Hegura-jima
Hegura-jima (舳倉島[1]) is a small island located in the Sea of Japan at the far north of Ishikawa, Japan. It lies approximately 45 km from the mainland, and forms part of the township of Wajima.
The already sparse population dwindled in the first decade of the 21st century, the island having become, as of 2005, uninhabited. Hegura-jima (literally helm-storehouse island) is approximately 2 km by 1 km in size and can easily be walked around in less than an hour.
It is thought that Hegura-jima corresponds to the island called Neko no Shima (Isle of the Cat) in a tale found in Konjaku Monogatari (Tales of Times Now Past), an early 13th-century folktale collection.
Notable facts
There is a lighthouse on the island and a small minshuku. During the summer months female ama divers dive for awabi (abalone) for about 4–5 hours per day, following a long tradition that predates the use of wetsuits.[2] There is a small fishing port, and a ferry runs to Wajima on the mainland. The island is a haven for migratory birds, and attracts tourists for birdwatching.
References
- ↑ Teikoku's Complete Atlas of Japan, ISBN 4-8071-0004-1
- ↑ Mohri M, Torii R, Nagaya K, Shiraki K, Elsner R, Takeuchi H, Park YS, Hong SK (June 1995). "Diving patterns of ama divers of Hegura Island, Japan". Undersea & Hyperbaric Medicine : Journal of the Undersea and Hyperbaric Medical Society, Inc. 22 (2): 137–43. PMID 7633275. Retrieved 2013-04-06.
External links
- Island school website in Japanese
- Ferry Company "Hegura Kōro" in Japanese
Coordinates: 37°51′N 136°55′E / 37.850°N 136.917°E