A Guide To The 3000 Plus Islands Of Japan
The archipelago of Japan is made up of more than a staggering 3000 islands, including its four main islands which from north to south are:
1. Hokkaidō
2. Honshū
3. Shikoku
4. Kyūshū
There is also the Ryūkyū Islands which is a chain of Japanese islands that stretch southwest from the island of Kyūshū to the island of Taiwan.
The Ryūkyū Islands are part of Okinawa which is the fifth largest island except for the disputed northern territories to the northwest of Hokkaido.
Japan has more than 3,000 other small islands.
These are the four disputed Kuril Islands.
- Etorofu
- Shikotan
- Habomai
- Kunashiri
Islands in the Sea of Japan
- Liancourt Rocks (Takeshima/Dokdo) – disputed
- Oki
- Okushiri
- Rishiri
- Rebun
- Sado
- Terui
- Todo Island
- Yagishiri
- Mitsukejima
Islands in the Pacific Ocean
- Izu Islands
- Aogashima
- Hachijō
- Toshima
- Izu Ōshima
- Kōzu
- Shikine
- Miyake
- Mikura
- Niijima
- Tori Shima
- Ogasawara Islands
- Chichi
- Haha
- Iwo
- Minami Torishima (Marcus Island)
- Okino Torishima (Parece Vela)
- Enoshima
Islands around Kyūshū
Most of these are located in the East China Sea.
- Amakusa
- Gotō Islands
- Hirado
- Hashima
- Iki
- Koshiki
- Tsushima
Ryukyu Islands
- Amami Ōshima
- Miyako
- Okinawa Island (Okinawan main island)
- Senkaku Islands – disputed
- Tanegashima
- Yaeyama Islands Izu Islands
- Iriomote
- Ishigaki
- Yaku
- Daito
Islands in the Inland Sea
- Awaji
- Etajima
- Itsukushima (popularly known as “Miyajima”)
- Shōdoshima
Islands in lakes
- Daikon-island
Artificial islands
- Chūbu Centrair International Airport
- Dejima
- Kansai International Airport
- Kobe Airport
- Odaiba
- Port Island
- Rokko Island
