬海峡西水道としている。しかし、一般にはこの東水道を対馬海峡、西水道を朝鮮海峡とよんでいる。対馬海峡は幅約50キロメートルの水域で、対馬暖流が北上し、水面温度は、夏季に27～28℃、冬季に13～14℃が示される。この海域は古来、大陸と日本とをつなぐ航路としてきわめて重要な役割を果たした。現在、博多(はかた)（福岡市）から厳原(いづはら)（対馬市厳原町）、比田勝（対馬市上対馬町）との間にフェリーを通じている。また、イカの一本釣り漁場で、漁期には漁火(いさりび)でにぎわう。

［石井泰義］

『平口哲夫著「朝鮮・対馬海峡沿岸の古代捕鯨」（『日本海セトロジー研究』1号所収・1991・日本海セトロジー研究会）』▽『国分直一著『北の道　南の道――日本文化と海上の道』（1992・第一書房）』▽『小泉実著『スケッチで綴る島へんろ』（1997・日本図書刊行会、近代文芸社発売）』▽『松村劭著『海から見た日本の防衛――対馬海峡の戦史に学ぶ』（PHP新書）』

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