Tanegashima

Tanegashima is an island lying to the south of Kyushu, Japan.

It is a long low stretch of land, carefully cultivated, and celebrated as the place where Mendez Pinto[?] landed when he found his way to Japan in 1543. Until modern times firearms were colloquially known in Japan as " Tanega-shima," in allusion to the fact that they were introduced by Pinto.

The headquarters of NASDA (National Space Development Agency), Tanegashima Space Center[?] is located on here.

The entry is originally from 1911 Encyclopedia Britannica.