Noshima

Noshima (能島) is a small, uninhabited island within the Geiyo Islands of the Japanese Inland Sea. Administratively, it forms part of the city of Imabari, Ehime Prefecture. In the late mediaeval period, the island was occupied by Noshima Castle and, together with the surrounding area, was the base of the Noshima Murakami, one of the three main houses of the Murakami kaizoku. In his Historia de Iapam, Luís Fróis described Noximadono (i.e., the lord of Noshima) as o mayor corsario de todo Japaõ, "the greatest corsair in all Japan". The island castle, together with tiny Taizakijima immediately to the south, has been designated a National Historic Site, and is an element of Japan Heritage "Story" #036, while Noshima is also afforded protection as a Class I Special Zone within Setonaikai National Park. There is no scheduled service to the island, which may be approached by a vessel chartered from Miyakubo Port (宮窪港) on nearby Ōshima.