Tokara Islands

The Tokara Islands are in Japan.

They are a chain of twelve small islands. Seven of these islands have people living on them.

Many kinds of birds live here. You might see green pigeons. You might see small birds too.

You can also see special horses. They are called the Tokara horse.

One island has a big mountain. It is called Goddess Mountain. It has a shape that looks like a name.

The islands sit in the sea. They are part of a large group of islands.

The Tokara Islands are a chain of twelve small islands.

They sit in the sea near Japan. The islands are part of the Nansei Islands. They lie between Yakushima and Amami-Oshima.

Only seven islands have people living on them. These islands belong to Toshima Village. Many kinds of birds live here. You might see green pigeons or robins.

You might also see small birds called leaf-warblers.

You can find special horses on the islands. They are called the Tokara horse.

One island is named Takarajima. It has a mountain called Megamiyama. This name means Goddess Mountain.

Some islands have big peaks. The highest point is on Nakanoshima. It is called Otake. It is 979 meters tall. Another island is Suwanosejima. It has a peak called Ontake. The islands have a long history. Long ago, different ruling families held the land. After World War II, the United States ran the islands. They later went back to Japan in 1952.

The Tokara Islands are a group of twelve small islands.

This chain sits in the Nansei Islands. They are part of the Satsunan Islands. These islands lie in the Ryukyu Archipelago. You can find them between Yakushima and Amami-Oshima.

The islands belong to Toshima Village in Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan. They are a special place in the Pacific Ocean. Many people find the area very interesting to study.

Nature is very busy on these islands.

BirdLife International calls this an Important Bird Area. Many different birds live here. You might see Japanese wood pigeons or Ryukyu green pigeons. There are also Ijima's leaf-warblers and Izu thrushes.

Ryukyu robins also live among the trees. The islands are home to the Tokara horse too.

This special horse lives on islands like Takarajima.

These islands have a very long history.

A book called Shoku Nihongi mentions an island named "Tokan" in the year 699. Some think this was the Tokara Islands. In the 15th and 16th centuries, the Shimazu clan held the land. The Ryukyu Kingdom also had control there. In 1611, the Ryukyu Kingdom gave the islands to Satsuma. Later, the islands became part of Jitto Village in 1908.

Rules for the islands changed after World War II.

In 1946, the United States military ran the islands. This included all islands south of the 30th parallel. However, three northern islands stayed under Japanese control. These were Iōjima, Kuroshima, and Takeshima. They were part of the village of Mishima.

The rest of the islands returned to Japan in 1952. Now, they are all part of Toshima Village.

The islands have many different shapes and sizes.

Nakanoshima has the highest peak called Otake. It reaches a height of 979 meters.

Suwanosejima has a peak named Ontake that is 796 meters tall. Akusekijima is another island in the group.

Takarajima is the southernmost inhabited island. It has a mountain called Megamiyama. This name means Goddess Mountain. The islands are a beautiful part of the Japanese sea.

The Tokara Islands are a chain of twelve small islands located in the Nansei Islands.

This archipelago is part of the Satsunan Islands. Those islands belong to the larger Ryukyu Archipelago. Geographically, the chain sits between the islands of Yakushima and Amami-Oshima. The entire group is part of Toshima Village in the Kagoshima Prefecture of Japan.

Because of their unique location and biology, they are a significant part of the Pacific Ocean region.

There are many theories regarding where the name "Tokara" originated. One theory suggests it comes from the word *tohara*. This term means a "distant sea area" when viewed from Okinawa. Another theory links the name to the Ainu word *tokap*. This word means "breast." This theory might relate to the shape of Megamiyama on Takarajima. Megamiyama is a mountain on the southernmost inhabited island. This name literally translates to "Goddess Mountain." A third theory suggests the name is a corruption of *takara*. This is similar to the name of the island Takarajima.

History shows that these islands have been recorded for many centuries. The *Shoku Nihongi* mentions an island called "Tokan" in the year 699. Most historians identify this "Tokan" with the Tokara Islands. However, some identify it with Tokunoshima, which is about 110 kilometers away. An even earlier text, the *Nihon Shoki*, mentions a "Tokara Country" in 654. This reference actually describes the Tokhara region in Central Asia. It does not refer to these Japanese islands. During the 15th and 16th centuries, the islands were controlled by two groups. The Shimazu clan of the Satsuma Domain and the Ryukyu Kingdom both held power there.

Political control of the archipelago shifted many times over the years. In 1611, the Ryukyu Kingdom ceded its territory in the islands to Satsuma. The Tokugawa Shogunate confirmed this change in 1624. In 1908, the islands were organized into Jitto Village. This name literally means "Ten Islands." At that time, seven of the islands were inhabited. After World War II, the administration changed again on February 2, 1946. All Satsunan islands south of the 30th parallel of latitude fell under United States military administration. This was part of the Provisional Government of Northern Ryukyu Islands.

During this period of military administration, the islands were split. The three northern inhabited islands remained under Japanese control. These islands are Iōjima, Kuroshima, and Takeshima. They were placed under the administration of Mishima village. The rest of the Tokara Islands eventually reverted to Japan on February 10, 1952. Today, the entire group is administered as Toshima Village.

The islands consist of various landforms with different heights and features. Nakanoshima is the highest island in the group. Its highest peak is Otake, which reaches 979 meters.

Suwanosejima is another significant island with a peak named Ontake. This peak stands 796 meters tall.

Other islands include Akusekijima, which has a peak called Mitake at 584 meters.

Takarajima is the southernmost inhabited island and features the Imakira-dake peak at 291.9 meters. The islands vary in size, from large landmasses like Nakanoshima to very small ones like Kojima.

The archipelago is biologically important for many different species. BirdLife International has named the islands an Important Bird Area (IBA). This status is due to the populations of several bird species. You can find Japanese wood pigeons and Ryukyu green pigeons here. The islands also support Ijima's leaf-warblers and Izu thrushes. Ryukyu robins are another species found in the area.

Additionally, the islands are home to the Tokara horse. This specific breed is especially associated with Takarajima.