Iwai Island

An island in the southeastern part of Yamaguchi Prefecture, floating in the Suo-Nada Sea. It has an area of ​​7.69 square kilometers. It belongs to Kaminoseki Town, Kumage County. There are two regular ferries a day from Yanai Port. It is a plateau made of andesite, with the highest point at 357 meters. It is "Ihabi Island," which is mentioned in two poems in Volume 15 of the "Manyoshu," and can be seen clearly from the Suo coast. Since the feudal era, it has produced many migrant workers as whalers and sake brewers. It is a semi-agricultural, semi-fishing village, with terraced farmland and many loquat and mandarin orchards. The surrounding area is blessed with fishing grounds, and line-fishing and longline fishing for sea bream and sea bass are thriving. The Miyato Hachimangu Shrine's Kanmai (divine dance) is a brave sea ritual and 36 types of ancient Kagura dances are passed down, and are designated as an intangible folk cultural property by the prefecture. The giant Keguwa tree is also a prefecture designated natural monument. Population 516 (2009).

[Hajime Miura]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

山口県南東部、周防灘(すおうなだ)に浮かぶ島。面積7.69平方キロメートル。熊毛(くまげ)郡上関(かみのせき)町に属す。柳井(やない)港から1日2便の定期船がある。安山岩からなる高台状の地形をなし、最高点は357メートル。『万葉集』巻15に2首詠まれている「伊波比島」で、周防沿岸からよくみえる。藩政時代から鯨組(くじらぐみ)や酒造り杜氏(とうじ)として多くの出稼ぎ者を出した。半農半漁村で、階段耕地が発達し、ビワ園やミカン園が多い。周辺は漁場に恵まれ、タイ、スズキの一本釣りや延縄(はえなわ)漁業が盛ん。宮戸八幡宮(みやとはちまんぐう)の神舞(かんまい)は勇壮な海の神事や古式36種の神楽舞(かぐらまい)を伝え、県指定無形民俗文化財。またケグワの巨樹は県指定天然記念物。人口516（2009）。

［三浦　肇］

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