Nishisonogi Peninsula

A peninsula that juts out from the northern part of Nagasaki City toward Sasebo City. It faces Omura Bay to the east and Sumo Nada to the west. Nagasaki City and Saikai City are located here. Most of the peninsula is composed of Paleozoic layers of crystalline schist, forming an elevated peneplain at an elevation of about 400 meters above sea level. Only the northern part is a basalt plateau at an elevation of about 200 meters above sea level. Reclaimed land after World War II is scattered on the peneplain in the center, and a development road runs north and south across the summit. It contains facilities such as the Prefectural Forest, Kounoura Dam, and Yukinoura Dam. It has long been a habitat for wild boars, and there are remains of stone fences called "igaki" that prevent wild boars from invading, and even today wild boars continue to cause damage to potatoes and wheat. The eastern coast of the peninsula is a ria coast and pearl farming is thriving. In 1955 (Showa 30), the Saikai Bridge was completed at Inoura Strait (Harioseto). In addition, National Route 206 was developed, making transportation to Sasebo and the center of Nagasaki City easier, and the cultivation of cash crops such as mandarin oranges and watermelons is progressing. The west coast of the peninsula is lagging behind in road development due to the continuous sea cliffs of fault origin, but now National Route 202 runs along the coast. This is the western region of the former Omura Domain and has many Christian settlements. The churches of Shitsu and Kurosaki exude a sublime and pious atmosphere along with the surrounding natural scenery. Furthermore, Matsushima, located in the western sea, was known as a whaling base during the feudal era, but in the Taisho and Showa eras, it prospered as an island with undersea coalfields along with Oshima, Sakitoshima, and Ikeshima. The remote island coalfields are now closed. The northern plateau is a farming area, and is home to Yokozeura, an open port at the end of the Middle Ages.

[Yasuyoshi Ishii]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

長崎市北部から佐世保(させぼ)市に向って突出する半島。東は大村湾、西は角力灘(すもうなだ)に面する。長崎市、西海市(さいかいし)が立地する。半島の大半は結晶片岩の古生層によって構成され、標高400メートル内外の隆起準平原をなす。北部だけは標高200メートル内外の玄武岩台地である。中央部の準平原面上には、第二次世界大戦後の開拓地が散在し、開拓道路が山頂部を南北に縦貫しており、「県民の森」や「神ノ浦(こうのうら)ダム」「雪ノ浦(ゆきのうら)ダム」の施設を有する。古くからイノシシの生息地で、イノシシの侵入を防ぐ石積みによる「猪垣(いがき)」の遺構があり、現在もイノシシによる、イモ、ムギの被害は絶えない。半島の東岸はリアス式海岸で真珠養殖が盛ん。1955年（昭和30）伊ノ浦(いのうら)瀬戸（針尾瀬戸）に西海橋が完成。また、国道206号が整備され、佐世保や長崎市中心市街地への交通も便利となり、ミカン、スイカなどの換金作物の栽培が進捗(しんちょく)している。半島の西海岸は断層起源の海食崖(がい)が連続しているため道路の開発が遅れたが、現在は国道202号が海岸沿いに通じる。旧大村藩の西域にあたりキリシタン集落も多い。出津(しつ)や黒崎(くろさき)の教会は、付近の自然景観とともに崇高・敬虔(けいけん)な雰囲気を漂わせている。さらに、西方海上の松島(まつしま)は旧藩時代の捕鯨基地として知られたが、大正・昭和時代は大(おお)島、崎戸(さきと)島、池島とともに海底炭田の島として繁栄した。現在離島炭田は閉山している。北部の台地は畑作地帯で、中世末の開港場、横瀬(よこぜ)浦がある。

［石井泰義］

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