title: Kamishima Island, Amakusa
text: # Kamishima Island, Amakusa
  
  Kamishima (上島, Kamishima) (also erroneously named Ueshima Island) is the second largest island in the Amakusa archipelago of Japan. Its coasts are washed by Yatsushiro Sea and Shimabara Bay [ja] of Ariake Sea, both being the part of East China Sea. The western part of Kamishima Island is administered as part of Amakusa city, while eastern part is administered as part of Kami-Amakusa city. The island's highest peak is Mount Kuratake 682 m (2,238 ft).
  
  ## Transportation
  
  The Five Bridges of Amakusa connects the Kamishima Island to the Kyushu mainland since 1966. Additionally, the Amakusa-seto Oohashi [ja] connects Kamishima to Shimoshima island - the largest island in Amakusa archipelago. The national roads serving the island are the Route 266 and Route 324
  
  ## Climate
  
  Kamishima Island is located in the humid subtropical climate zone (Köppen Cfa), with four distinct seasons. Winters tend to be sunny, windy, and relatively dry; snow falls occasionally in the higher elevations, but seldom near sea level. Spring in Kamishima Island starts off mild, but ends up being hot and humid. The summer tends to be Kamishima's wettest season, with the tsuyu (梅雨, tsuyu, "plum rain") — the rainy season — occurring between early June (average: June 7) to late July (average: July 21). The island's weather is affected by the nearby Liman current [ja] while being shielded from the warm Kuroshio Current off the coast of Kyushu island, resulting in a wetter and colder climate than should be expected at those latitudes.
  
  Climate data for Matsushima, Kamishima (1981–2010) :
  
  | Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
  | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
  | Average high °C (°F) | 10.5 (50.9) | 11.8 (53.2) | 15.1 (59.2) | 20.3 (68.5) | 24.4 (75.9) | 27.2 (81.0) | 30.9 (87.6) | 32.3 (90.1) | 29.0 (84.2) | 24.0 (75.2) | 18.3 (64.9) | 13.0 (55.4) | 21.4 (70.5) |
  | Daily mean °C (°F) | 6.1 (43.0) | 7.1 (44.8) | 10.2 (50.4) | 14.9 (58.8) | 19.0 (66.2) | 22.5 (72.5) | 26.4 (79.5) | 27.2 (81.0) | 24.1 (75.4) | 18.7 (65.7) | 13.3 (55.9) | 8.3 (46.9) | 16.5 (61.7) |
  | Average low °C (°F) | 1.7 (35.1) | 2.4 (36.3) | 5.4 (41.7) | 9.9 (49.8) | 14.2 (57.6) | 18.7 (65.7) | 22.9 (73.2) | 23.3 (73.9) | 20.3 (68.5) | 14.2 (57.6) | 8.8 (47.8) | 3.8 (38.8) | 12.1 (53.8) |
  | Average precipitation mm (inches) | 72.9 (2.87) | 87.8 (3.46) | 139.2 (5.48) | 145.9 (5.74) | 176.8 (6.96) | 363.8 (14.32) | 373.5 (14.70) | 184.6 (7.27) | 169.3 (6.67) | 84.9 (3.34) | 89.2 (3.51) | 64.2 (2.53) | 1,959 (77.13) |
  | Mean monthly sunshine hours | 114.4 | 129.6 | 151.6 | 177.1 | 181.8 | 139.0 | 195.9 | 217.4 | 182.9 | 182.0 | 142.1 | 130.4 | 1,945.4 |
  | Source: Japan Meteorological Agency ||||||||||||||
  
  ## Attractions
  
  * Myūi Observatory [ja]
  * Five Bridges of Amakusa
  
  ## Notable people
  
  * Amakusa Shirō
  