Rishiri derives its name from the Ainu language, and means "high island", or "island with a high peak", a reference to the altitude of Mount Rishiri above sea level.[3][6]
Geography
Rishiri Island is located roughly 20 kilometres (12 mi) west of Hokkaido; Rebun Island is a further 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) to the northwest. Rishiri is roughly circular with a coastline of 63 kilometres (39 mi). The island spans 19 kilometres (12 mi) from north to south and 14 kilometres (8.7 mi) from east to west. Mount Rishiri rises to an altitude of 1,721 metres (5,646 ft) and provides a good source of fresh water; numerous small ponds and springs are located at the foot of the mountain.[3][7] The residents of Rishiri live in coastal communities, which are connected by a bus service that circumnavigates the island.[3]
The island is divided between two towns, Rishiri (population 2,304), on the south-west half of island and Rishirifuji (population 2,798) on the north-east half of island, both of which belong to Rishiri District, Sōya Subprefecture.[4][5]
These towns include the following communities, listed from the north side of the island, clockwise around:
Ranald MacDonald (1824-1894), first native English teacher in Japan, landed on Rishiri in 1848.
On February 7, 2013, Russian Sukhoi Su-27 fighter jets had been spotted above Japanese waters off Rishiri Island, and were pursued by four Mitsubishi F-2s.[11]
Economy
The economy of Rishiri Island formerly depended on the fishing of Pacific herring, but the herring stock is now mostly depleted. Rishiri Island is now noted for its production of dried kombu.[3][6]
Noted features
Pon-yama (444 metres (1,457 ft)) - a mountain top near north coast, nearby a site of non-coastal hiking camp on island
Other features of Rishiri Island include:
Cape Peshi on the East side of the port Oshidomari
^利尻島 [Rishiri Island]. Nihon Rekishi Chimei Taikei (in Japanese). Tokyo: Shogakukan. 2013. OCLC173191044. Archived from the original on 2007-08-25. Retrieved 2013-09-09.
^ abcde利尻島 [Rishiri Island]. Nihon Daihyakka Zensho (Nipponika) (in Japanese). Tokyo: Shogakukan. 2013. OCLC153301537. Archived from the original on 2007-08-25. Retrieved 2013-09-06.
^ ab人口 [Population] (in Japanese). Rishiri, Hokkaido: Town of Rishiri. 2013. Retrieved 2013-09-18.
^ ab人口 [Population] (in Japanese). Rishirifuji, Hokkaido: Town of Rishirifuji. 2013. Retrieved 2013-09-18.
^ ab利尻島 [Rishiri Island]. Nihon Kokugo Daijiten (in Japanese). Tokyo: Shogakukan. 2013. OCLC56431036. Archived from the original on 2007-08-25. Retrieved 2013-09-10.
^利尻島 [Rishiri Island]. Dijitaru Daijisen (in Japanese). Tokyo: Shogakukan. 2013. OCLC56431036. Archived from the original on 2007-08-25. Retrieved 2013-12-14.
^"Rishiri Island". BirdLife Data Zone. BirdLife International. 2021. Retrieved 1 February 2021.