Native name: Japanese:中之島 | |
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| Geography | |
| Location | East China Sea |
| Coordinates | 29°51′0″N129°52′12″E / 29.85000°N 129.87000°E /29.85000; 129.87000 |
| Archipelago | Tokara Islands |
| Area | 34.47 km2 (13.31 sq mi) |
| Length | 9 km (5.6 mi) |
| Width | 5 km (3.1 mi) |
| Coastline | 31.8 km (19.76 mi) |
| Highest elevation | 979 m (3212 ft) |
| Highest point | Otake |
| Administration | |
Japan | |
| Kagoshima Prefecture | |
| Demographics | |
| Population | 167 (2004) |
| Pop. density | 4.84/km2 (12.54/sq mi) |
| Ethnic groups | Japanese |
Nakanoshima (中之島), is a volcanic island located in theTokara Islands, part of theKagoshima Prefecture,Japan. It is the largest and most populous island of the islands inToshima village.[1] The island, 34.47 km2 in area, had 167 inhabitants as of 2005[update].[2]The island has no airport, and access is normally by ferry to the city of Kagoshima on the mainland, seven hours away. The islanders are dependent mainly on agriculture, fishing and seasonal tourism. The island's attractions include hot springs, a lighthouse, an observatory and a museum of local history and folklore.
Nakanoshima is the largest island in the Tokara archipelago, with dimensions of 9 kilometres (5.6 mi) by 5 kilometres (3.1 mi). It is located 150 kilometres (81 nmi) south fromKyushu.
The northern end of the island is dominated byOtake (御岳,O-take),[3] an active volcano which last erupted in 1914. The mountain was mined for sulphur until 1944. With a height of 979 metres (3,212 ft) above sea level, the mountain is the exposed cone of an activestratovolcano arising from the ocean floor.
A small plateau separates Otake from eroded remains of another volcano.[4]The local climate is classified as subtropical, with a rainy season from May through September.
| Climate data for Nakanoshima (2003−2020 normals, extremes 2002−present) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 21.7 (71.1) | 24.0 (75.2) | 24.8 (76.6) | 25.9 (78.6) | 31.1 (88.0) | 31.8 (89.2) | 34.4 (93.9) | 35.2 (95.4) | 32.2 (90.0) | 30.6 (87.1) | 26.2 (79.2) | 23.1 (73.6) | 35.2 (95.4) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 14.2 (57.6) | 15.3 (59.5) | 17.4 (63.3) | 20.6 (69.1) | 23.8 (74.8) | 26.0 (78.8) | 29.6 (85.3) | 30.1 (86.2) | 28.2 (82.8) | 24.7 (76.5) | 20.7 (69.3) | 16.3 (61.3) | 22.2 (72.0) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 11.1 (52.0) | 12.0 (53.6) | 13.7 (56.7) | 16.8 (62.2) | 20.3 (68.5) | 23.4 (74.1) | 26.4 (79.5) | 26.7 (80.1) | 24.9 (76.8) | 21.4 (70.5) | 17.5 (63.5) | 13.1 (55.6) | 18.9 (66.1) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 7.6 (45.7) | 8.3 (46.9) | 9.8 (49.6) | 12.6 (54.7) | 16.4 (61.5) | 21.0 (69.8) | 24.0 (75.2) | 24.0 (75.2) | 22.0 (71.6) | 18.2 (64.8) | 14.0 (57.2) | 9.8 (49.6) | 15.6 (60.2) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −1.1 (30.0) | −1.3 (29.7) | 0.5 (32.9) | 1.0 (33.8) | 5.6 (42.1) | 11.6 (52.9) | 17.2 (63.0) | 17.7 (63.9) | 14.8 (58.6) | 7.2 (45.0) | 4.0 (39.2) | 2.0 (35.6) | −1.3 (29.7) |
| Averageprecipitation mm (inches) | 196.7 (7.74) | 219.6 (8.65) | 276.3 (10.88) | 286.1 (11.26) | 367.3 (14.46) | 757.9 (29.84) | 323.9 (12.75) | 193.4 (7.61) | 320.8 (12.63) | 238.3 (9.38) | 256.5 (10.10) | 204.8 (8.06) | 3,626.7 (142.78) |
| Average precipitation days(≥ 1.0 mm) | 15.4 | 13.8 | 14.0 | 12.7 | 13.9 | 18.4 | 10.0 | 11.8 | 13.4 | 11.4 | 11.9 | 15.2 | 161.9 |
| Mean monthlysunshine hours | 66.4 | 69.9 | 106.6 | 133.8 | 128.9 | 70.9 | 127.1 | 155.1 | 120.4 | 135.7 | 101.1 | 72.9 | 1,294.1 |
| Source:Japan Meteorological Agency[5][6] | |||||||||||||
Nakanoshima has been populated for several thousand years. The island was once part of theRyukyu Kingdom. During theEdo period, Nakanoshima was part ofSatsuma Domain and was administered as part ofKawabe District. In 1896, the island was transferred to the administrative control ofŌshima District, Kagoshima, and from 1911 was administered as part of the village ofToshima, Kagoshima. From 1946-1952, the island was administered by theUnited States as part of the Provisional Government of Northern Ryukyu Islands. Until 1956, the village hall for Toshima Village was located on Nakanoshima. It was then relocated to within the city ofKagoshima.
In early 1950, a small herd of wild horses in the south of the island were identified as a distinct breed, named theTokara pony. This species only occurs on Nakanoshima and is believed to have been brought to the island around 1890 fromKikaijima, an island nearAmami Ōshima. AfterWorld War II, the species almost became extinct, and survivors were removed to a ranch operated byKagoshima University on mainland Kagoshima for protection . Today, some have been reintroduced to Nakanoshima.[7]
