, is one of the
Satsunan Islands, usually classed with the
Osumi Islands belonging to
Kagoshima Prefecture,
Japan. The island, 38.04 km² in area, has a population of 147. The island can only be reached by boat as it has no airport. There are regular ferry service with
Yakushima, which is about 15 km to the east. Travel time is approximately 1 hour. The islanders are dependent mainly on fishing, agriculture and seasonal tourism. The entire island is within the borders of the
Kirishima-Yaku National Park.