Rebun Island

An island floating in the Sea of ​​Japan in northern Hokkaido. It belongs to Rebun Town under the jurisdiction of the Soya Regional Subprefectural Bureau, and its affiliated islands include Todojima. It is located about 50 km west of the main island of Hokkaido, facing Rishiri Island to the southeast across the Rebun Strait, which is about 10 km wide. Because it is located further offshore than Rishiri Island, it was called Repunsiri (Okinoshima) in the Ainu language. It stretches 6 km east to west, 21 km north to south, and has an area of ​​81.33 square kilometers. It is made up of Mesozoic and Tertiary layers, and a series of hills 200 to 300 meters above sea level, with Mount Rebun (490 meters) in the center as the highest point. The west coast is lined with sea cliffs, and three or four coastal terraces of less than 120 meters have developed in the north and south. It is part of the Rishiri-Rebun-Sarobetsu National Park, and the area around Momoiwa to the west of Kabuka is a treasure trove of alpine plants and has been designated a natural monument of the prefecture. There are many scenic spots, such as the Jewel Coast on the west coast, Jizo Rock, the cliff-lined Nishiuedomari Coast, and Cape Sukoton at the northern tip. There is a guardhouse on Kairo Island north of Cape Sukoton, where fishermen move in only during the sea urchin and kelp fishing season. The registered population in 2009 was 3,111, and the population in the 2010 census was 3,078.

[Jiro Okamoto]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

北海道北部、日本海上に浮かぶ島。宗谷(そうや)総合振興局管内の礼文町に属し、付属島に海驢島(とどじま)などがある。北海道本島の西方約50キロメートルに位置し、幅約10キロメートルの礼文水道を隔てて南東の利尻島(りしりとう)と相対している。利尻島よりも沖合いに位置するためアイヌ語でレプンシリ（沖の島）とよばれた。東西6キロメートル、南北21キロメートル、面積81.33平方キロメートル。中生層、第三紀層などからなり、中央部の礼文岳（490メートル）を最高点に標高200～300メートルの丘陵が連なる。西海岸は海食崖(がい)が続き、北部、南部には120メートル以下の3段ないし4段の海岸段丘が発達している。利尻礼文サロベツ国立公園の一部で、香深(かぶか)西方の桃岩周辺は高山植物の宝庫で道の天然記念物に指定され、西海岸の宝石海岸、地蔵岩、絶壁の続く西上泊(にしうえどまり)海岸、北端部のスコトン岬など景勝地が多い。スコトン岬北方の海驢島には番屋があり、ウニ・コンブの漁期だけ漁民が移住する。2009年の住民登録人口3111、2010年国勢調査人口3078。

［岡本次郎］

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