city, Tokushima ken (prefecture), eastern Shikoku, Japan. Originally a small fishing village and a temple town of Ninna Temple in Kyōto, Komatsushima developed as a commercial town after the establishment of port facilities in 1899. Regular ferry service began operation there in 1913, connecting Shikoku island with major cities on Honshu, including Kōbe, Ōsaka, and Wakayama. A large spinning mill opened in Komatsushima in 1923. Designated a city in 1951, it is also a popular holiday resort. Pop. (2005) 42,115.