Gotō Islands
Template:Short description Template:More footnotes needed Template:Infobox islands The Template:Nihongo are Japanese islands in the Sea of Japan.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref><ref>International Hydrographic Organization: Limits of Oceans and Seals (Special Publication No. 23), 3. Auflage 1953, S. 31. Aufgerufen am 19.11.2023</ref> They are part of Nagasaki Prefecture.<ref>Teikoku's Complete Atlas of Japan, Teikoku-Shoin Co., Ltd., Template:ISBN.</ref>
Geography
There are 140 islands, including five main ones: Template:Nihongo, Template:Nihongo, Template:Nihongo, Template:Nihongo, and Template:Nihongo.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The northernmost island is Ukujima.
The group of islands runs approximately Template:Convert from Osezaki Lighthouse, Fukue Island to Tsuwazaki Lighthouse, Nakadōri Island. Its center is near Naru Island at about Template:Coord.
To the north is Tsushima Island in the Tsushima Strait and to the east is Kyūshū and the rest of Nagasaki Prefecture. It is about Template:Convert from the port of Nagasaki. The Tsushima Current (a branch of the Kuroshio) passes around the islands.
The southern of the two principal islands, Fukue, measures approximately Template:Convert north-to-south by Template:Convert east-to-west; the northern, Nakadōri Island, measures approximately Template:Convert north-to-south by Template:Convert east-to-west at its widest point. Most of Nakadōri Island, however, is quite narrow, measuring less than Template:Convert wide for much of its length. Some dome-shaped hills command the old castle town of Fukue. The islands are highly cultivated; deer and other game abound, and trout are plentiful in the mountain streams.<ref>{{#if: |
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As a result of a merger on August 1, 2004, the city of Gotō was established. It occupies Fukue, Hisaka, and Naru islands, and seven inhabited ones. The town of Shin-Kamigotō, itself the product of a simultaneous, separate merger in 2004, occupies Nakadōri and Wakamatsu islands, two of the five main islands of the Gotō archipelago, in addition to the small inhabited islands of Arifuku, Kashiragashima, Hinoshima, Ryōzegaura, and Kirinoko and a great number of uninhabited islets.
The small island of Kabajima is east of Hisaka Island and northeast of Fukue Island.<ref>Map of Goto Islands showing Kabashima at env.go.jap Template:Webarchive; retrieved 2013-4-30.</ref> It belongs to Gotō City.
History
On the 1st of April 1946, several submarines of the former Imperial Japanese Navy were scuttled off the Gotō Islands by the US forces during the "Operation Road's End". They include more than 24 submarines,<ref>List of Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) Submarines</ref> being:
- First class submarines:
- Second and third class submarines:
Demographics
In 2005, there were 76,311 inhabitants on the islands. Template:Citation needed
An important historical element is the roots of Christianity in Japan within the islands. Some of the inhabitants are descended from Christians of the Catholic Church ("Kakure Kirishitan"),<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> who came to their faith upon the introduction of Christianity to Japan via Portuguese missionaries in the late 16th century. These Japanese were many times persecuted and tortured by the Japanese shogunates for their beliefs, all the way into the early Meiji period. Until recentlyTemplate:When Hanare Kirishitans still lived there; the majority either returned to Catholicism after it was legalized in the 19th century or reverted to earlier practices. The islands have numerous Catholic churches, the oldest and most famous of which is Dōzaki church, built in 1868 and located about Template:Convert north of Fukue port. The islands are part of the Archdiocese of Nagasaki.Template:Citation needed
Products
Marine products, such as oysters and sea urchins, are the main products of the island. The natural camellia oil of Fukuejima is famous in Japan for cosmetic use. Kankoro Mochi is a confectionery and specialty food of the Gotō Islands made from sliced, sundried sweet potato combined with mochi.Template:Citation needed
Tourism
Template:Unreferenced section Fukue City is a typical castle city. The historic castle in Fukue, Ishida Castle, was built last of all castles in Japanese history because year after the castle was completed Japan underwent the Meiji Restoration. Today, the castle is used as the Goto high school and is contributing to the education of young people. Most of the castle area inside the stone walls are opened for public.
Transportation
The Gotō-Fukue Airport (FUJ/RJFE)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> is on Fukue Island.
Ferry services from Nagasaki and Sasebo are offered by Kyusyu Shosen Co. Ltd. Both standard ferry and hydrofoil services operate.Template:Citation needed
There are also regular bus services on Fukue island.Template:Citation needed
See also
- Barakamon — manga/anime series set on Fukue Island
- Diary of Our Days at the Breakwater — manga/anime series partially set on the islands
- Hidden Christian Sites in the Nagasaki Region