# Takarajima

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{{Short description|Island within the Ryukyu Islands}}
{{about|the island|other uses|Takarajima (disambiguation)}}
{{More citations needed|date=December 2024}}
{{Infobox Islands
| name               = Takarajima
| image_name         = takarajima_zenkei.JPG
| native_name        = {{langx|ja|宝島}}
| native_name_link   = 
| image_caption      = 
| image_size         = 
| map_image          = Tokara-eilanden.png
| map_caption        = 
| location           = [East China Sea](/source/East_China_Sea)
| coordinates        = {{Coord|29|08|N|129|12|E|type:isle}}
| archipelago        = [Tokara Islands](/source/Tokara_Islands)
| total_islands      = 
| major_islands      = 
| area_km2           = 7.14
| length_km          = 
| width_km           = 
| coastline_km       = 13.77
| highest_mount      = Imakiradake
| elevation_m        = 291.9
| country            = Japan
| country_admin_divisions_title = 
| country_admin_divisions = Kagoshima Prefecture
| population         = 124
| population_as_of   = 2024
| density_km2        = 16.25
| ethnic_groups      = [Japanese](/source/Japanese_people)
| additional_info    = 
}}
{{Nihongo|'''Takarajima'''|宝島| }}, literally "treasure island", is one of the [Tokara Islands](/source/Tokara_Islands), belonging to [Kagoshima Prefecture](/source/Kagoshima_Prefecture). The island, 7.14&nbsp;km² in area, had a population of 147 persons as of 2020 census data.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-03-28 |title=第3期十島村まち・ひと・しごと創生総合戦略の策定について |trans-title=Formulation of the 3rd Toshima Village Town, People, and Job Creation Comprehensive Strategy |url=http://www.tokara.jp/2025/03/28/24781/ |access-date=2025-09-09 |website=十島村公式サイト |language=ja}}</ref> The island can be reached only by boat as it has no airport, though there is a helipad that may be used in emergencies. There is regular ferry service to the city of Kagoshima on the mainland of [Kyushu](/source/Kyushu), and the city of Nase on the island of Amami Ōshima. Travel time to the mainland is about 13 hours while it is only about 3 hours to Amami.<ref>{{Cite web |title=フェリー運航予定 |trans-title=Ferry Operation Schedule |url=http://www.tokara.jp/ferry/ |access-date=2025-09-09 |website=十島村公式サイト |language=ja}}</ref> The islanders are dependent mainly on fishing and seasonal tourism.

==Geography==
Takarajima is the southernmost inhabited island in the Tokara archipelago, and is located {{convert|366|km|nmi}} from [Kagoshima Port](/source/Kagoshima%2C_Kagoshima) and {{convert|90|km|nmi}} north from [Amami Ōshima](/source/Amami_%C5%8Cshima). The highest peak, Imakiradake has a height of {{convert|292|m|ft}} above sea level The island is surrounded by a [coral reef](/source/coral_reef). Its climate is classified as subtropical, with a rainy season from May through September.

==History==
Numerous ceramic shards and the foundations of dwellings from the late [Jōmon period](/source/J%C5%8Dmon_period) and [Yayoi period](/source/Yayoi_period) indicate that Takarajima has been continuously inhabited for at least the past 2000 years. Until 1624, the island was part of the [Ryukyu Kingdom](/source/Ryukyu_Kingdom).

During the [Edo period](/source/Edo_period), Takarajima was part of [Satsuma Domain](/source/Satsuma_Domain) and was administered as part of [Kawabe District](/source/Kawanabe_District%2C_Kagoshima). In August 1824, a British ship violated Japan’s [national seclusion policy](/source/sakoku) and sent a landing party of 20-30 men, who attempted to steal cattle from the islanders. In the ensuing conflict, one British sailor was killed. The incident was one of the contributing factors to the [Tokugawa Shogunate](/source/Tokugawa_Shogunate) issuing the [Edict to Repel Foreign Vessels](/source/Edict_to_Repel_Foreign_Vessels) in 1825. The incident was also the subject of a novel by modern writer [Akira Yoshimura](/source/Akira_Yoshimura).

In 1896, the island was transferred to the administrative control of [Ōshima District, Kagoshima](/source/%C5%8Cshima_District%2C_Kagoshima), and from 1911 was part of the village of [Toshima, Kagoshima](/source/Toshima%2C_Kagoshima). From 1946-1952, the island was administered by the [United States](/source/United_States) as part of the Provisional Government of Northern Ryukyu Islands.

==References==
{{Reflist}}
*National Geospatial Intelligence Agency (NGIA). ''Prostar Sailing Directions 2005 Japan Enroute''. Prostar Publications (2005). {{ISBN|1577856511}}

== External links ==
{{commons category}}
*[http://www.tokara.jp/profile/takara.html Official home page]

{{Tokara Islands}}
{{Ryukyu Islands}}

Category:Tokara Islands
Category:Islands of Kagoshima Prefecture

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Takarajima](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Takarajima) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Takarajima?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.