Counter for islands?


I have found the following sentence in my practising book (only 日本 is written
in kanji because it's in one of the first lessons):

> 日本は しまが ６８５２ とう あります。

  1. I am guessing that とう is the counter for islands. Is that right?
  2. Can it be written 島 like しま?




You are correct on both accounts. With the kanji for 島 being used, this
sentence would be written as

> 日本は島が６８５２島あります。

The first 島 would use the kun reading しま and the second would use the on
reading とう.

Source: <http://www.benricho.org/kazu/shi.html>




You are correct on both accounts. With the kanji for 島 being used, this
sentence would be written as

> 日本は島が６８５２島あります。

The first 島 would use the kun reading しま and the second would use the on
reading とう.

Source: <http://www.benricho.org/kazu/shi.html>

