Nishinoshima Island Nakanoshima Island Chiburijima Island Dogo Island

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

Nishinoshima Island Nakanoshima Island Chiburijima Island Dogo Island 2. Oki Shrine 7.Tengawa-no-mizu Spring 18. Noritabana Coast 29. Inujima in Oku (Dog Island) Emperor Gotoba was exiled to the (Water of the Heavenly River Spring) At the tip of the Noritabana Coast The bottom half of Inu-jima Island Oki Islands after the Jokyu-no-ran When invited to Oki in the Nara you can find strangely shaped is composed of Green Tuff, which Rebellion in 1221. He resided at Period, the Buddhist Priest Gyoki rocks such as Kabuto-iwa (Helmet you can see from Oku Harbor. the Genpuku-ji Temple and passed heard the sound of running water Rock) and Yoroi-iwa (Armor Rock). Fossils of an alligator tooth and away 19 years later on the 22nd from a cave in the forest. He felt These protruding basalt rocks are pond snails have been discovered Dozen Islands February, 1239. The Oki Shrine was the aura of the spring water and Dogo Islands so named because they look just in Green Tuff rock strata, which built in April 1939 to mark the named it Tengawa-no-mizu, water like the armor of a samurai tells us that the land was once a 700th anniversary of his death. from the heavenly river. Springs like warrior. There is a legend that a large lake. This rock is found in this can be found throughout Ama fallen warrior's helmet and armor turned into stone here. Goka in Dogo which is why it is known as Goka-ishi (Goka 3. Mt. Kinkoji Town, where the land is bountiful because of abundant In 1938 this coast was designated as a Place of Scenic Rock). It has been utilized for many years as a building sources of underground water. It has been designated Beauty as well as a National Natural Monument. material for stone walls among other things. After quarrelling with the envoy one of the Top 100 Exquisite and Well-Conserved Waters Nishinoshima Island Fujiwara-no-Tsunetsugu, the of Shimane by the Ministry of the Environment and is one Dogo Island vice-envoy to T’ang China, of the blessings of a land created by volcanic activity. (Nishinoshima Town) Ono-no-Takamura, feigned illness 19. Jodogaura Coast to avoid boarding the boat that (Okinoshima Town) 30. Sasaki-ke Traditional Residence was headed towards T’ang. This The name 'Jodogaura' originated avoidance of duty incurred the 8.Miho Shrine from a kyoka (Japanese comic Sasaki-ke Traditional Residence has anger of the retired Emperor Saga poem) written by the famous been designated as an Important The Landscape of Collaboration with Ikyuu Sojun, a quick-witted and who exiled him to Toyoda, Ama Town in 838. While Emperor Gotoba was exiled to Oki The Connection of Three Stories Cultural Property of Japan. The Ono-no-Takamura was on the island, he retired to the in 1221 after losing the Jokyu-no- mischievous Zen Buddhist monk. house was constructed in the Dozen Caldera and Sea of Japan Rokusha-gongen Shrine on Mt. Kinkoji where he made a ran Rebellion. Due to the very Along the coast you can see Tenpo Era (1836) in an architec- statue of Buddha while praying for his reinstatement to stormy seas on his departure from Human, Life and Geology geological features from when Oki tural style unique to Oki, with the capital. the capital, they made an emer- was at the bottom of a lake, and characteristics such as three gency landing at Kirogasaki Cape observe southern, northern and continental plants that separate entrances that were used 7. Akekure-no-iwaya Cavern and the Emperor waited close by at 9. Yui Pond coexist in the same environment. It was chosen as the according to the social position and occasion of visitors. 4.Uzuka-no-mikoto Shrine what is now known as the Rock design for one of the National Park Special Issue stamps The main room of this single-floored house is made from (Light and Dark Cavern) The Yui Pond is an area with a and is one of Oki’s most scenic locations. This is one of the four most (Seat) of Emperor Gotoba as they searched for lodgings. Obsidian precious ecosystem. Looking at the cedar, while the roof is gabled and laid with stone Akekure-no-iwaya Cavern is a important shrines in the Oki Gotoba and his group ended up spending the night at 250m long circular shape of the weights. How collection of sea caves inside of a Islands, and has been dedicated to Miho Shrine. pond and the surrounding Dozen Caldera was Formed. 