Shikoku ( 四国 , Shikoku , lit. ' four provinces ' ) , Japanese pronunciation: [ɕikokɯ] is the smallest of the four main islands of Japan . It is 225 km or 139.8 mi long and between 50 and 150 km or 31.1 and 93.2 mi at its widest. It has a population of 3.8 million, the least populated of Japan's four main islands. It is south of Honshu and northeast of Kyushu . Shikoku's ancient names include Iyo-no-futana-shima ( 伊予之二名島 ) , Iyo-shima ( 伊予島 ) , and Futana-shima ( 二名島 ) , and its current name refers to the four former provinces that make up the island: Awa , Tosa , Sanuki , and Iyo .
29-565: The Kurushima Kaikyō Bridge ( 来島海峡大橋 , Kurushima Kaikyō Ō-hashi ) , which connects the island of Ōshima to the main part of Shikoku , was the world's longest suspension bridge structure when completed, in 1999. The bridge is part of the Shimanami Kaidō , an expressway that spans a series of islands and connects Hiroshima Prefecture in Honshū to Ehime Prefecture in Shikoku. The bridge and
58-725: A humid subtropical climate ( Köppen climate classification Cfa ) with hot summers and cool winters. Precipitation is high, but there is a pronounced difference between the wetter summers and drier winters. The average annual temperature in Anan is 16.7 °C (62.1 °F). The average annual rainfall is 1,993.3 mm (78.48 in) with September as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 27.2 °C (81.0 °F), and lowest in January, at around 7.0 °C (44.6 °F). The highest temperature ever recorded in Anan
87-531: A directly elected mayor and a unicameral city council of 28 members. Anan contributes four members to the Tokushima Prefectural Assembly . In terms of national politics, the city is part of Tokushima 1st district of the lower house of the Diet of Japan . Anan was traditionally known for its production of edible bamboo shoots and bamboo products. In modern times, it has been associated with Nichia ,
116-433: A global LED and electronic materials manufacturer which has its headquarters and several factories in the city. Also in the city is the static inverter plant of Kii Channel HVDC system . Agriculture and commercial fishing also play a role in the economy. Anan has 22 public elementary schools and ten public middle schools operated by the city government and one public middle school and four public high schools operated by
145-503: A southern part facing the Pacific Ocean. The Hydrangea hirta species can be found in these mountain ranges. Most of the 3.8 million inhabitants live in the north, and all but one of the island's few larger cities are located there. Mount Ishizuchi ( 石鎚山 ) in Ehime at 1,982 m (6,503 ft) is the highest mountain on the island. Industry is moderately well developed and includes
174-439: A type of deep-fried tofu pockets seasoned with sugar, mirin, and soy sauce. A thin slice of kamaboko , a halfmoon-shaped fish cake, is often added. Shichimi can be added to taste. Another specialty is Kōchi 's signature dish, seared bonito . The warm climate of Shikoku lends itself to the cultivation of citrus fruits. As a result, yuzu , mikan and other citrus fruits are plentiful on Shikoku and have become synonymous with
203-433: Is Matsuyama (population: 507,137) and is the capital of Ehime Prefecture . Shikoku is the main island with the third largest population density, at 193 inhabitants per square kilometre (500/sq mi). Per Japanese census data, and, Shikoku region's peak population was at 1950 and has had negative population growth from 1950 to 1970 and 1990 onward. Shikoku has historically been quite isolated and therefore it has kept
232-488: Is a city in Tokushima Prefecture , Japan . As of 30 June 2022 , the city had an estimated population of 70,285 in 31313 households and a population density of 250 persons per km². The total area of the city is 279.25 square kilometres (107.82 sq mi). Anan is located in the southeastern part of Tokushima Prefecture and is the easternmost municipality on the island of Shikoku . The east faces
261-517: Is also famous for its 88-temple pilgrimage of temples. The pilgrimage was established by the Heian-period Buddhist priest Kūkai , a native of present-day Zentsūji-cho in Kagawa prefecture. According to legend, Kūkai still appears to pilgrims today. 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
290-543: Is just a little longer than the total length of the two tower Akashi Kaikyō Bridge , which is 3,911 metres (12,831 ft). Shikoku Shikoku Island, comprising Shikoku and its surrounding islands, covers about 18,800 square kilometres (7,259 sq mi) and consists of four prefectures : Ehime , Kagawa , Kōchi , and Tokushima . Across the Seto Inland Sea lie Wakayama , Osaka , Hyōgo , Okayama , Hiroshima , and Yamaguchi Prefectures on Honshu . To
319-449: Is the largest of Japan's islands to completely lack them. But Shikoku did experience volcanic activity in the distant prehistoric past; a major volcanic caldera in the area of Mount Ishizuchi was active during the Miocene around 14 million years ago and the small volcanic cone of Mount Iino at an unknown date. Shikoku has a total population of 3,630,320 in 2022. The largest city
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#1733092685993348-590: 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 Honshu by ferry, air, and – since 1988 – by the Great Seto Bridge network. Until completion of
377-743: The Kii Channel and the Pacific Ocean , and is the northern end of Muroto-Anan Kaigan Quasi-National Park . The city is at the mouth of the Naka River, which is the longest river in the prefecture, and the Kuwano River runs through the city. The city has two main urban centers: the Tokushima district, which is a former castle town , and the Tachibana district, which is a port city. Tokushima Prefecture Anan has
