Chiburijima is the smallest of the three major islands forming the Dozen group within the Oki archipelago approximately north of
Honshu coast. These islands were formed when the
caldera of single ancient volcanic island collapsed, leaving three islands in a ring formation. Chiburijima is generally mountainous, but the south central area is somewhat flat. There are a number of sea cliffs, particularly on the western side of the island which faces the open expanse of the
Sea of Japan. The highest point is above sea level. The first is that the name came from the name of a
Shinto kami enshrined on Chiburijima's offshore isle, . The god, named , was a protector of ships. Since Chiburihuma is the closest to the mainland of the Oki Islands, ships coming to and departing from Oki would stop on Chiburijima to ask the god for a safe voyage. Over time, the name "Chiburi" stuck and the island became known as "Chiburijima". A second theory is that the name came from the use of
smoke signals sent between Chiburijima and the mainland for communication. Since Chiburijima is the closest, it was the easiest to see between the Oki Islands and the mainland. ==History==