250m long cavern. It is one of the Uzuka-no-mikoto, the deity of topography, you might assume sights visited on the Kuniga Coast good harvest, naval safety and safe 20. Kasuga Shrine ジオフィルム 隠岐ジオパーク 630万年前〜530万年前 >> GeoFilm Oki Islands Geopark 6.3-5.3 Ma >> that it was created by volcanic Sightseeing Boat Tour. The sea childbirth. This deity is unique to 9.Grave of the Famous War Horse ‘Su-Go’ activity; however a recent study 31. Mizuwakasu Shrine cave is not much wider than the the Oki Islands and has been During the spring and autumn has revealed that this pond was equinoxes, the sun will rise right in Mizuwakasu Shrine was desig- boat, so entry is highly dependent worshipped since ancient times. During the Russo-Japanese war created by a large landslide. Around the pond there is a on the weather and the height of According to the creation myth of the Akiya Coast, in when Japan seized control over the middle of the gate in front of nated as the Ichinomiya (highest viewing platform and walking track. Eco-tours and this shrine, creating a breathtaking ranking shrine) of Oki Province the waves. If you are lucky enough to be able to enter the order to marry the deity of neighboring Nishinoshima, Lushunkou in 1905 (Siege of Port environmental workshops are held here. cavern, it is an amazing experience! Hinamaji-hime-no-mikoto, Uzuka-no-mikoto had a test of Arthur), the Russian Army General sight. There was once a giant pine during the Nara Period (710 – 794). >> >> >> >> >> strength against the deity of Oyama Shrine. The Akiya Stessel surrendered to General tree within the grounds that was The main hall was made in Coast and the surrounding geological features are named Nogi Maresuke and presented him 10. Yui Maenosu around 60m tall. The tree’s stump traditional Oki-style architectural 8. Akao Lookout is now on display in a small hut. design during the Kansei Era according to these events. with his beloved horse. General Nogi named the horse ‘Su-Go’ Intertidal Shore Platform You can also find Japanese Black Pine trees (Pinus (1795). Along with the Akao Lookout is located on the thunbergii) that have Nagoran orchid (Sedirea japonica), Tamawakasu-no-mikoto Shrine, it was designated as a south-side of the Kuniga Bay (an 5.Saburo-iwa Rocks after the Russian General. Su-Go was later taken to the This intertidal shore platform Oki Islands where he died at the age of 23. His grave is formed due to wave erosion and is a plant found in southern areas, growing on them, while National Important Cultural Property in 1992. On the 3rd 1. Former Kurogi Palace Site eroded inlet), and is a vantage a northern flower Hamanasu Rugosa rose (Rosa rugosa) of May on the even years of the Christian calendar, there point for stunning panoramic The three Saburo-iwa Rocks look still maintained by the local people. 1. Misaki-no-bakuretsu-kako the largest in Dogo at 170m x The Former Kurogi Palace Site is 220m. It is composed of lacustrine grows nearby on the coast. is a large festival which is well known as one of the three views of the Matengai Cliff, like three brothers standing in a (Misaki Explosion Crater) most important festivals of Dogo. situated at the peak of a small hill Tenjo-kai, Tsutenkyo Arch and row in the sea north-east of strata that was deposited about 20 called Mt. Tennou that commands Kuniga Beach. The uniquely Hishiura Port. On the top of these 10.Kirogasaki Cape On the west side entrance to Saigo million years ago and is still being a view of Beppu Harbor. Emperor shaped rocks here were created by sea-eroded basaltic rocks are small Port is a 50 – 100m long cliff that eroded by wind and waves. Godaigo was exiled to the Oki volcanic activity 6 million years ago, and subsequently groves of green trees that resem- At the southern tip of Naka- has a gently sloping plateau at the Hakojima Island about 300m away, 21. Oyama Shrine noshima Island you can see Mt. top. When seen from the sea the Islands during the Genko Era in eroded by the strong north-westerly winds and rough ble bonsai trees. You can enjoy is also an eroded intertidal shore platform. The giant Japanese cedar tree here 32. Agonashi Jizo 1332 after failing to overthrow waves of the Sea of Japan. watching the three rocks become Takuhi (the central cone of the cliff looks like a giant bowl cut in Dozen Caldera), the surrounding half. This is the site of a volcanic is so tall it seems to be touching the Kamakura Shogunate (military two, and then one as you pass by on a sightseeing boat, the sky. It is the where the deity of Ono-no-Takamura (famous noble regime). He allegedly resided here for more than a year the Oki Kisen Ferry or the AMANBOW Underwater mountains, Chiburijima Island and eruption of steam about 5.5 11.
