Shikoku

Shikoku is an island in Japan.

It is the smallest of the four main islands. It sits near other islands like Honshu.

Rows of mountains run across the land. These mountains divide the island into two parts. Most people live in the north part.

Many people grow food on the island. They grow rice and wheat. They also grow sweet fruit like peaches.

You can eat tasty udon noodles here. The island is a very pretty place to visit.

Shikoku is a large island in Japan. It is the smallest of the four main islands. It sits south of Honshu. It sits northeast of Kyushu.

Mountains run across the island from east to west. These mountains split the land into two parts. The northern part faces the Seto Inland Sea. The southern part faces the Pacific Ocean. Most people live in the north. They live in four areas called prefectures. These are Ehime, Kagawa, Kōchi, and Tokushima.

Farmers grow many things here. They grow rice and wheat. They also grow fruit like peaches and grapes. Citrus fruits like yuzu are very common. In Kagawa, people eat Sanuki udon. This is a type of noodle soup.

The Yoshino River is the main river. It flows from Mount Ishizuchi to the sea. People go white-water rafting on this river. Shikoku has no active volcanoes today. It has many Buddhist temples too. You can even see dancers at the Yosakoi festival.

Shikoku is a very special island in Japan. It is the smallest of the four main islands in the country. You can find it sitting south of Honshu. It also sits northeast of the island of Kyushu.

The island is long and quite narrow. It has about 3.8 million people living there. This makes it the least populated of Japan's four main islands.

The land of Shikoku has a very interesting shape. Big mountains run from east to west across the middle. These mountains divide the island into two main parts. The northern part faces the Seto Inland Sea. The southern part faces the big Pacific Ocean. Most people live in the northern part of the island. This is where almost all of the larger cities are located.

Life on the island is shaped by the land and weather. In the north, farmers grow many kinds of fruit. You can find peaches, grapes, and citrus fruits like yuzu there. In the eastern parts, people plant rice and wheat. In Kagawa, people enjoy a famous noodle soup called Sanuki udon.

The southern area is much more mountainous and has fewer people. There, people use the mild winters to grow vegetables under plastic covers.

Nature provides many ways to explore the island. The Yoshino River is the largest river on Shikoku. It flows from near Mount Ishizuchi to the sea at Tokushima. People love to go white-water rafting on the river.

Unlike the other big islands in Japan, Shikoku has no active volcanoes. It did have volcanic activity a long time ago. One major volcano was active about 14 million years ago. Mount Ishizuchi is the highest mountain on the island.

Shikoku is also a place of many traditions. It is famous for an 88-temple pilgrimage. This was started by a Buddhist priest named Kūkai. Many people today travel by bus to visit these temples.

You can also see big festivals like the Awa Odori in August. In Kōchi, people celebrate the Yosakoi festival with many dancers. These events bring many tourists from all over the world to see the island.

Shikoku is the smallest of Japan's four main islands. It is a long and narrow landmass located south of Honshu. It sits northeast of the island of Kyushu.

The island is divided into four prefectures: Ehime, Kagawa, Kōchi, and Tokushima. These prefectures were once known as the provinces of Iyo, Sanuki, Tosa, and Awa. With a population of approximately 3.8 million, it is the least populated of the four main islands.

This makes Shikoku the 23rd most populated island in the world. It is also ranked as the 50th largest island globally by area.

The geography of Shikoku is defined by a central mountain range. These mountains run from east to west across the island. This range creates two distinct subregions. The northern subregion faces the Seto Inland Sea. The southern part of the island faces the Pacific Ocean. Most of the 3.8 million inhabitants live in the northern area. Almost all of the island's larger cities are located there as well. The southern region is much more mountainous and is sparsely populated. The only significant lowland in the south is a small alluvial plain at Kōchi.

Agriculture and industry vary depending on where you are on the island. In the north, the land is used very intensively. Large alluvial areas in the east are used for rice. These areas are often double-cropped with winter wheat and barley. This wheat production made Sanuki udon a vital part of the diet in Kagawa.

The northern area also produces many fruits like peaches, grapes, and citrus. In the south, mild winters allow for truck farming. Farmers use plastic coverings to grow out-of-season vegetables. The pulp and paper industry is also important here. This industry uses the island's abundant forests and hydroelectric power.

Shikoku's natural features include impressive mountains and rivers. Mount Ishizuchi is the highest peak on the island. It is located in Ehime Prefecture. The Yoshino River is the largest river on the island. It flows from near Mount Ishizuchi toward the east. It reaches the sea at the city of Tokushima. The Oboke and Koboke sections of the river are famous for white-water rafting.

Interestingly, Shikoku has no active volcanoes. This makes it different from the other three main islands of Japan. However, the island had volcanic activity in the prehistoric past. A major caldera was active near Mount Ishizuchi during the Miocene, about 14 million years ago.

The island is famous for its deep cultural traditions and religious history. Shikoku is well known for its 88-temple pilgrimage. This tradition was established by the Buddhist priest Kūkai during the Heian period. Legend says Kūkai still appears to pilgrims today. Many modern pilgrims travel by bus rather than on foot. They often wear white jackets with specific characters on them. The island also hosts vibrant festivals. The Awa Odori takes place in Tokushima during August. In Kōchi, the Yosakoi festival features many dancers and attracts many tourists.

Transportation has changed how people move around and connect to the mainland. For a long time, Shikoku was quite isolated. This isolation helped it keep original Japanese architectural techniques and vegetation. Today, the island is connected to Honshu by three expressways. These are part of the Honshū–Shikoku Bridge Project. The Kobe-Awaji-Naruto Expressway connects the island to the Kansai area. The Great Seto Bridge network has connected the central part of the island to Honshu since 1988.

Within the island, a web of highways and national routes connects the major cities. The Shikoku Railway Company also provides rail service across the island.

Modern life on the island includes diverse industries and sports. The Besshi copper mine has historically provided important ores for processing. There are also four regional airports serving the island. These include airports in Tokushima, Takamatsu, Kōchi, and Matsuyama. These airports connect residents to cities like Tokyo, Osaka, and even Seoul. In the world of sports, the Tokushima Vortis is a professional soccer team. Other cities have teams for baseball and football. Even in the niche field of darts, Shikoku has produced a world champion. Mikuru Suzuki is a two-time Women's World Champion from Takamatsu.