Ōshima (Aomori)

Ōshima (Japanese: 大島（おおしま）, Hepburn: Ōshima) is a rocky island off the northern coast of Natsudomari Peninsula in Mutsu Bay. The island is a part of Hiranai in Aomori Prefecture. The island has 3 km (1.9 mi) of coastline and an area of 0.16 km2 (0.062 sq mi). It is a part of the prefecture-maintained, Asamushi-Natsudomari Prefectural Natural Park.

Ōshima
大島
Oshima Island as seen from Nastsudomari Peninsula
Ōshima
Geography
LocationMutsu Bay
Coordinates41°0′47.4″N 140°52′27.1″E
Area0.16 km2 (0.062 sq mi)
Coastline3 km (1.9 mi)
Administration
Japan
PrefectureAomori Prefecture
DistrictHigashitsugaru
MunicipalityHiranai

Geography

The island lies only 200 meters north of Natsudomari Peninsula in Mutsu Bay. It was once possible to walk from the island to the peninsula at low-tide, but erosion made this impossible over time.

The island is forested on its southern half, while its northern half is covered in grassland. The grassland was used for pastoral farming before the island was designated a natural park.

Geology

Ōshima is a sill that was formed underground when a volcano dominated the landscape of Natsudomari Peninsula during the Miocene.[1] The rock of the Ōshima sill is made up of dacite and rhyolite.[2]

History
Ōshima lighthouse with Mutsu Bay in the background

During the time the Tsugaru clan ruled the area, the island was known as Ōmasaki (大間崎, 大 Ō "large", 間 ma "space", and 崎 saki "cape"), reflecting that it was viewed as a cape historically rather than an island due to being able to walk to the island during low-tide.[3]

In May 1949, a lighthouse was built on the northern side of the island.[4] The island was designated as a part of Asamushi-Natsudomari Prefectural Natural Park in June 1953.[5]

Access

No automobile traffic is allowed on Ōshima. There is a parking lot along Aomori Prefecture Route 9 and bus stop for the Hiranai Town Bus on the northern tip of Natsudomari Peninsula that serves the vicinity of the island. The island is accessible from the peninsula by a concrete footbridge that connects to a trail that spans the length of the island.[6][7]

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References
  1. Fujio Uemura (1982). "Geology of the Asamushi District (Abstract in English)" (PDF) (in Japanese). Retrieved 27 May 2020.
  2. "GeomapNavi". Gelogical Survey of Japan. Retrieved 27 May 2020.
  3. "Mutsu-no-Kuni (Tsugaru-ryo)" (Map). National Archives of Japan. Retrieved 20 December 2018.
  4. Rowlett, Russ (24 January 2018). "Lighthouses of Japan: Aomori". University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Retrieved 20 December 2018.
  5. "青森県内の自然公園" [Natural Parks in Aomori Prefecture] (in Japanese). Aomori Prefecture. Retrieved 18 December 2018.
  6. "夏泊半島 大島" [Natsudomari Peninsula Ōshima] (in Japanese). Hiranai, Aomori. Retrieved 18 December 2018.
  7. "東田沢線[平内町民バス]-大島パーク" (in Japanese). Retrieved 20 December 2018.
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