Ōmishima Island

This article is about the island. For the municipality in Ehime Prefecture, see Ōmishima, Ehime.

Ōmishima Island

Native name: 大三島 Ōmishima
Miyaura port
Ōmishima Island Location in Japan
Geography
Location	Seto Inland Sea
Coordinates	34.244139°N 133.009627°E / 34.244139; 133.009627
Area	64.54 km2 (24.92 sq mi)
Length	12.8 km (7.95 mi)
Width	6.2 km (3.85 mi)
Coastline	88.8 km (55.18 mi)
Highest elevation	437 m (1434 ft)
Highest point	Washigatozan
Administration
Japan
Prefecture	Ehime
city	Imabari
Demographics
Population	23398 (1947)
Pop. density	363/km2 (940/sq mi)
Ethnic groups	Japanese

Ōmishima Island (大三島, Ōmishima) is the westernmost and largest island in Geiyo Islands chain accommodating Nishiseto Expressway connecting Honshu and Shikoku islands. Its coasts are washed by Seto Inland Sea. The island's highest peak is Washigatozan (鷲ヶ頭山) 437 m (1,434 ft) high.

Geography

Ōmishima is kidney-shaped and together with Ōsakikamijima on the west encloses the calm bay of Utena, where primary seaport of Miyaura is located. The island's Utena dam reservoir is the primary freshwater source for Ōmishima itself and nearby Hakata.

History

• 1541 - Tsuruhime fights Ōuchi Yoshitaka fleet
• 1874 - post office established
• 1979 - Ōmishima bridge connecting to Ehime Prefecture complete
• 1991 - Tatara Bridge connecting to Hiroshima Prefecture complete
• 16 January 2005 - the towns (including Ōmishima, Ehime) and villages of the island were merged into city of Imabari, Ehime

Transportation

Ōmishima is connected to the mainland of Honshu and Shikoku islands by bridges of Nishiseto Expressway (Shimanami Kaidō). Also, ferry is available to Ōsakikamijima, Okamura Island and Ōkunoshima (Rabbit Island). Ōmishima Island is served by the national Route 317.

Attractions

• The salt factory
• Historical and marine museum
• Ōyamazumi Shrine
• Toyo Ito Museum of Architecture, Imabari
• The entire Ōmishima Island is designated as a National Place of Scenic Beauty

Notable residents

• Shozo Fujita - historian
• Tsuruhime - priestess and warlord

External links

• Imabari city official site

References

• This article incorporates material from Japanese Wikipedia pages 大三島 and 大三島町, accessed 13 September 2017