平戶島

The Hirado island has formed as a horst elevated from the sea in Pliocene period. Its bedrock features a mixture of the sea sedimentary rocks of Tertiary period, mixed and overlaid by the recent Igneous rock. Due to being relatively young, the island is very hilly with large fraction of area over 200 meters elevation, and flat land is limited to marginal coastal plains. The coastline is highly indented and feature a large cliffs along the entire north-west coast facing East China Sea, except for river mouths.[3]

Hirado Island is located in the humid subtropical climate zone (Köppen Cfa), with four distinct seasons. The island rarely sees snowfall during the winter. Spring in Hirado Island starts off mild, but ends up being very humid. The summer tends to be Hirado's wettest season, with the Template:Nihongo4 — the rainy season — occurring between early June (average:Jun.7) to late July (average:Jul.21). The island's weather is affected by the nearby Liman current while being shielded from the warm Kuroshio Current by the Kyushu island, resulting in wetter and colder climate than should be expected at lower 30's latitudes. The climate of Hirado Island is greatly moderated by the surrounding sea, resulting in reduced seasonal and diurnal temperature variations.

元朝忽必烈的征日大軍分兩路亦在平戶島附近會軍[8][9]，並於1274年10月14日攻打平戶島的港口[10]。2012年平戶島港口上有一艘仿製元朝征日船紀念此歷史事件[11]。

明朝開始，由於從事東亞海洋貿易的往來商人，平戶島從鮮少人居住轉變成船隻來往的重要據點[12]。

1628年鄭芝龍歸順明朝後，平戶島和其他的東亞海洋貿易據點，如長崎、馬尼拉、和東南亞華人移民據點，形成主要的商業航道，而鄭芝龍的主要經濟命脈則是這些航道的中日貿易[13]。

從16世紀開始，陸續有來自歐洲的商船進行貿易，因此先後設置了荷蘭[14]、英國等歐洲國家的貿易商館[15]。

從17世紀開始到20世紀前期，平戶島生產的日本瓷器「三川内烧」或「平户烧」亦為當時貿易的藝術商品[16]。

「平户烧」：貿易商品及收藏的藝術品

平户烧，布鲁克林博物馆收藏品

平户烧，沃爾特斯藝術博物館收藏品

平户烧，沃爾特斯藝術博物館收藏品

平户烧，沃爾特斯藝術博物館收藏品

平户烧，沃爾特斯藝術博物館收藏品

平户烧，沃爾特斯藝術博物館收藏品

平户烧，沃爾特斯藝術博物館收藏品

平户烧，沃爾特斯藝術博物館收藏品

平户烧，沃爾特斯藝術博物館收藏品

平户烧，沃爾特斯藝術博物館收藏品

日本當時描繪中式帆船及哩程的圖

在江戶時代初期，平戶島是日本主要的對外貿易中心[17]。東亞海洋在平戶島的跨國貿易也促成了日本早期的現代化。[18]直到日本鎖國，日本將所有貿易限制在長崎港為止，平戶島因此而沒落[19]。