Recommended publications
  • Pull-Out Map of Kanazawa Kanazawa’S Museums / Art Venues Contd
    Pull-Out Map Of Kanazawa Kanazawa’s Museums / Art Venues contd... D5 HONDA MUSEUM -(Honda Zouhinkan). (all bus routes referenced from JR Kanazawa Station unless noted) Displays the Honda family collection. The first Lord Honda was secretary to the ruling Maeda clan and his family heirlooms include some truly fascinating stuff ranging from instruments of war to candy boxes and sake cups. Fee: 500-yen Open: 9:00-16:30 TEL: (076) 261-0500 / 3-1 Dewa- machi. Bus: (Get off at Kencho-mae) Bus #: 10-11-12-15-25-33-50-53-70-71-73-75-80-84-85-90. Places Of Interest In Kanazawa D5 NAKAMURA MEMORIAL MUSEUM -(Nakamura Kinen Bijutsukan) Smaller museum whose highlight is an intricate display of tea ceremony tools and utensils. Ticket includes tea and sweets in the tearoom. Fee: 300-yen Open: 9:00-16:30 (closed Thurs.) TEL: (076) 221-0751 / 3-2-29 Honda-machi. Map Ref. Bus: (Get off at Honda-machi). Bus #: 18-19-91 D6 KENROKU-EN GARDEN One of Japan’s Three Sublime Gardens dating back to the 17th Century. The best times to visit: before 11 AM and after 3 PM – avoid the throng. Enjoy the serene ponds and old-world teahouses. Don’t miss the sprawling Seison Kaku Villa within the castle grounds, (a separate th -- KANAZAWA CITIZEN’S ART CENTRE – (Geijutsu Mura) Not on map but an excellent facility for modern and classical art work exhibitions, regular fee must be paid). This is an opulent, original home beautifully built in1863 by the 13 Lord Maeda for his mother.The soothing tsukushi garden here live drama and music performances.
    [Show full text]
  • Full Download
    VOLUME 1: BORDERS 2018 Published by National Institute of Japanese Literature Tokyo EDITORIAL BOARD Chief Editor IMANISHI Yūichirō Professor Emeritus of the National Institute of Japanese 今西祐一郎 Literature; Representative Researcher Editors KOBAYASHI Kenji Professor at the National Institute of Japanese Literature 小林 健二 SAITō Maori Professor at the National Institute of Japanese Literature 齋藤真麻理 UNNO Keisuke Associate Professor at the National Institute of Japanese 海野 圭介 Literature KOIDA Tomoko Associate Professor at the National Institute of Japanese 恋田 知子 Literature Didier DAVIN Associate Professor at the National Institute of Japanese ディディエ・ダヴァン Literature Kristopher REEVES Associate Professor at the National Institute of Japanese クリストファー・リーブズ Literature ADVISORY BOARD Jean-Noël ROBERT Professor at Collège de France ジャン=ノエル・ロベール X. Jie YANG Professor at University of Calgary 楊 暁捷 SHIMAZAKI Satoko Associate Professor at University of Southern California 嶋崎 聡子 Michael WATSON Professor at Meiji Gakuin University マイケル・ワトソン ARAKI Hiroshi Professor at International Research Center for Japanese 荒木 浩 Studies Center for Collaborative Research on Pre-modern Texts, National Institute of Japanese Literature (NIJL) National Institutes for the Humanities 10-3 Midori-chō, Tachikawa City, Tokyo 190-0014, Japan Telephone: 81-50-5533-2900 Fax: 81-42-526-8883 e-mail: [email protected] Website: https//www.nijl.ac.jp Copyright 2018 by National Institute of Japanese Literature, all rights reserved. PRINTED IN JAPAN KOMIYAMA PRINTING CO., TOKYO CONTENTS
    [Show full text]
  • Territoriality by Folk Boundaries and Social-Geographical Conditions in Shinto-Buddhist, Catholic, and Hidden Christian Rural Communities on Hirado Island, Western Japan
