West Miyake

The waters west of Miyake belong to the Izu island world south of Japan's main island of Honshu. Volcanic islands, deep water, currents, and exposed Pacific weather create a maritime environment in which navigation requires close attention. Fishing grounds and landing places connect island communities with the sea, while routes toward the mainland carry provisions, travelers, and local products.

In the Edo period Miyakejima was one of the Izu Islands used as places of exile. Among those sent there were the painter Hanabusa Itchō and the kabuki actor Ikushima Shingorō. Records preserved by the Tokyo Metropolitan Archives describe boats carrying exiles to the island. Such voyages formed one part of Miyakejima's connections with the mainland, alongside the movement of its residents and supplies.