406-648: The Kofun period , and archaeologists have found many kofun burial mounds and the traces of Japan's oldest cinnabar mine. During the Edo period , the area was part of the holdings of Tokushima Domain ruled by the Hachisuka clan from their seat at Tokushima Castle . Following the Meiji restoration , it was organized into 17 villages within Naka District, Tokushima with the creation of
435-755: The Oboke Koboke sections of the river. Shikoku has four important capes: Gamōda in Anan, Tokushima on the easternmost point on the island, Sada in Ikata, Ehime on the westernmost point. Muroto in Muroto, Kōchi and Ashizuri, the southern extreme of Shikoku, in Tosashimizu, Kōchi , jut into the Pacific Ocean. The island's northernmost point is in Takamatsu . Unlike the other three major islands of Japan, Shikoku has no active volcanoes, and
464-409: The bridges, the region was isolated from the rest of Japan. The freer movement between Honshu 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
493-565: The characters reading dōgyō ninin ( 同行二人 ) 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. Kōchi Prefecture is home to the first annual Yosakoi festival. The largest festival in Kōchi, it takes place in August every year and attracts dancers and tourists from all over Japan. One of
522-484: The diet in Kagawa Prefecture (formerly 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 Kōchi , 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
551-570: The expressway were both conceived by the Honshū-Shikoku Bridge Project . The Kurushima Kaikyō Bridge consists of three successive suspension bridges with six towers and four anchorages. There is a shared anchorage that joins each suspension bridge to the next. Its construction is similar to the western portion of San Francisco–Oakland Bay Bridge which is two successive suspension bridges with four towers and one shared anchorage. The bridge's total length of 4,015 metres (13,173 ft),
580-905: The island and connects to Honshu via the Great Seto Bridge . JR lines include: Private railway lines operate in each of the four prefectures on Shikoku. Shikoku lacks a full international airport but has four regional/domestic airports ( Tokushima Airport , Takamatsu Airport , Kōchi Ryōma Airport 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. Sea Travel Ferries link Shikoku to destinations including Honshu, Kyushu , and islands around Shikoku. 33°45′N 133°30′E / 33.750°N 133.500°E / 33.750; 133.500 Anan, Tokushima Anan ( 阿南市 , Anan-shi )
609-403: The major foods of Shikoku is udon . Udon is often served hot as a noodle soup in its simplest form, as kake udon , in a mildly flavoured broth called kakejiru , which is made of dashi , soy sauce ( shōyu ), and mirin . It is usually topped with thinly chopped scallions. Other common toppings include tempura , often prawn or kakiage (a type of mixed tempura fritter ), or aburaage ,
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#1733092685993638-595: The major teams competing in Shikoku's major cities include: Two time darts Women's World Champion Mikuru Suzuki is a native of Takamatsu in Kagawa Prefecture on Shikoku. Shikoku is connected to Honshu by three expressways , which together form the Honshū–Shikoku Bridge Project . The eastern gateway to Shikoku, Naruto in Tokushima Prefecture has been linked to the Kobe-Awaji-Naruto Expressway since 1998. This line connects Shikoku to
667-414: The modern municipalities system on October 1, 1889, including the villages of Tomioka and Tachibanaura. Tomioka was raised town status in 1905 and Tachibanaura became Tachibana town in 1912. The two towns merged on May 1, 1958 to form the city of Anan. On March 20, 2006, the towns of Hanoura and Nakagawa (both from Naka District ) were merged into Anan. Anan has a mayor-council form of government with
696-418: The original characteristics of Japan for a longer period, especially in regards to vegetation and some architectural techniques. There are many Buddhist temples. The "lost" Shikoku has been described by an American writer, Alex Kerr , who lived in a remote mountain village near Oboke (大歩危) for many years from 1970 onwards. Ashizuri-Uwakai National Park is located in the south-west part of Shikoku. Shikoku
725-444: 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
754-433: The regions they are grown in. Pioneering natural farmer Masanobu Fukuoka , author of The One-Straw Revolution , developed his methods here on his family's farm. Historically no Shikoku-based sports team has competed in the top Japanese division of baseball , football (soccer) or even rugby union . However, Tokushima Vortis have had two spells in the top flight of Japanese soccer ( J1 ) in 2014 and 2021. Currently
783-524: The southern area. The pulp and paper industry took advantage of the abundant forests and hydroelectric power. The major river in Shikoku is the Yoshino River . It runs 196 km (121.8 mi) from its source close to Mount Ishizuchi , flowing basically west to east across the northern boundaries of Kōchi and Tokushima Prefectures, reaching the sea at the city of Tokushima. The Yoshino is famous for Japan's best white-water rafting, with trips going along
812-408: The west lie Ōita and Miyazaki Prefectures on Kyushu . Shikoku is ranked as the 50th largest island by area in the world. Additionally, it is ranked as the 23rd most populated island in the world, with a population density of 193 inhabitants per square kilometre (500/sq mi). Mountains running east and west divide Shikoku into a narrow northern subregion, fronting on the Seto Inland Sea , and
841-407: Was 36.3 °C (97.3 °F) on 11 August 2013; the coldest temperature ever recorded was −4.9 °C (23.2 °F) on 26 February 1981. Per Japanese census data, the population of Anan in 2020 is 69,470 people. Anan has been conducting censuses since 1920. As with all of Tokushima Prefecture, the area of Anan was part of ancient Awa Province . The Naka River valley was settled since at least
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