    Geographical Review of Japan Series B 92(2): 51–71 (2019) Original Article The Association of Japanese Geographers Territoriality by Folk Boundaries http://www.ajg.or.jp and Social-Geographical Conditions in Shinto-Buddhist, Catholic, and Hidden Christian Rural Communities on Hirado Island, Western Japan IMAZATO Satoshi Faculty of Humanities, Kyushu University; Fukuoka 819–0395, Japan. E-mail: [email protected] Received December 10, 2018; Accepted November 24, 2019 Abstract This article explores how the sense of territoriality and various background conditions of Japanese rural communities affect the emergence of folk boundaries, which are viewed here as the contours of residents’ cognitive territory represented by religion-based symbolic markers. Specifically, I look at how the particular social-geograph- ical conditions of different communities create diverse conceptions of such boundaries, including the presence or absence of the boundaries, within the same region. Here, I focus on three Japanese villages encompassing seven local religious communities of Shinto-Buddhists, Catholics, and former Hidden Christians on Hirado Island in Kyushu. These villages are viewed respectively as examples of contrastive coexistence, degeneration, and expansion in territoriality. Among the seven religious communities, only those believing in Shinto-Buddhism, as well as Hid- den Christianity, have maintained their folk boundaries. These communities satisfy the conditions of an agglomer- ated settlement form, a size generally larger than ten households, a location isolated from other communities within the village, and strong social integration. In contrast, Catholics have not constructed such boundaries based on their historical process of settlement. However, they have influenced the forms of Shinto-Buddhists’ territoriality, although not those of Hidden Christians.
    [Show full text]
  • HIRATA KOKUGAKU and the TSUGARU DISCIPLES by Gideon
    SPIRITS AND IDENTITY IN NINETEENTH-CENTURY NORTHEASTERN JAPAN: HIRATA KOKUGAKU AND THE TSUGARU DISCIPLES by Gideon Fujiwara A THESIS SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY in The Faculty of Graduate Studies (Asian Studies) THE UNIVERSITY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA (Vancouver) April 2013 © Gideon Fujiwara, 2013 ABSTRACT While previous research on kokugaku , or nativism, has explained how intellectuals imagined the singular community of Japan, this study sheds light on how posthumous disciples of Hirata Atsutane based in Tsugaru juxtaposed two “countries”—their native Tsugaru and Imperial Japan—as they transitioned from early modern to modern society in the nineteenth century. This new perspective recognizes the multiplicity of community in “Japan,” which encompasses the domain, multiple levels of statehood, and “nation,” as uncovered in recent scholarship. My analysis accentuates the shared concerns of Atsutane and the Tsugaru nativists toward spirits and the spiritual realm, ethnographic studies of commoners, identification with the north, and religious thought and worship. I chronicle the formation of this scholarly community through their correspondence with the head academy in Edo (later Tokyo), and identify their autonomous character. Hirao Rosen conducted ethnography of Tsugaru and the “world” through visiting the northern island of Ezo in 1855, and observing Americans, Europeans, and Qing Chinese stationed there. I show how Rosen engaged in self-orientation and utilized Hirata nativist theory to locate Tsugaru within the spiritual landscape of Imperial Japan. Through poetry and prose, leader Tsuruya Ariyo identified Mount Iwaki as a sacred pillar of Tsugaru, and insisted one could experience “enjoyment” from this life and beyond death in the realm of spirits.
