Aoshima, Miyazaki

Aoshima (青島, Aoshima) is an island located in Miyazaki, Miyazaki Prefecture, Japan. The island has a surface area of 4.4 hectares (10.9 acres) and a height of 6 metres (20 feet). The island is part of the Aoshima Shrine. Miyazaki′s Aoshima neigbbourhood consists of the island and the opposite coastal strip, where the Aoshima Subtropical Botanical Garden is located.[1]

This article is about the island in Miyazaki Prefecture, Japan. For the island in Ehime Prefecture, also known as "Cat Island", see Aoshima, Ehime.
An aerial image of Aoshima

Geologic

The island is surrounded by unique rock formations referred to as the Ogre's Washboard (鬼の洗濯板, Oni no Sentakuita).

A panorama of the 'Ogre's Washboard'.

Flora

The island is covered with the world's northernmost self-reproducing population of the fan palm, Livistona chinensis (Arecaceae), and is one of two places in Japan with a virgin forest of this indigenous species.[2]

Climate

Aoshima has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen climate classification Cfa) with hot summers and mild winters. Precipitation is significant throughout the year, and is heavier in summer, especially the months of June and July. The average annual temperature in Aoshima is 17.6 °C (63.7 °F). The average annual rainfall is 2,857.4 mm (112.50 in) with June as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 27.0 °C (80.6 °F), and lowest in January, at around 8.1 °C (46.6 °F).[3] The highest temperature ever recorded in Aoshima was 37.8 °C (100.0 °F) on 1 August 2013; the coldest temperature ever recorded was −4.8 °C (23.4 °F) on 27 February 1981.[4]

Climate data for Aoshima (1981−2010 normals, extremes 1977−2017)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 24.4
(75.9)		 24.4
(75.9)		 27.5
(81.5)		 31.6
(88.9)		 34.8
(94.6)		 34.9
(94.8)		 37.1
(98.8)		 37.8
(100.0)		 36.7
(98.1)		 32.0
(89.6)		 29.6
(85.3)		 24.3
(75.7)		 37.8
(100.0)
Mean maximum °C (°F) 19.3
(66.7)		 21.2
(70.2)		 22.8
(73.0)		 26.5
(79.7)		 29.5
(85.1)		 32.8
(91.0)		 34.9
(94.8)		 34.2
(93.6)		 32.6
(90.7)		 28.2
(82.8)		 24.7
(76.5)		 20.6
(69.1)		 35.4
(95.7)
Average high °C (°F) 12.2
(54.0)		 13.2
(55.8)		 15.9
(60.6)		 20.2
(68.4)		 23.5
(74.3)		 26.1
(79.0)		 30.4
(86.7)		 30.4
(86.7)		 27.5
(81.5)		 23.3
(73.9)		 18.8
(65.8)		 14.4
(57.9)		 21.3
(70.4)
Daily mean °C (°F) 8.1
(46.6)		 9.2
(48.6)		 12.0
(53.6)		 16.2
(61.2)		 19.8
(67.6)		 22.8
(73.0)		 26.7
(80.1)		 27.0
(80.6)		 24.4
(75.9)		 19.8
(67.6)		 15.0
(59.0)		 10.2
(50.4)		 17.6
(63.7)
Average low °C (°F) 4.3
(39.7)		 5.3
(41.5)		 8.2
(46.8)		 12.3
(54.1)		 16.1
(61.0)		 19.8
(67.6)		 23.5
(74.3)		 24.1
(75.4)		 21.5
(70.7)		 16.5
(61.7)		 11.4
(52.5)		 6.3
(43.3)		 14.1
(57.4)
Mean minimum °C (°F) −0.9
(30.4)		 −0.1
(31.8)		 1.8
(35.2)		 5.8
(42.4)		 11.5
(52.7)		 15.6
(60.1)		 20.4
(68.7)		 21.5
(70.7)		 16.9
(62.4)		 10.6
(51.1)		 4.9
(40.8)		 0.6
(33.1)		 −1.6
(29.1)
Record low °C (°F) −4.3
(24.3)		 −4.8
(23.4)		 −2.4
(27.7)		 1.9
(35.4)		 7.8
(46.0)		 12.8
(55.0)		 16.8
(62.2)		 18.8
(65.8)		 13.6
(56.5)		 4.5
(40.1)		 0.5
(32.9)		 −1.8
(28.8)		 −4.8
(23.4)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 80.8
(3.18)		 120.0
(4.72)		 226.3
(8.91)		 256.1
(10.08)		 283.3
(11.15)		 466.9
(18.38)		 276.5
(10.89)		 285.8
(11.25)		 392.5
(15.45)		 257.6
(10.14)		 136.8
(5.39)		 74.8
(2.94)		 2,857.4
(112.50)
Average precipitation days (≥ 1.0 mm) 6.3 7.3 11.8 11.4 11.6 15.9 11.2 13.2 13.2 9.1 7.0 5.0 123
Mean monthly sunshine hours 161.8 150.8 160.2 167.5 154.9 160.3 174.9 190.0 148.7 158.4 144.7 160.9 1,879
Source: Japan Meteorological Agency[4][3]

Access

The nearest railway station is Aoshima Station, on the Nichinan Line operated by JR Kyushu.

The Ogre's Washboard is visible from the Nichinan Line, and the Umisachi Yamasachi will slow to allow passengers to take pictures and for an announcement on the feature to take place.

References
  1. "Aoshima Island".
  2. "Exploring for Palms in Japan" (PDF). 14 February 2017. University of California Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources. Retrieved 24 December 2021
  3. 気象庁 / 平年値（年・月ごとの値）. JMA. Retrieved April 21, 2022.
  4. 観測史上1～10位の値（年間を通じての値）. JMA. Retrieved April 21, 2022.
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31.805044°N 131.475663°E / 31.805044; 131.475663


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