Shikoku

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A map of Japan with the island of Shikoku highlighted in brown

Shikoku しこく (四国) is the smallest of Japan's four main islands.[1] About 4 million people live there, fewer than on any of the other main islands.

The island lies south of Honshu[2] and east of Kyūshū across the Kanmon Strait. A bridge connects it to Honshu.

Farming is a very important business in Shikoku. Citrus fruits are an important product. Shikoku is the home of the 88 Temple Pilgrimage of the Shingon sect of Buddhism.

Regions[change | change source]

Shikoku region covers the entire island.[3]

The name Shikoku literally means "four countries" in Japanese. Shikoku was made of four old "countries" or provinces that are now prefectures. In other words, each prefecture has a modern name and an old provincial name. The old names are still used sometimes, especially for foods, music, or art.

Cities[change | change source]

Points of interest[change | change source]

Castles[change | change source]

There are twelve original castles that are left in Japan and Shikoku is home to four of them.

  • Marugame Castle, Marugame
  • Kōchi Castle, Kochi
  • Matsuyama Castle
  • Uwajima Castle, Uwajima.

Temples and Shrines[change | change source]

The 88 Temple Pilgrimage is a famous but difficult 1,647-kilometer circle around the entire island. Serious pilgrims may choose to complete the 88 Temple Circuit on foot. Other people uses buses.

Related pages[change | change source]

References[change | change source]

  1. Library of Congress Country Studies, Japan (LOC),"Geography". Retrieved 2012-2-13.
  2. Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2002). "Shikoku" in Japan Encyclopedia, p. 857.
  3. LOC, "Shikoku". Retrieved 2012-2-13.
  4. Nussbaum, "Ehime" in Japan Encyclopedia, p. 170; Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO), Ehime Prefecture, Regional Information[permanent dead link]. Retrieved 2012-4-6.
  5. Nussbaum, "Kagawa prefecture" in Japan Encyclopedia, p. 446; JETRO, Kagawa Prefecture, Regional Information Archived 2013-01-27 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2012-4-6.
  6. Nussbaum, "Kōchi prefecture" in Japan Encyclopedia, p. 538; JETRO, Kōchi Prefecture, Regional Information Archived 2013-01-27 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2012-4-6.
  7. Nussbaum, "Tokushima prefecture" in Japan Encyclopedia, p. 980; JETRO, Tokushima Prefecture, Regional Information Archived 2013-01-27 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2012-4-6.

Other websites[change | change source]

Media related to Shikoku at Wikimedia Commons