    [Show full text]
  • Sakai Port Tourist Information
    Sakai Port Tourist Information http://www.mlit.go.jp/kankocho/cruise/ Sakai's kaisen-don (fresh seafood rice bowl) The Sakai Port is one of the best fishing ports in Japan. Sakai has large volume of fresh bluefin tuna and crab catch in Japan. In addition, there are also various fresh seafood caught more fresh on a daily depending on the season such as shiroika (white squid), aji (horse mackerel), snow crab, Silver Salmon and other seafood. Sakai's kaisen-don (fresh seafood rice bowl) is as good as one would expect for a port town with such fresh seafood. Location/View Access 5 min. via car from port(2km) Parking for Season Year-round tour buses 24 buses The city of fish and Kitaro Sakaiminato Guide for Related links Sightseeing http://www.sakaiminato.net/foreign/ Contact Us [Tottori Prefecture Tourism and Exchange Bureau International Tourism Attraction Division ] TEL:+18-857-26-7421 l E-MAIL:[email protected] l Website:http://www.pref.tottori.lg.jp/kokusaikankou/ Izumo Soba ( Buckwheat Noodles) Izumo soba is made from unhusked buckwheat soba grains which are freshly ground into a powder. The husks are used in the process, making the color darker and the aroma stronger compared to other types of soba found in Japan. Some of the ways you can enjoy it include the "warigo" style which involves three round bowls stacked on each other where you add your toppings individually to each bowl and the "kama-age" style where noodles come served in the water that the noodles were boiled in.
    [Show full text]
  • Powerful Warriors and Influential Clergy Interaction and Conflict Between the Kamakura Bakufu and Religious Institutions
    UNIVERSITY OF HAWAllllBRARI Powerful Warriors and Influential Clergy Interaction and Conflict between the Kamakura Bakufu and Religious Institutions A DISSERTATION SUBMITTED TO THE GRADUATE DIVISION OF THE UNIVERSITY OF HAWAI'I IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY IN HISTORY MAY 2003 By Roy Ron Dissertation Committee: H. Paul Varley, Chairperson George J. Tanabe, Jr. Edward Davis Sharon A. Minichiello Robert Huey ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Writing a doctoral dissertation is quite an endeavor. What makes this endeavor possible is advice and support we get from teachers, friends, and family. The five members of my doctoral committee deserve many thanks for their patience and support. Special thanks go to Professor George Tanabe for stimulating discussions on Kamakura Buddhism, and at times, on human nature. But as every doctoral candidate knows, it is the doctoral advisor who is most influential. In that respect, I was truly fortunate to have Professor Paul Varley as my advisor. His sharp scholarly criticism was wonderfully balanced by his kindness and continuous support. I can only wish others have such an advisor. Professors Fred Notehelfer and Will Bodiford at UCLA, and Jeffrey Mass at Stanford, greatly influenced my development as a scholar. Professor Mass, who first introduced me to the complex world of medieval documents and Kamakura institutions, continued to encourage me until shortly before his untimely death. I would like to extend my deepest gratitude to them. In Japan, I would like to extend my appreciation and gratitude to Professors Imai Masaharu and Hayashi Yuzuru for their time, patience, and most valuable guidance.
    [Show full text]
  • The Myth of the Goddess of the Undersea World and the Tale of Empress Jingu’S Subjugation of Silla
    Japanese Journal of Religious Studies 1993 20/2-3 The Myth of the Goddess of the Undersea World and the Tale of Empress Jingu’s Subjugation of Silla Akima Toshio In prewar Japan, the mythical tale of Empress Jingii’s 神功皇后 conquest of the Korean kingdoms comprised an important part of elementary school history education, and was utilized to justify Japan5s coloniza­ tion of Korea. After the war the same story came to be interpreted by some Japanese historians—most prominently Egami Namio— as proof or the exact opposite, namely, as evidence of a conquest of Japan by a people of nomadic origin who came from Korea. This theory, known as the horse-rider theory, has found more than a few enthusiastic sup­ porters amone Korean historians and the Japanese reading public, as well as some Western scholars. There are also several Japanese spe­ cialists in Japanese history and Japan-Korea relations who have been influenced by the theory, although most have not accepted the idea (Egami himself started as a specialist in the history of northeast Asia).1 * The first draft of this essay was written during my fellowship with the International Research Center for Japanese Studies, and was read in a seminar organized by the institu­ tion on 31 January 199丄. 1 am indebted to all researchers at the center who participated in the seminar for their many valuable suggestions. I would also like to express my gratitude to Umehara Takeshi, the director general of the center, and Nakanism Susumu, also of the center, who made my research there possible.
