Nakadorijima

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Nakadorijima is an island in the Gotō Islands, Japanese islands in the East China Sea, off the western coast of Kyūshū. The islands are a part of Nagasaki Prefecture, Japan. Nakadorijima is often referred to as Kamigoto but this is a misnomer.

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[edit] Geography

The island is roughly the same shape as a left hand held with the thumb and index finger extended. Thus, it is relatively long and narrow. From Aokata, a centrally located village, it is about 30 kilometers (18 miles) through what would be your index finger to the northernmost tip of the island. This region is mostly Shinuonome Town. From Aokata through what would be the thumb, it is about 12 kilometers .5 miles) to the northeast tip of the island where a small airport is located. This region is made up of Arikawa Town. What would be the palm is made up of Arikawa and Kamigoto Towns. While these distances are relatively short, the island is very mountainous. The roads are quite narrow and very curvy. Thus, about twice the normal time is needed for driving.

[edit] History

Kamigoto has been subject to two distinct periods of prosperity. These were the era of active trade with China until the 13th century and a more recent whaling boom that lasted until about fifty years ago. Both of these periods made this small rural area quite famous throughout Japan. The island has many interesting artifacts from both of these periods.

In August 2004, the five towns which formerly made up Kamigoto merged into a new town, appropriately named Shin Kamigoto Town (Shin means "new"). The former towns are now referred to as areas or districts (chiku).

[edit] Tourism

In the summer, many Japanese tourists come to Kamigoto. Primarily they come to enjoy the very good fishing and beautiful ocean. The coastline is very rocky and convoluted. This makes it quite easy to scramble over the rocks in search of a secluded spot for fishing, snorkeling, or just a relaxing swim in the ocean. Due to the rocky coast and sandy sea bottom, the water is incredibly clear. On a sunny day, the water is a translucent, azure blue that rivals the Caribbean.

The fish caught from the shore are likely to be medium to small in size, and are very plentiful. Most trips are likely to be successful, especially if you can get some secrets about bait and methods from the natives. Actually, almost the entire male population of Kamigoto are fishing enthusiasts and unlike their western counterparts, are quite willing to explain the best methods. In addition, snorkelers will find numerous shellfish in the waters around the coast. The collection of small amounts for immediate consumption is allowed. One must be careful, however, not to upset an area which is being cultivated for commercial uses. These areas are marked by various types of buoys.

The beaches in Kamigoto are also very beautiful. The most popular of the beaches is Hamaguri-Hama, or Clam Beach. It is a sheltered, curved expanse of white sand and blue water stretching approximately 300m (975'). It is equipped with bathrooms, showers and a small fast food shop. The island is part of the Saikai National Park so in general, hiking and exploring are good, but one must be careful not to intrude on the many farms located on the island. Without a doubt, for nature lovers, Kamigoto is one of the best places to visit in Nagasaki Prefecture.

No trip to Kamigoto would be complete without a trip to one of the sushi shops or udon restaurants. Kamigoto is one of the premier places to eat sushi in Japan. It is very large, inexpensive, and the fish is probably only a few hours out of the ocean. In addition, Kamigoto is the home of a distinctive form of the common Japanese noodle, udon. The Kamigoto udon is hand-made and much thinner than normal udon. The soup is also made from Ago, or flying fish. This gives it a taste very different from udon found in other parts of Japan.

[edit] See also

  • Shinkamigoto, Nagasaki - Information of the merger of most of NakadoriJima's towns into one 'city'.
  • Gotō Islands - Information on the Island chain that NakadoriJima belongs to.

[edit] Source