is a

town A town is a human settlement. Towns are generally larger than villages and smaller than cities, though the criteria to distinguish between them vary considerably in different parts of the world. Origin and use The word "town" shares an o ...

located on

Tokunoshima , also known in English as is an island in the Amami archipelago of the southern Satsunan Islands of Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan. The island, in area, has a population of approximately 27,000. The island is divided into three administrative ...

, in Ōshima District,

Kagoshima Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan located on the island of Kyushu and the Ryukyu Islands. Kagoshima Prefecture has a population of 1,599,779 (1 January 2020) and has a geographic area of 9,187 km2 (3,547 sq mi). Kagoshima Prefecture borders Kumamoto P ...

Japan Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the n ...

. As of June 2013, the town has an estimated

population Population typically refers to the number of people in a single area, whether it be a city or town, region, country, continent, or the world. Governments typically quantify the size of the resident population within their jurisdiction usi ...

of 6,594 and a

population density Population density (in agriculture: standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical term.Matt RosenberPopu ...

of 105 persons per km². The total area is 62.70 km². Isen is known for its abundant nature, long-lived residents, and

Tōgyū also known as ''ushi-zumo'' or Bull sumo, is a spectator sport native to the Ryukyu Islands of Japan (Okinawa Prefecture and the Amami Islands of Kagoshima Prefecture). It is also held in other regions of Japan, such as Iwate Prefecture, Niigata ...

(bullfighting).

Geography

Isen occupies the southern tip of the island of Tokunoshima, with the

East China Sea The East China Sea is an arm of the Western Pacific Ocean, located directly offshore from East China. It covers an area of roughly . The sea’s northern extension between mainland China and the Korean Peninsula is the Yellow Sea, separated ...

to the west and Pacific Ocean to the east.

Climate

The climate is classified as

humid subtropical A humid subtropical climate is a zone of climate characterized by hot and humid summers, and cool to mild winters. These climates normally lie on the southeast side of all continents (except Antarctica), generally between latitudes 25° and 40° ...

(

Köppen climate classification The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by German-Russian climatologist Wladimir Köppen (1846–1940) in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen, nota ...

''Cfa'') with very warm summers and mild winters (average temperature ). Precipitation is high throughout the year, but is highest in the months of May, June and September. Because of its climate, tropical and sub-tropical fruits are in abundance.

Surrounding municipalities

* Amagi

History

The early history of Isen is difficult to trace, as there was no formal writing system. Archaeological sites have revealed historic ruins (pottery and tools) dating back 30,000 years. The now famous "Kamuiyaki" historic ruins were discovered in 1983 and declared a

national historic landmark A National Historic Landmark (NHL) is a building, district, object, site, or structure that is officially recognized by the United States government for its outstanding historical significance. Only some 2,500 (~3%) of over 90,000 places liste ...

in 2006. The findings suggest that the

Sue ware was a blue-gray form of stoneware pottery fired at high temperature, which was produced in Japan and southern Korea during the Kofun, Nara, and Heian periods of Japanese history. It was initially used for funerary and ritual objects, and origina ...

pottery that spread around the Ryukyu Islands and up into the Kyushu mainland were largely made in Tokunoshima. On April 1, 1908 Shimajiri Village was founded; it was renamed Isen on June 29, 1921. As with all of Tokunoshima, the village came under the administration of the United States from 1 July 1946 to 25 December 1953. On 1 January 1962, Isen was upgraded to town status.

Economy

While mountainous in the north, the majority of land is relatively flat and arable, making Isen a prime location for agriculture. Isen's main agricultural products include

sugar cane Sugarcane or sugar cane is a species of (often hybrid) tall, perennial grass (in the genus '' Saccharum'', tribe Andropogoneae) that is used for sugar production. The plants are 2–6 m (6–20 ft) tall with stout, jointed, fibrous stalk ...

, potatoes, pumpkins, horticulture, and fruit trees.

Education

Isen has eight elementary and three junior high schools.

Local attractions

Isen has numerous sightseeing locations, including the Kamyuiki Ruins, Cape Inutabu, Yamamoto War Memorial, Seta-umi Beach, Kinenbama Beach, and a historical museum showcasing many of the archaeological discoveries found in Isen. Among historical sites is

Shigechiyo Izumi was a Japanese centenarian who was titled the oldest living person after the death of Niwa Kawamoto on 16 November 1976, also from Japan. His case was initially verified by ''Guinness World Records'', who titled him the oldest man ever, but Gu ...

's (泉重千代) grave site. Shigechiyo was Isen's oldest resident, being born on June 29, 1865 and dying February 21, 1986, making him 120 years old at the time of his death. He was inducted into the ''Guinness Book of World Records'' for being the oldest living person alive; however subsequent research has brought into question his birth date. He is now widely considered to have lived until he was 105 years old, putting his real birthday as June 29, 1880. Isen is also famous for ''

'' (bullfighting). Different from western bullfighting, in Tōgyū two bulls fight each other while people cheer them on. There are four main tournaments held every year: January (New Year Tournament), May (Golden Week Tournament), August, and October (All Tokunoshima Championship)

Noted people from Isen

– Japanese centenarian

Notes

External links

Isen official website
{{Authority control Towns in Kagoshima Prefecture Populated coastal places in Japan