Online dictionary of geography and travels in Japan: okinawa

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Amami island

奄美大島
alternative words: Amamioshima island, Amamioshima, Amami oshima, Amami
keywords: island , kyushu , okinawa
related topics: Kagoshima Prefecture , Okinawa Prefecture
related web sites: http://www3.ocn.ne.jp/~amamicf/
explanation: Biggest island located between Kyushu and Okinawa islands. Its surface is about 709 km2 and the population 79,000. Thanks to its subtropical climate, man cultivates bananas, pineapples, sugar canes and papayas. Its specialty is Oshima-tsumugi, a kind of pongee. After the World War II it had been occupied by Americans but return back to Japan in 1953.

Iriomote island

西表島
alternative words: Iriomotejima island, Iriomotejima, Iriomote jima
keywords: island , okinawa , tourist resort
related topics: Okinawa prefecture , Ishigaki island
related web sites: http://www.iriomote.com , http://www.town.taketomi.okinawa.jp/island/iriomote.htm
explanation: Located in the west of Ishigakijima, Iriomotejima is the last big island in Okinawa island chain. Few people is living there and most of the island is covered with mountains and subtropical forests inhabited by rare wildcats, Iriomote yamaneko, while mangrove trees flourish at mouths of rivers. The surface is 287km2 and the island belongs to Iriomote national park. You can reach there from Isigakijima island by hovercraft.

Ishigaki island

石垣島
alternative words: Ishigakijima island, Ishigakijima, Ishigaki jima
keywords: island , okinawa , tourist resort
related topics: Okinawa prefecture , Senkaku islands
related web sites: http://www.city.ishigaki.okinawa.jp , http://ishigaki.com
explanation: Ishigakijima is the main island of Sakijima gunto (Yaeyama retto), a group of islands located between Okinawa and Taiwan. Ishigakijima is formed mainly with a plateau of coral origin and people is living with the culture of tropical plants and tourism. It owns a small airport but its extension is blocked due to an opposition of environmentalists. Being located on the passage of typhoons, each house is surrounded with stone walls (Ishigaki). The surface is 221 km2.

Kyushu island

九州
alternative words: Kyushu, Kyushu-to, Kyushu to, island of Kyushu
keywords: island , kyushu , okinawa , region
related topics: Okinawa prefecture , Inland sea , Oosumi strait
related web sites: http://www.jrkyushu.co.jp/travel/ , http://www.hikyaku.com/summit/summitg.html
explanation: The 3th largest island of Japan. Facing to the north, Korean peninsula and to the west, Chinese continent, it has been always an entry point of Asian civilization to Japan. The northern part is formed essentially by plans and low hills while the central and southern parts are formed by high mountains and volcanoes. The western cost draws very complex lines and contains many peninsulas and small islands. The climate is temperate in the north and mild in the south. The surface is about 36,000 km2.

Nago City

名護市
alternative words: Nagoshi city, Nagoshi, Nago-shi, Nago shi, Nago
keywords: g8 , okinawa , town
related topics: Okinawa Prefecture
related web sites: http://www.city.nago.okinawa.jp , http://www.hikyaku.com/summit/summitg.html
explanation: Located at the center of Okinawa Island, it was a peaceful resort town with beautiful beaches. Now, it is before a media projection since the central government has decided to transfer there a part of US military bases concentrated on the southern island. Moreover a G8 summit will be held in July 2000 at this town. The total population is about 50,000.

Naha airport

那覇空港那覇飛行場
alternative words: Okinawa airport, Naha international airport, Okinawa international airport
keywords: airport , okinawa
related topics: Okinawa prefecture , Naha city , Ishigaki island
related web sites: http://www.naha-airport.co.jp
explanation: Located in the southwest of Naha city on the sea shore, Naha airport is one of the largest airports in Japan with a runway of 3000m. It operates liaisons with not only major Japanese cities and Okinawa islands such as Ishigaki island but also some Asian cities such as Hong Kong and Taipei. You can get Naha airport from Naha city in 10 minutes by taxi. The construction of a second runway is planed on the sea due to an increase of passengers.

Naha City

那覇市
alternative words: Nahashi city, Nahashi, Naha-shi, Naha shi, Naha
keywords: harbor , military base , okinawa , town
related topics: Okinawa Prefecture , Shuri castle , Naha airport
related web sites: http://www.city.naha.okinawa.jp , http://www.kekos.net/index.shtml
explanation: Capital of Okinawa Prefecture located in the south of Okinawa Island. It comes from a merger of 2 towns: Shuri which was the capital of Okinawa Kingdom and Naha proper which was its main harbor. During WWII the town was completely destroyed but has been restored, including famous Shurei Gate (Shurei no Mon) used for the entrance of Chinese Ambassador. The population is about 300,000.

Okinawa Prefecture

沖縄県
alternative words: Okinawaken prefecture, Okinawa, Okinawaken, Okinawa ken, Ryukyu, Ryuukyuu
keywords: g8 , military base , okinawa , prefecture , tourist resort
related topics: Naha City , Nago City , Senkaku Islands , Kyushu island , Ishigaki island
related web sites: http://www.pref.okinawa.jp , http://www.g8kyushu-okinawa.go.jp/j/ , http://dtravel.inetg.com/okinawa/okinawa.html , http://www.yado.co.jp/kankou/okinawa/nanseist/nanseist.htm , http://www.hikyaku.com/summit/
explanation: Okinawa prefecture occupies small islands between Kyushu and Taiwan. Its surface is 2,254 km2 and the population 1.1 million. The prefectural office is at Naha City. After WWII Okinawa was under US administration until 1972. Even now 10% of its surface is used by American military bases. The region is poor and the people are working for military bases and tourism. Okinawa attracts now not only tourists from Japanese mainland but from Taiwan and Korea.

Senkaku Islands

尖閣列島尖閣諸島魚釣島
alternative words: Senkaku Island, Senkakuretto, Senkaku-retto, Senkaku Retto, Tiaoyutai, Tiaoyutai Island, Tiaoyutai Islands
keywords: island , okinawa , territorial dispute
related topics: Okinawa Prefecture
related web sites: http://www.hq11.kaiho.mlit.go.jp/03warera/chian/4tk/4tk-1-1p/4tk-1-1p.htm , http://akebonokikaku.hp.infoseek.co.jp
explanation: A group of tiny islands on the north of Ishigaki island in East Chinese Sea. It has become the subject of a bitter political dispute between Japan, China and Taiwan because of a possible petroleum and natural gas reservoir around islands. It is under de facto Japanese control but no body is living there. Its total surface is 6.3 km2.

Shuri castle

首里城
alternative words: Shurijo castle, Shuri jo castle, Shurijo, Shuri-jo, Shuri jo
keywords: castle , okinawa
related topics: Naha City
related web sites: http://www.shurijo-park.go.jp , http://www.hikyaku.com/summit/shurig.html
explanation: Shuri castle was the ancient capital of Okinawa. Okinawa kingdom being a vassal state of China, all the architecture of the palace has been influenced by the Chinese civilization Unfortunately, during the landing operation on Okinawa in June 1945 by Americans, the castle was reduced to ashes. In order to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the return back of Okinawa, it has been restored and reopened to the public in 1992.

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