 Shikoku (四国,
しこく, Shikoku "four countries") -
The smallest (225km long and between 50km and 150km wide)
and least populous (4,141,955 as of 2005) of the four main
islands of Japan, located south of Honshū and east of Kyūshū
island. Its ancient names include Iyo-no-futana-shima
(伊予之二名島), Iyo-shima (伊予島), and Futana-shima (二名島). The
current name refers to the four former provinces which made
up the island: Awa, Tosa, Sanuki, and Iyo.
The Shikoku region, comprising Shikoku and its surrounding
islets, covers about 18,800 km² and consists of four
prefectures: Ehime, Kagawa, Kochi, and Tokushima. Across the
Inland Sea lie Wakayama, Osaka, Hyōgo, Okayama, Hiroshima,
and Yamaguchi Prefectures on Honshū. To the west lie Ōita
and Miyazaki Prefectures on Kyūshū.
Mountains running east and west divide Shikoku into a narrow
northern subregion, fronting on the Inland Sea, and a
southern part facing the Pacific Ocean. Most of the 4.5
million inhabitants live in the north, and all but one of
the island's few larger cites are located there. Mount
Ishizuchi (石鎚山) in Ehime at 1982m is the highest mountain on
the island. Industry is moderately well developed and
includes the processing of ores from the important Besshi
copper mine. Land is used intensively. Wide alluvial areas,
especially in the eastern part of the zone, are planted with
rice and subsequently are double cropped with winter wheat
and barley. Fruit is grown throughout the northern area in
great variety, including citrus fruits, persimmons, peaches,
and grapes. Because of wheat production Sanuki udon (讃岐うどん)
became an important part of the diet in Kagawa Prefecture
(former Sanuki Province) in the Edo period.
The larger southern area of Shikoku is mountainous and
sparsely populated. The only significant lowland is a small
alluvial plain at Kochi, the prefectural capital. The area's
mild winters stimulated some truck farming, specializing in
growing out-of-season vegetables under plastic covering. Two
crops of rice can be cultivated annually in the southern
area. The pulp and paper industry took advantage of the
abundant forests and hydroelectric power.
Shikoku has four important capes. Gamōda in Anan, Tokushima
is the easternmost point on the island, and Sada in Ikata,
Ehime the westernmost. Muroto in Muroto, Kochi and Ashizuri,
the southern extreme of Shikoku, in Tosashimizu, Kochi, jut
into the Pacific Ocean. The island's northernmost point is
in Takamatsu, Kagawa.
Shikoku is connected to Honshū by three expressways.
Kobe-Awaji-Naruto Expressway (Eastern Shikoku)
Seto-Chūō Expressway (Central Shikoku)
Nishiseto Expressway (Western Shikoku)
The eastern gateway to Shikoku, Naruto City in Tokushima
Prefecture has been linked to the Kobe-Awaji-Naruto
Expressway since 1998. This line connects Shikoku to the
Kansai area which has a large population, including the
large conurbations of Osaka, Kyoto and Kobe. Therefore, the
Kobe-Awaji-Naruto Expressway carries a large traffic volume.
Many highway buses are operated between Kansai and Tokushima
Prefecture.
The central part of Shikoku is connected to Honshū by ferry,
air and since 1988, by the Great Seto Bridge network. Until
completion of the bridges, the region was isolated from the
rest of Japan. The freer movement between Honshū and Shikoku
was expected to promote economic development on both sides
of the bridges, which has not materialized yet.
Within the island, a web of national highways connects the
major population centers. These include Routes 11, 32, 33,
55, and 56.
The Shikoku Railway Company (JR Shikoku) serves the island.
JR lines include:
Yosan Line
Dosan Line
Kōtoku Line
Tokushima Line
Mugi Line
Naruto Line
Uchiko Line
Yodo Line
Honshi Bisan Line
Seto Ōhashi Line
Private railway lines operate in each of the four
prefectures on Shikoku.
Shikoku lacks a full international airport but has 4
regional airports (Tokushima, Takamatsu, Kochi-Ryoma and
Matsuyama Airport). All of these airports have flights to
Tokyo and other major Japanese cities such as Osaka, Nagoya,
Sapporo, and Fukuoka. International flights to Seoul, South
Korea are serviced by Asiana Airlines from Matsuyama and
Takamatsu. There are periodic international charter flights
as well.
Ferries link Shikoku to destinations including Kyūshū and
islands around Shikoku.
Shikoku is also famous for its 88-temple pilgrimage of
temples associated with the priest Kūkai. Most modern day
pilgrims travel by bus, rarely choosing the old-fashioned
method of going by foot. They are seen wearing white jackets
emblazoned with the characters reading dōgyō ninin meaning
"two traveling together".
Tokushima Prefecture also has its annual Awa Odori running
in August at the time of the Obon festival, which attracts
thousands of tourists each year from all over Japan and from
abroad.
Information source: “Shikoku.” wikipedia.org. Article date:
31 Jan. 2008. Retrieved: Wikipedia. 2 Feb. 2008 <Shikoku>.
Video - The following is someone's travel video
to Shikoku. Enjoy. |
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