Takenotsuji
At 213 meters, Takenotsuji is the highest point on the largely flat Iki. The island’s numerous small bays, forested hills, and the Fukaetabaru plain—the site of the ancient settlement of Harunotsuji—are all visible from the summit. Both the island of Tsushima and mainland Kyushu come into view on clear days.
Takenotsuji has been strategically important throughout history for the unimpeded vista from its top. It is thought to have been the location of an ancient smoke beacon, part of a network established in the seventh century to send signals warning of impending foreign threats from Tsushima to Iki and on to Kyushu. During the Edo period (1603–1867), when the Tokugawa shogunate strictly regulated all contact with foreign countries, the peak was used to monitor ships passing through nearby waters.
There is now a road to the top of Takenotsuji, and the lookout on the summit is easy to reach, including by wheelchair.