Okinawa Prefecture

Okinawa Prefecture (沖縄県, Japanese: Okinawa-ken, Okinawan: Uchinaa-chin[1]) is traditionally a prefecture in the Kyūshū region of Japan.[2] Okinawa Prefecture is made up of islands which are southwest of the island of Kyushu.[3] Recent government proposals recognize the prefecture as its own region.[4]

Okinawa Prefecture
沖縄県
Prefecture
Native transcription(s)
 • JapaneseOkinawa-ken
 • OkinawanʔUchinā-chin
Flag of Okinawa Prefecture
Flag
Official logo of Okinawa Prefecture
Symbol
Location of Okinawa Prefecture
Coordinates: 26°30′N 128°0′E
Country Japan
RegionKyushu
IslandOkinawa, Daitō, Sakishima and Senkaku (disputed)
CapitalNaha
SubdivisionsDistricts: 5, Municipalities: 41
Government
 • GovernorDenny Tamaki
Area
 • Total2,281 km2 (881 sq mi)
 • Rank44th
Population
 (February 2, 2020)
 • Total1,457,162
 • Rank29th
 • Density640/km2 (1,700/sq mi)
ISO 3166 codeJP-47
Websitewww.pref.okinawa.lg.jp
Symbols
BirdOkinawa woodpecker (Sapheopipo noguchii)
FishBanana fish (Pterocaesio diagramma, "takasago", "gurukun")
FlowerDeego (Erythrina variegata)
TreePinus luchuensis ("ryūkyūmatsu")

The capital city is Naha which is on the island of Okinawa.[5]

History

Timeline
  • 1429: Shō Hashi founded the Ryūkyū Kingdom
  • 1609: Shimazu of Satsuma Province invade Ryukyu Kingdom
  • 1853: Commodore Mathew Perry and US Navy ships at Naha
  • 1875 (Meiji 5): Ryūkyū Domain is created
  • 1879 (Meiji 12): Okinawa Prefecture was established.
  • 1945 (Shōwa 20): US administration after World War II[6]
  • 1953 (Shōwa 28): Partial reversion to Japan[6]
  • 1972 (Shōwa 47): Reversion to Japan[6]
  • 2000 (Heisei 12): 26th G8 summit at Kyushu and Okinawa[7]

Geography

Okinawa is a grouping of many islands along the border at the edge of the East China Sea and the Pacific Ocean from Kyūshū to Taiwan. It is the southernmost prefecture in Japan.[3]

Cities

Okinawa Prefecture has eleven cities. Okinawan names are in parentheses.

Towns and villages

These are the towns and villages in each district.

  • Kunigami District (Kunjan)
    • Ginoza (Jinuja)
    • Higashi (Agarijima)
    • Ie (Iijima)
    • Kin (Chin)
    • Kunigami (Kunjan)
    • Motobu (Mutubu)
    • Nakijin (Nachijin)
    • Onna (Unna)
    • Ōgimi (Ujimi)
  • Miyako District (Naaku)
    • Tarama (Tarama)
  • Nakagami District (Nakajan)
    • Chatan (Chatan)
    • Kadena (Kadina)
    • Kitanakagusuku
    • Nakagusuku (Nakagushiku)
    • Nishihara (Nishibaru)
    • Yomitan (Yuntan)
  • Shimajiri District (Shimajiri)
    • Aguni (Aguni)
    • Haebaru (Feebaru)
    • Iheya (Ihyaa)
    • Izena (Ijina)
    • Kitadaitō (Ufuagarijima)
    • Kumejima (Kumijima)
    • Minamidaitō
    • Tokashiki (Tukashichi)
    • Tonaki (Tunachi)
    • Yaese
    • Yonabaru (Yunabaru)
    • Zamami (Jamami)
  • Yaeyama District (Eema)
    • Taketomi (Dakidun)
    • Yonaguni (Yunaguni)

National Parks

National Parks are established in about 19% of the total land area of the prefecture.[8]

Shrines and Temples

Naminouegū was the chief Shinto shrine (ichinomiya) of the Ryukyu Islands.[9] In 1890, the shrine was recognized in the system of State Shinto. It is among the ranked, nationally significant shrines or Kanpei-shōsha (官幣小社) which includes five sanctuaries.[10]

References
  1. JLect - ちん【県・縣】 : chin | define meaning. www.jlect.com. Archived from the original on June 17, 2016. Retrieved 2020-09-28.
  2. Kanno, Eiji. (1998). New Japan Solo, p. 397; excerpt, "Administratively, Okinawa is part of Kyushu Region, even though it is l .000 km (625 miles) southwest of Kagoshima."
  3. Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005). "Okinawa-ken" in Japan Encyclopedia, pp. 746-747.
  4. Hook, Glenn D. (2011). Decoding Boundaries in Contemporary Japan: The Koizumi Administration and Beyond, pp. 145-146.
  5. Nussbaum, "Naha" at p. 686.
  6. Nussbaum, "Ryukyu Islands" at p. 801.
  7. Japan, Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA): 26th G8 summit, overview.
  8. Japan Ministry of the Environment, "General overview of area figures for Natural Parks by prefecture". Retrieved 2012-3-13.
  9. Ponsonby-Fane, Richard. (1959). The Imperial House of Japan, p. 127.
  10. List of Kankokuheisha (官国幣社), p. 3 Archived 2019-07-10 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2012-8-26.

More reading
  • Kerr, George H. (1958). Okinawa: the History of an Island People. Rutland, Vermont: Charles Tuttle Co. OCLC 722356
  • ___________. (1953). Ryukyu Kingdom and Province before 1945. Washington, D.C.: National Academy of Sciences, National Research Council. OCLC 5455582

Other websites
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Okinawa prefecture.
Wikivoyage has a travel guide about: Okinawa
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