AMAKUSA ISLANDS

Japanese Amakusa-shoto, archipelago off western Kyushu, Japan, in the Amakusa Sea. Administered by Kumamoto ken (prefecture), it includes about 100 islands, the largest of which are Kami (Upper) Island and Shimo (Lower) Island. There is little farming because of the rough, mountainous terrain, and there are few industries, but forestry, orange cultivation, and offshore fishing are actively pursued. The Amakusa Islands, linked by five bridges and by ferry services, are part of Unzen-Amakusa National Park. The archipelago was long the gateway for Western culture and was an early centre of Christianity. Following the massacre of Japanese Christians in the Shimabara Rebellion (163738), the islands became a refuge for remaining Christians. The largest cities are Hondo and Ushibuka, both on Shimo Island.