| Tsushima 対馬市 |
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| — City — | |||
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| Location of Tsushima in Nagasaki | |||
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Tsushima
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| Coordinates: | |||
| Country | Japan | ||
| Region | Kyūshū | ||
| Prefecture | Nagasaki | ||
| Government | |||
| • Mayor | Yoshiyuki Matsumura | ||
| Area | |||
| • Total | 708.61 km2 (273.6 sq mi) | ||
| Population (2005) | |||
| • Total | 39,983 | ||
| • Density | 56.42/km2 (146.1/sq mi) | ||
| Time zone | Japan Standard Time (UTC+9) | ||
| City symbols | |||
| - Tree | Chionanthus retusus | ||
| - Flower | Azalea | ||
| - Bird | Ring-necked Pheasant | ||
| Website | City of Tsushima | ||
Tsushima (対馬市 Tsushima-shi) is a city governed by Nagasaki Prefecture, Japan. It is the only city of Tsushima Subprefecture and it encompasses all of Tsushima Island Archipelago, which lies in the Tsushima Strait north of Nagasaki on the western side of Kyūshū, the southernmost mainland island of Japan.
As of 2005[update] the city has an estimated population of 39,983 and a density of 56.42 persons per km². Its total area is 708.61 km², 17.3% of the area of Nagasaki Prefecture.
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The city of Tsushima is located on Tsushima Island and other small neighbouring islands, lying slightly to the west side of Tsushima Strait, south of the Sea of Japan and north-east of the East China Sea. The island also lies between South Korea and the Japanese mainland. Its coastline has a total length of 915 km. Aso Bay, a prominent bay with a rias coastline, is located between the islands. Tsushima lies about 60 km from Iki, 138 km from the city of Fukuoka, and 49.5 km from Busan, South Korea.
Several other islands encompass Tsushima city, in addition to Kamino-shima and Shimono-shima, both of which makes up the Tsushima Island(s):
Peculiar to the island is the Tsushima Cat. Present on the islands since ancient times, its numbers have decreased sharply, and it is now listed as an endangered species. As of 2009[update], it was estimated that only 80 to 100 animals remain.
On April 1, 1975, Toyotama village was promoted to the status of a town. Mine village was also elevated to the status of a town in the following year.
The city was established on March 1, 2004 by merging six towns on Tsushima Island:
The population of Tsushima Island has been decreasing significantly, as evidenced by the 5.2% decrease between the years of 1995 and 2000.[1] Nuclear families are replacing the traditional extended families, therefore, maintaining the number of households at a smaller population.[1] The elderly population makes up for nearly a quarter of the population, much higher than 20.8% of the Nagasaki Prefecture and the national average of 17.3%.[1] Religious traditions on Tsushima Island mirror those of the rest of Japan, with a majority of the population adhering to Buddhism or Shinto.
| Years | 1975 | 1980 | 1985 | 1990 | 1995 | 2000 |
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| Total Population | 52,472 | 50,810 | 48,875 | 46,064 | 43,513 | 41,230 |
| Age 0-14 | 14,449 | 12,845 | 11,615 | 10,050 | 8,352 | 6,834 |
| Age 15-64 | 33,028 | 32,528 | 31,376 | 29,264 | 27,145 | 25,001 |
| Age 65 & older | 4,995 | 5,437 | 5,884 | 6,735 | 8,016 | 9,395 |
| Households | 14,760 | 15,176 | 15,232 | 15,164 | 15,169 | 15,038 |
Tsushima is ideally located for fishing, and many Tsushima residents exploit this as fishermen. It is also famous for its pearl culture. The natural beauty of the Tsushima Islands ensures there is much to see and the tourism industry is quite substantial. Beaches are crowded with tourists in the summer.
Tsushima Island, encircled in crystal blue waters and rich with wildlife offers a unique tourist experience. Attracting mainly South Koreans, Tsushima offers some adventure packages catering primarily to South Koreans. These are generally guided adventure tours consisting of hiking and fishing. Vacation packages are generally booked through South Korean tour agencies. Local English speakers are extremely rare in Tsushima. Fortunately, some hotels offer a telephone English translating service. The port town of Izuhara (port of debarkation if arriving from Busan, South Korea) consists of a handful of modern hotels and pleasant restaurants. Seafood in Tsushima is divine. Seafood prices are reasonable, as the islands' primary industry is fishing. Most restaurants hold their seafood in the ocean contained within netted cages. Opposed to tanks and aquariums, this method is much more effective in maintaining freshness.
Tsushima has two sea ports, Izuhara and Hitakatsu. Ferries cross to the port of Hakata on Kyūshū a few times per day. Ferries also travel a few times a week to Busan in South Korea.
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