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Amakusa District, Higo
, which means "Heaven's Grass," is a series of islands off the west coast of Kyushu, the southernmost of the four main islands of Japan. Geography The largest island of the Amakusa group is Shimoshima Island, Amakusa, Shimoshima, which is 26.5 miles long and 13.5 miles at its widest (). It is situated at 32°20'N, 130°E, separated from the rest of Kumamoto Prefecture by the Yatsushiro Sea. While lacking high mountains with only four peaks surpassing , the island terrain is ruggedly hilly. To cope with the lack of flat arable land, farming is carried out on a terrace (agriculture), terrace system of tillage, cultivation. History Amakusa, along with the neighboring Shimabara Peninsula, became the site of the Shimabara rebellion in the 17th century, led by Christianity, Christians. Following the rebellion, Kakure Kirishitan, the Christians who had survived, continued to practice their faith in secret, despite severe persecution. Economy Amakusa produces a little coal a ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Yatsushiro Sea
The , which is also called the , is a shallow semi-enclosed inland sea separating the island of Kyūshū from the Amakusa Islands. It lies mostly within Kumamoto Prefecture and at the southern end of the sea it also borders Kagoshima Prefecture. To the north is the Ariake Sea; to the south, the East China Sea. Cities of note that lie on the Yatsushiro Sea include Yatsushiro itself and Minamata. Mercury pollution The sea was heavily polluted with mercury during the 1950s and 1960s from the Chisso Corporation's chemical factory in Minamata.Yoshida 2006. This highly toxic chemical bioaccumulated in shellfish and fish in the Yatsushiro Sea which, when eaten by the local populace, gave rise to Minamata disease. The pollution disease was responsible for the deaths and disabling of thousands of residents, all around the Yatsushiro Sea. The marine ecosystem was also extensively damaged. References Bibliography Yoshida, F. (2006). Environmental restoration of Minamata: new thinkin ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
