Iōtorishima

Iōtorishima (Japanese: 硫黄鳥島; Okinawan: トゥイシマ, Tuisima; Literal: "sulfur bird island") or Iwo Tori-shima, also called Okinawa Torishima (沖縄鳥島), is a volcanic island part of the Ryūkyū Island chain with the only^[1] active volcano in Okinawa Prefecture.

Aerial view of the Island.

Geography

Iōtorishima

Tokunoshima

Kumejima

Naha-shi

Iōtorishima (Ryukyu Islands)

Iotourishima is located 65 km west of Tokunoshima Island. On exceptionally clear days, Iōtorishima can be seen from the west coast of Tokunoshima.

The 2.50 km^2[2] large island consists of two interconnected volcanoes made from andesite. The southern Gusuku kazan (グスク火山, "Castle Volcano") is a lava dome located in the center of the two summits. The northern Iōdake-kazan (硫黄岳火山, "Sulfur Peak Volcano") is a stratovolcano whose crater consists of a small lake of sulfur. It is still active, although none of the recent outbreaks had explosive character.^[3][4] The highest point of the island is at 212 m, which belongs to Iōdake-kazan; the highest of the Gusuku kazan is the Maedake (前嶽) at 189.3 m.^[5]

History

Sulfur was mined by the inhabitants for centuries^[1] within the Kingdom of Ryukyu, and it was used as tribute to the Chinese Empire.^[6]

The first recorded eruption was in 1664, when a woman died from a landslide.^[7] In a series of eruptions and earthquakes from March to August 1903, all residents were temporarily moved 220 km to Kume Island, but were permanently relocated by June 1958; the final settlement had 86 inhabitants. Since then, the island has been uninhabited. In July 1968 there was another eruption.

Administratively, the island belonged to Gushikawa on Kume-jima, but merged in 2002 with Nakazato to the city Kumejima.

See also

• List of islands in Japan
• List of volcanoes in Japan

External links

Commons: Io-Torishima  - Collection of pictures, videos and audio files relating to the island.