Hikoshima

Hikoshima (彦島) (also called Hikishima (引島) in Nihon Shoki) is an island on the south-west tip of Honshu, Japan.

Geography
The island is irregularly shaped and hilly. The strait, as narrow as 40 m, separates the island from the main island of Honshu. The parts of sprawling city of Shimonoseki occupy the most of the island, making it the most populous minor island in Yamaguchi Prefecture, albeit only sixth in size by area.

Transportation
The island is connected to the Japanese mainland of Honshu by three bridges, one above ship lock. Kanmon Railway Tunnel connects island to Kyushu, but San'yō Main Line has no stop-overs on island, nearby station being the Shimonoseki Station in the downtown area. Also, bridge connection exist to the small 竹の子島 (Takenoko-jima) on the north-western tip of the Hikoshima.

History
The island was inhabited since prehistory, as evidenced by petroglyphs found in 1918. Following the Battle of Dan-no-ura, the refugees from the Taira clan has migrated to island and set the basis for the local agriculture. The island was an important site of Shimonoseki Campaign in 1863-1864 when it was much feared the island would become the Japanese variant of Hong Kong. The island industrialization began in 1924 with the building of ammonium sulphate plant with German license in 1924. Currently island is heavily populated and industrialized, including shipyard and titanium&zinc smelter.

Attractions

 * Fossil-rich cliffs

Notable residents

 * Michiyo Kogure - film actress
 * Shinji Yamashita - actor
 * Atsushi Tamura - comedian
 * Shinobu Otowa - enka singer
 * Hideo Fujimoto - baseball pitcher
 * Masashi Nishiyama - judoka