Goto-retto

The Gotō Islands (五島列島, Gotō rettō^?), literally: "five-island archipelago") are Japanese islands in the East China Sea, off the western coast of Kyūshū. The islands are a part of Nagasaki Prefecture.

Goto Retto in relation to Nagasaki Prefecture

Geography

There are 140 islands in total, of which five islands are main: Fukuejima (福江島), Hisakajima (久賀島), Narushima (奈留島), Wakamatsujima (若松島), and Nakadōrijima (中通島).

The group of islands runs approximately 85 km (51 miles) end to end and its center is located at 32°45′03″N 128°27′30″E / 32.75083°N 128.45833°E / 32.75083; 128.45833. To the north is Tsushima Island in the Tsushima Strait, and to the east is Kyūshū and the rest of Nagasaki Prefecture. The island is about 100 km away from the port of Nagasaki. Tsushima Current (a branch of the Kuroshio) passes around the islands.

The southern of the two principal islands, Fukuejima, measures approximately 25 km north-to-south by 25 km east-to-west; the northern, Nakadōrijima, measures approximately 40 km north-to-south by 20 km east-to-west at its widest point. Most of Nakadorijima, however, is quite narrow, measuring less than 6 km wide for much of its length. Some dome-shaped hills command the old castletown of Fukue. The islands are highly cultivated; deer and other game abound, and trout are plentiful in the mountain streams.

As a result of a merger in 2004, the city of Gotō was established. It occupies Fukuejima, Hisakajima, Narushima, and seven other inhabited islands. The town of Shinkamigoto, itself the product of a 2004 merger, occupies Nakadōrijima and Wakamatsujima.

Demographics

Many of the inhabitants are descended from Christians of the Catholic-derived Kakure Kirishitan sect,^[1] and until recently Hanare Kirishitans still lived there, but the majority either returned to Catholicism after it was legalized in the 19th century or reverted to earlier practices. The islands have numerous Catholic churches, the oldest and most famous of which is Dozaki church, built in 1868 and located about 6 km north of Fukue port.

Products

Marine products, such as oysters, sea urchins, are main products of the island. Natural camellia oil of Fukuejima is famous in Japan for cosmetic use.

Transportation

• Goto-Fukue Airport (FUJ/RJFE)^[2]

Notes

External links

• (Japanese) Gotō Tourism site

This article incorporates text from the Encyclopædia Britannica, Eleventh Edition, a publication now in the public domain.