Tsushima

対馬つしまTsushima

Japan's border island in the Korea Strait

Tsushima is a mountainous island in the Korea Strait, part of Nagasaki Prefecture and only about 50 kilometres from Busan. For two millennia it has been Japan's gateway to the Korean peninsula, and its forests are the last home of the endangered Tsushima leopard cat.

Elevation: 649 mArea: 696 km²Quasi-national park · 1968

Overview

Tsushima lies in the middle of the Korea Strait, closer to the Korean coast than to Kyushu; on clear days Busan is visible from its northern tip. The island is about 82 kilometres long and almost entirely mountainous, with nearly nine-tenths covered by forest. Its central bay, Asō-wan, is a drowned valley of countless inlets and islets that nearly splits the island in two.

For most of Japanese history Tsushima was the intermediary between Japan and Korea. The Sō family, lords of the island from the 13th century to the Meiji era, managed trade and diplomacy with the Joseon court and escorted the Korean embassies (Chōsen tsūshinshi) to Edo. The island also bore the brunt of the Mongol invasions of 1274 and 1281.

Today Tsushima forms a single city of Nagasaki Prefecture. Its remoteness has preserved a distinctive fauna with continental affinities, most famously the Tsushima leopard cat, a Natural Monument.

Landscape and formation

Tsushima is formed of folded sedimentary rocks of the Taishū Group, intruded by granite. Low but steep mountains reach the sea almost everywhere. Asō Bay in the centre is a classic ria coast; canals cut in 1672 (Ōfunakoshi) and 1900 (Manzeki) link it to the eastern sea, dividing the island into upper and lower halves.

Highlights

Asō Bay
浅茅湾Asō-wan
Ria bay of forested inlets and islets, best seen from the Eboshi-dake observatory.
Watatsumi Shrine
和多都美神社Watatsumi Jinja
Shrine to the sea god on Asō Bay, with torii standing in the water.
Kaneda Fortress
金田城Kaneda no Ki
Korean-style mountain fortress built in 667 after the defeat at Baekgang, a Special Historic Site.
Korea Observatory
韓国展望所Kankoku Tenbōsho
Viewpoint at the northern tip from which the Korean coast can be seen in clear weather.
Komoda Beach
小茂田浜Komoda-hama
Beach on the west coast where Mongol-Korean forces landed in 1274; a shrine commemorates the defenders.

Ecology

Tsushima's wildlife shows links to the Asian continent. Species found nowhere else in Japan include the Tsushima leopard cat and the Tsushima marten, and continental plants reach their only Japanese foothold here. Migratory birds crossing the strait make the island a major birding site in spring and autumn.

Flora

Continental plants
Species such as the Chinese fringe tree (Hitotsubatago) grow wild on Tsushima.

Fauna

Tsushima leopard cat
ツシマヤマネコTsushima yamaneko
Subspecies of the Asian leopard cat found only on Tsushima, endangered and protected as a Natural Monument.
Tsushima marten
ツシマテンTsushima ten
Endemic subspecies of the Japanese marten, with a yellowish coat.

Culture

The island's culture mixes Japanese and Korean influences. Tsushima soba, made from an old buckwheat variety thought to be close to the one first brought to Japan, and rokubē noodles of sweet potato are local foods. The Sō family's temple Banshō-in holds their graves and memorials to the Korean embassies.

Banshō-in
萬松院Banshō-in
Family temple of the Sō lords in Izuhara, with stone stairs lined by ancient cedars.
Chōsen tsūshinshi
朝鮮通信使Chōsen tsūshinshi
Korean diplomatic missions to the shogunate, which the Sō escorted from Tsushima; their records are inscribed in UNESCO's Memory of the World register.

History

3rd century
The Chinese chronicle Wei Zhi records Tsushima as the first stage on the sea route from Korea to the land of Wa.
667
Kaneda Fortress is built as a frontier defence.
1274
Mongol and Korean forces land at Komoda during the first Mongol invasion; the island falls.
1281
The second Mongol invasion strikes Tsushima again.
1607
The first Korean embassy of the Edo period passes through Tsushima after the Sō restore relations.
1905
The Battle of Tsushima is fought in the strait nearby.
1968
Iki-Tsushima Quasi-National Park is designated.

Through the seasons

Spring

Migrating birds cross the strait; hitotsubatago blossoms in early May.

Summer

Sea kayaking in Asō Bay and beaches in the south.

Autumn

Clear air for views to Korea; autumn bird migration.

Winter

Mild but windy; squid and other seafood are in season.

Routes and trails

Asō Bay by kayak
Guided sea-kayak trips explore the sheltered inlets of the ria.
Shiratake
Hike to a 519 m rocky peak regarded as sacred, with views over Asō Bay.

Practical notes

Flights link Tsushima with Fukuoka and Nagasaki; jetfoils and ferries run from Hakata port, partly via Iki.
Ferries from Busan also serve the island.
A car is essential to see more than Izuhara; the island is long and roads are winding.
Drive slowly at night: leopard cats are frequently killed on roads.

Frequently asked questions

How close is Tsushima to Korea?

About 50 km from Busan at the nearest point; the Korean coast can be seen on clear days.

How do you get to Tsushima?

By plane from Fukuoka or Nagasaki, or by jetfoil or ferry from Hakata port in Fukuoka.

What is the Tsushima leopard cat?

A wild cat subspecies found only on Tsushima, endangered and protected as a Natural Monument.

Is Tsushima part of Kyushu?

It belongs to Nagasaki Prefecture in the Kyushu region, but lies in the Korea Strait between Kyushu and Korea.

Sources

1.全国都道府県市区町村別面積調（島面積） (opens in a new tab) — 国土地理院
2.対馬市 (opens in a new tab) — 対馬市
3.環境省（希少野生動植物の保護） (opens in a new tab) — 環境省