Legend has it that many years ago the pretty little island of Iki was not connected to the seafloor. Instead, it floated around at the whim of the currents, presumably bobbing back and forth between Japan, China and the Korean Peninsula.
Imagine what a nightmare that would have been today! All those competing territorial claims!
Fortunately, such awkwardness was averted because the gods, in their infinite wisdom, ultimately decided to anchor the island — which is oval-shaped and 15 km across — by means of eight giant pegs to a spot some 70 km off the coast of Fukuoka, where it can now be reached with comforting predictability by ferry and Jetfoil from Fukuoka's Hakata Port.
With your current subscription plan you can comment on stories. However, before writing your first comment, please create a display name in the Profile section of your subscriber account page.