Ikeshima or Ikejima (), also sometimes listed as Ike Island, is an island in
Nagasaki Prefecture
is a Prefectures of Japan, prefecture of Japan, mainly located on the island of Kyūshū, although it also includes a number of islands off Kyūshū's northwest coast - including Tsushima and Iki. Nagasaki Prefecture has a population of 1,246,4 ...
, Japan. Initially within the borders of Kamiura village, from 1955 until its merger with the city of
Nagasaki
, officially , is the capital and the largest Cities of Japan, city of Nagasaki Prefecture on the island of Kyushu in Japan.
Founded by the Portuguese, the port of Portuguese_Nagasaki, Nagasaki became the sole Nanban trade, port used for tr ...
in 2005, it was part of
Sotome municipality.
Thousands of coal miners who lived on the island were formerly employed there, representing the vast majority of its population. The coal mines opened in 1959 and closed in 2001. The number of miners was reported to be 8,000,
or over 10,000 at its peak.
As of 2021, only 111 individuals, mostly retired miners or their relatives, remained on the island.
Etymology
The island is named after the former pond on the island, named Kagamigaike. The pond was destroyed in favour of turning it into a port.
"Ike" () translates to pond, so a literal translation for Ikeshima would be "Pond Island".
Gallery
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References
External links
Exploration for Black Gold & The World Heritage "Church of the Sea"J-Trip Plan,
NHK
, also known by its Romanization of Japanese, romanized initialism NHK, is a Japanese public broadcasting, public broadcaster. It is a statutory corporation funded by viewers' payments of a television licence, television license fee.
NHK ope ...
, April 15, 2019 (video, 28 minutes)
Islands of Nagasaki Prefecture
Coal mines in Japan
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