    [Show full text]
  • The Moon Bear As a Symbol of Yama Its Significance in the Folklore of Upland Hunting in Japan
    Catherine Knight Independent Scholar The Moon Bear as a Symbol of Yama Its Significance in the Folklore of Upland Hunting in Japan The Asiatic black bear, or “moon bear,” has inhabited Japan since pre- historic times, and is the largest animal to have roamed Honshū, Shikoku, and Kyūshū since mega-fauna became extinct on the Japanese archipelago after the last glacial period. Even so, it features only rarely in the folklore, literature, and arts of Japan’s mainstream culture. Its relative invisibility in the dominant lowland agrarian-based culture of Japan contrasts markedly with its cultural significance in many upland regions where subsistence lifestyles based on hunting, gathering, and beliefs centered on the mountain deity (yama no kami) have persisted until recently. This article explores the significance of the bear in the upland regions of Japan, particularly as it is manifested in the folklore of communities centered on hunting, such as those of the matagi, and attempts to explain why the bear, and folklore focused on the bear, is largely ignored in mainstream Japanese culture. keywords: Tsukinowaguma—moon bear—matagi hunters—yama no kami—upland communities—folklore Asian Ethnology Volume 67, Number 1 • 2008, 79–101 © Nanzan Institute for Religion and Culture nimals are common motifs in Japanese folklore and folk religion. Of the Amammals, there is a wealth of folklore concerning the fox, raccoon dog (tanuki), and wolf, for example. The fox is regarded as sacred, and is inextricably associated with inari, originally one of the deities of cereals and a central deity in Japanese folk religion. It has therefore become closely connected with rice agri- culture and thus is an animal symbol central to Japan’s agrarian culture.
    [Show full text]
  • Daisen-Oki National Park Boasts Diverse Sceneries, Comprising a Mountainous Area Stretching from Mt
    Mountains where the gods reside, and a series of volcanoes and islands that breathe with ancient memories Daisen-Oki National Park boasts diverse sceneries, comprising a mountainous area stretching from Mt. Daisen, the highest Daisen-Oki peak of the Chugoku region, to Mt. Hiruzen and Mt. Kenashi, the Mt. Mitoku area, the coastal portion of the Shimane 15 Peninsula, the Mt. Sanbe area and the Oki Islands. This Park and its surrounding areas include places of mountain worship National Park and stages of a number of Japanese myths such as the Kunibiki Shinwa (“land-pulling myth”), and retain culture and livelihood deeply connected to nature. In the Park’s mountainous region, volcanic topography, forests and grasslands are part of a varied landscape where each area possesses distinct scenery. Amidst this majesty, Mt. Daisen is revered as Japan’s oldest kami-yama —mountain of gods—while Mt. Mitoku is said to be sacred ground for mountain asceticism. On the Shimane Peninsula along with Izumo Grand Shrine, one of the most important shrines in Japan, you will find scenic and historic locations associated with myths in every direction. At Miho Shrine, situated on the eastern tip of the Shimane Peninsula, Shinto rituals associated with two ancient accounts of Japanese history, the Kojiki and the Nihon- Shoki, are passed down as regional events, while the main hall of Izumo Grand Shrine, constructed in the oldest style of Shinto shrine architecture, is a designated National Treasure. The Oki Islands are celebrated for their spectacular islands and coastal scenery. In acknowledgement of the geohistory that dynamic forces created them, their isolated and unique ecosystem, and the lifestyle and traditions that this environment nurtured, the Islands have been designated as a UNESCO Global Geopark.
    [Show full text]
  • Copyright by Peter David Siegenthaler 2004
    Copyright by Peter David Siegenthaler 2004 The Dissertation Committee for Peter David Siegenthaler certifies that this is the approved version of the following dissertation: Looking to the Past, Looking to the Future: The Localization of Japanese Historic Preservation, 1950–1975 Committee: Susan Napier, Supervisor Jordan Sand Patricia Maclachlan John Traphagan Christopher Long Looking to the Past, Looking to the Future: The Localization of Japanese Historic Preservation, 1950–1975 by Peter David Siegenthaler, B.A., M.A. Dissertation Presented to the Faculty of the Graduate School of The University of Texas at Austin in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy The University of Texas at Austin May 2004 Dedication To Karin, who was always there when it mattered most, and to Katherine and Alexander, why it all mattered in the first place Acknowledgements I have accumulated many more debts in the course of this project than I can begin to settle here; I can only hope that a gift of recognition will convey some of my gratitude for all the help I have received. I would like to thank primarily the members of my committee, Susan Napier, Patricia Maclachlan, Jordan Sand, Chris Long, and John Traphagan, who stayed with me through all the twists and turns of the project. Their significant scholarly contributions aside, I owe each of them a debt for his or her patience alone. Friends and contacts in Japan, Austin, and elsewhere gave guidance and assistance, both tangible and spiritual, as I sought to think about approaches broader than the immediate issues of the work, to make connections at various sites, and to locate materials for the research.
