Mushima island is in Nagasaki prefecture in Kyushyu. Nagasaki is well-known for atomic bomb. Mushima island belongs to Ojika island. When it is sunny, you can see Hirado island in the east and Ikitsuki island in the northeast.
The shape of Mushima island looks like a whale. So Mushima is called Whale island.	People live in the southern part of this island.  Mushima branch school is in the center of this village.

About Mushima	【Location  area】Ojikacho Kitamatsuuragun Nagasaki-ken Japan 【Area/Size】0.69 square kilometers 【Cercumferance 】3.1kilometers 【The number of households】14 families 【Population】56 people (1997.10) 【Transport 】From Sasebo(Nagasaki) to Ojika island, it takes about 2 and a half hours by ferry.  From Ojika island (Fuefuki port) it takes about 25 minutes(by Heiwamaru Ferry). There is no hotel.
Lifestyle	All familes make their livings by inshore fishery. There are a few feild for plants. Vegetables grown there. There is a woman's association and an old man's associatioon. The leader of this island is at the center of Mushima. Everything is done together. The people are very cooperative. 　There is no hospital. People have to go to Ojika to see a doctor. There is no shop, either. When people want something, they have to call the shop in Ojika, and order what they want. These goods are then delivered by the ship,Heiwamaru. The leader and deputy leader of the island go to Ojika by ship every day, and they deliver the mail. There is a branch school of Ojika junior high school and Ojika  elemntary school. The elemnatry school and a junior high school are in the same building. There is one elementary school student, five junior high school students and eight teachers. 　The water used every day is seawater, which is changed into freshwater by a device in Mushima. 　Gateball is very popular in Mushima. The team of old men is strong. They practice it every day. They have won a tornament before. The heads of the households enjoy playing gateball when they don't go fishing.
Others	This island is famaous for "Punctuality". The island is encircled by a swift current. At the end of Meiji period，a man of this island was late for , when the ship was meant to leave whilst waiting, the tide turned and overturned the ship. Since that accident, it has been tabooed to be late. There is a anecdote. One day, when the people sent for a priest from Ojika by ship, the priest didn't come on time. So they went back to Mushima and didn't meet him. 　In 1987, many houses in Mushima collapsed because of  the tyhoon. At that time, many people left Mushima. 　The voting rate is almost 100%. As soon as voting begins , it has fininshed.

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Heiwamaru(launched in October 1981)

　The ferryboat plying between Mushima and Ojika island. This ferry goes up and down the sea once a day. Mushima to Ojika AM 7:20，Ojika to Mushima AM 9:30  One-way fare costs 380 yen.
　The leader of the island changes every year. And the leader of the year serves as the captain of this ship. The leader and the deputy leader steer HEIWAMARU  not only to ferry people who want to go to Ojika but also to deliver the mail , contact with a public office  and carry the propane gas to change it in behalf of the people of Mushima.

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Gateball

　 There are two gateball courts in Mushima. The old men practice every day. They are very strong. They have took part in a National gateball meet before. In spring , we held a gateball meet. All the people in Mushima attended it.  Not only the old men but also the children and their fathers and mothers  are very good at it.

　

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