Awaji Island

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Lore & Background

According to the creation myth in Shinto, Awaji was the first of the ōyashima islands born from the kami Izanagi and Izanami. In the Kojiki and Nihon Shoki, the island is referred to as Awaji no Honosawake no Shima (淡道之穂之狭別嶋（あはぢのほのさわけのしま）) and Awaji-shima (淡路洲). Some scholars, such as Motoori Norinaga, have claimed that the name means 'the road to Awa', the historic province bordering the Shikoku side of the Naruto Strait, although this etymology is disputed. Others, including Tsugita Uruu, have interpreted the historical meaning of awa as 粟 'millet', due to a story where the kami Sukunabikona climbs a millet stalk on the island. Awaji constituted a province between the 7th and the 19th century, Awaji Province, and was a part of Nankaidō. In 1995, Awaji Island was the epicenter of the Great Hanshin Earthquake, which killed over 5,500 people. The earthquake was due to the Nojima Fault, located near the epicenter, which was designated a national natural monument in 1998. In 2022, it was designated a IUGS geological heritage site. A section of the fault was protected and turned into the Nojima Fault Preservation Museum in the Hokudancho Earthquake Memorial Park. Cultural traditions include Awaji Ningyō Jōruri, a form of traditional puppet theater over 500 years old, performed daily in the Awaji Ningyō Jōruri Hall in Minamiawaji. It is designated an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Japan and has its origins in religious rituals. Starting in the 1830s, the local potter Minpei started producing what would come to be known as Awaji ware, also known as Minpei ware. Architect Tadao Ando has designed several structures on the island, including Hompuku-ji water temple and the Awaji Yumebutai complex, both located in Awaji City.

Reader's Guide

Awaji Island holds a unique place in Japanese history and culture. As the first island created in Shinto myth, it is foundational to Japan's creation narrative. Its historical role as Awaji Province from the 7th to 19th centuries underscores its administrative importance within Nankaidō. The island's modern significance is shaped by the 1995 Great Hanshin earthquake, which killed over 5,500 people and was caused by the Nojima Fault. The Nojima Fault Preservation Museum in the Hokudancho Earthquake Memorial Park shows how the movement in the ground cuts across roads, hedges and other installations. The fault was designated a national natural monument in 1998 and a IUGS geological heritage site in 2022. The Akashi Kaikyo Bridge, completed on April 5, 1998, connected the island to Kobe on Honshū and is the second longest suspension bridge in the world. Since its completion, the Kobe-Awaji-Naruto Expressway across the island has been the main eastern land link between Honshū and Shikoku. The Naruto whirlpools form in the strait between Naruto, Tokushima and Awaji. The Onaruto Bridge Memorial Museum and the Uzushio Science Museum are located near Fukura. Culturally, Awaji Ningyō Jōruri represents a living tradition of puppet theater over five centuries old, recognized as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Japan, with origins in religious rituals. The island also contributed to Japanese ceramics through Awaji ware, starting in the 1830s with potter Minpei. Architect Tadao Ando designed several structures on the island, including Hompuku-ji water temple and the Awaji Yumebutai complex. Today the island consists of three municipalities: Awaji, Sumoto, and Minamiawaji.

Did You Know?

• Awaji was the first island created in the Shinto creation myth, born from the kami Izanagi and Izanami.
• The Akashi Kaikyo Bridge, connecting Awaji to Honshū since April 5, 1998, is the second longest suspension bridge in the world.
• The Nojima Fault, responsible for the 1995 Great Hanshin earthquake that killed over 5,500 people, was designated a IUGS geological heritage site in 2022.
• Awaji Ningyō Jōruri, a traditional puppet theater over 500 years old, is performed daily at the Awaji Ningyō Jōruri Hall and is designated an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Japan.
• The Naruto whirlpools form in the strait between Naruto, Tokushima and Awaji.