    [Show full text]
  • Ama-Chō Briefing Paper
    AMA-CHŌ BRIEFING PAPER An introduction to Ama-chō, of Oki Islands By The Association for the Promotion of International Cooperation M. Kita and Y. Nanpei Moeko Kita and Yoriko Nanpei May 2020 AMA-CHŌ BRIEFING PAPER Table of Contents Introduction…………………………………………….…….……2 Spirit of Ama-chō.……………………………...…………….…..3 Issue – Population Decline ……………………..…………...…3 Resolution Approaches – Defensive, Offensive …….….….4 and Human Development Brief History………………………………………………….……6 Geography/ Statistics ………………….……………..…...……7 Access ….………………………………….………………….…..8 Attractions ………………………………….…………………….8 References …………………………………………………...…..11 1 AMA-CHŌ BRIEFING PAPER Introduction: The Association for the Promotion of International Cooperation (APIC) has taken a special interest in the small island of Nakanoshima (中之島), in western Japan. Nakanoshima is occupied by Ama-chō (海士町, Ama Town), and we will refer to it as such. This small island community is a world away from the bustling streets of Japan’s biggest cities. What makes Ama-chō stand out is that the people of this rural Japanese community have chosen to make it a model of self-sufficiency. By having the courage to conduct honest assessments of their declining economic and social situation, hard decisions were made and Ama-chō was able to achieve its goals. APIC believes Ama-chō can serve as a development model for many communities in the Caribbean and Pacific. In October 2019, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between Ama-chō and APIC. In the MoU, APIC commits to present the “Ama-chō Model” as a viable example of Japanese best practices for sustainable planning and community leadership to appropriate groups and individuals from the Caribbean and Pacific. Since the MoU was established, Ama- chō has welcomed over 10 of APIC’s invitees from the Pacific Island region to tour Ama-chō.
    [Show full text]
  • In Nishinoshima Town, Oki Islands, Japan
    In Japan Beef cattle farming inheriting traditional “makihata” in Nishinoshima No. 1 Town, Oki Islands, Shimane Prefecture, Japan 1. Regional Profile Geographical Country and Nishinoshima Town, Shimane Prefecture, Japan, East Asia Location Region Longitude and North Latitude 36° 05’ 37”, East Longitude 132° 59’ 4” (Nishinoshima Town hall) Latitude Geographical • Agricultural and fishing area Conditions • Approximately 600 km from Tokyo (capital) in straight-line distance • Approximately 80 km from Matsue City (prefectural capital) in straight-line distance Natural Topography and • Nishinoshima, being a volcanic island, is full of ups and downs. As bottoms of steep Environment Altitude mountain slopes directly touch the sea, there is little flatland. • The highest point in the town is 451.7 m above sea level. Climate • No weather station in Nishinoshima. In the neighboring town of Ama, the annual mean temperature is approximately 14.4°C and the annual precipitation is 1,662 mm. • The town falls under Cfa (humid subtropical climates) in the Koeppen climatic classification. Vegetation and • The vegetation of Nishinoshima Town is mainly forest with patches of pastureland. Soil • Forests consist mainly of secondary forests of evergreen broad-leaved trees (chinquapin/evergreen oak coppice) and Japanese black pine afforestation areas. • The volcanic Oki Islands have a thin layer of top soil with limited nutrition. Biodiversity and • Oki Islands are referred to as a biogeographically interesting region in which northern and Ecosystem southern faunas co-exist, and a variety of living organisms inhabit and grow. • Under such an environment, the extensive grassland used as pastures have a unique ecosystem where a diversity of grassland plants, grassland butterflies, coprophagous beetles, and others inhabit and grow, supported by a combination of the open natural environment near the sea and the production behavior of grazing.
    [Show full text]