town
A town is a type of a human settlement, generally larger than a village but smaller than a city.
The criteria for distinguishing a town vary globally, often depending on factors such as population size, economic character, administrative stat ...
located in
Shimajiri District
is a district located in Okinawa Prefecture, Japan.
Etymology
Modern translation of Shimajiri means "Butt of the island" which may refer to its southerly position on the island of Okinawa. Compare this to Kunigami District, Okinawa.
Howev ...
,
Okinawa Prefecture
is the southernmost and westernmost prefecture of Japan. It consists of three main island groups—the Okinawa Islands, the Sakishima Islands, and the Daitō Islands—spread across a maritime zone approximately 1,000 kilometers east to west an ...
,
Japan
Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea ...
Iōtorishima
or Iwo Tori-shima, also called Okinawa Torishima (沖縄鳥島), is a Volcano, volcanic island part of the Ryukyu Islands, Ryūkyū Island chain with the only active volcano in Okinawa Prefecture.
Geography
Iotourishima is located 65 k ...
. Among the islands, only Kumejima and Ōjima are populated. Kumejima is located approximately west of
Naha
is the Cities of Japan, capital city of Okinawa Prefecture, the southernmost prefecture of Japan. As of 1 June 2019, the city has an estimated population of 317,405 and a population density of 7,939 people per km2 (20,562 persons per sq. mi.). ...
. The town can be accessed by the New Kumejima Ferry, Japan Transocean Air, or Ryukyu Air Commuter. Kumejima Airport serves the island. , the town had an estimated population of 7,192 and a population density of . The total area is .
Kume Island is often said to be one of the most beautiful of the
Okinawa Islands
The are an island group in Okinawa Prefecture, Japan, and are the principal island group of the prefecture. The Okinawa Islands are part of the larger Ryukyu Islands group and are located between the Amami Islands of Kagoshima Prefecture to the ...
. It is well known for its textiles, called
Kumejima-tsumugi
is the Japanese craft of silk cloth practised in Kumejima, Okinawa Prefecture. is the oldest type of in Japan, out of the approximately two hundred forms of , and is the oldest fabric. It is recognised as one of the Important Intangible Cultu ...
which are designated an Important Intangible Cultural Property. The town is also known for its Kumesen Awamori (Okinawan sake) and deep sea water. Kumejima's main industries are
sugar cane
Sugarcane or sugar cane is a species of tall, Perennial plant, perennial grass (in the genus ''Saccharum'', tribe Andropogoneae) that is used for sugar Sugar industry, production. The plants are 2–6 m (6–20 ft) tall with stout, jointed, fib ...
(sato-kibi), tourism, and deep seawater products.
History
Historically due to Kume's abundance of freshwater, rice was once extensively cultivated. In 1506, the
Ryukyu Kingdom
The Ryukyu Kingdom was a kingdom in the Ryukyu Islands from 1429 to 1879. It was ruled as a Tributary system of China, tributary state of Ming dynasty, imperial Ming China by the King of Ryukyu, Ryukyuan monarchy, who unified Okinawa Island t ...
invaded Kume under the leadership of
Shō Shin
was a king of the Ryukyu Kingdom, the third ruler of the second Shō dynasty. Shō Shin's long reign has been described as "the Great Days of Chūzan", a period of great peace and relative prosperity. He was the son of Shō En, the founder of ...
. During Ryukyuan rule, Kume Island was often visited by Chinese envoys called "sapposhi" on their way to
Shuri Castle
is a Ryukyu Islands, Ryukyuan ''gusuku'' castle in Shuri, Okinawa, Shuri, Okinawa Prefecture, Japan. Between 1429 and 1879, it was the palace of the Ryukyu Kingdom, before becoming largely neglected. In 1945, during the Battle of Okinawa, it was ...
on
Okinawa Island
, officially , is the largest of the Okinawa Islands and the Ryukyu Islands, Ryukyu (''Nansei'') Islands of Japan in the Kyushu region. It is the smallest and least populated of the five Japanese archipelago, main islands of Japan. The island is ...
. When the Ryukyu Kingdom was annexed by Japan, many noble families moved from Shuri to Kume.
In 1945, Japanese soldiers killed 20 inhabitants suspected of being close to the U.S. forces, including a baby and children.
Geography
An area of of land and sea is protected as the
Kumejima Prefectural Natural Park
is a Prefectural Natural Park in the islands of Kumejima, Okinawa, Kumejima, Okinawa Prefecture, Japan. It was established in 1983 and includes a designated marine zone of 57 km2.
See also
* List of national parks of Japan, National Parks ...
and of wetland have been designated a
Ramsar Site
A Ramsar site is a wetland site designated to be of international importance under the Ramsar Convention,8 ha (O)
*** Permanent 8 ha (P)
*** Seasonal Intermittent < 8 ha(Ts)
**
humid subtropical climate
A humid subtropical climate is a subtropical -temperate climate type, characterized by long and hot summers, and cool to mild winters. These climates normally lie on the southeast side of all continents (except Antarctica), generally between ...
(
Köppen climate classification
The Köppen climate classification divides Earth climates into five main climate groups, with each group being divided based on patterns of seasonal precipitation and temperature. The five main groups are ''A'' (tropical), ''B'' (arid), ''C'' (te ...
''Cfa'') bordering on a
tropical rainforest climate
A tropical rainforest climate or equatorial climate is a tropical climate sub-type usually found within 10 to 15 degrees latitude of the equator. There are some other areas at higher latitudes, such as the coast of southeast Florida, United States ...
(Köppen ''Af'') with very warm summers and mild winters. Precipitation is abundant throughout the year; the wettest month is May and the driest month is July.
Education
Okinawa Prefectural Board of Education The Okinawa Prefectural Board of Education (沖縄県教育委員会) is the prefectural education agency of Okinawa Prefecture in Japan.
The board oversees municipal school districts in Okinawa and directly operates many high schools.
Schools dir ...
operates .
Kumejima Town operates municipal elementary and junior high schools.
Junior high schools:
* Kumejima Nishi Junior High School ( 久米島西中学校)
* Kumi Junior High School ( 球美中学校)
Elementary schools:
* Hiyajiyo (比屋定小学校)
* Kumeshima (久米島小学校)
* Misaki (美崎小学校)
* Nakazato (仲里小学校)
* Otake (大岳小学校)
* Shimizu (清水小学校)
Culture
Uezu House is a traditional Ryukyuan Governor's house dating back hundreds of years. The walled grounds contain gardens, a main house, and outlying buildings. The house is a quiet and peaceful look back into the history of Okinawa.
In order to maintain and preserve the historic estate, there is a 300 yen entry fee for adults, payable at the house. If an attendant is not available, it is customary to leave the amount in a tray.
There are five castle sites on Kume Island that can be visited. The most prominent is
Uegusuku Castle
is a Ryukyuan ''gusuku'' in Kumejima, Okinawa, on Kume Island. It was the home to the Aji of Kume Magiri
The administrative divisions of the Ryukyu Kingdom were a hierarchy composed of districts, ''magiri'', or cities, villages, and islands ...
National Treasure
A national treasure is a structure, artifact, object or cultural work that is officially or popularly recognized as having particular value to the nation, or representing the ideals of the nation. The term has also been applied to individuals or ...
.
Cultural Properties
There are sixty-three cultural properties in Kumejima Town.
*Name (Japanese) (Type of registration)
Cultural Properties
Cultural property, also known as cultural patrimony, comprises the physical items that are part of the cultural heritage of a group or society, as opposed to less tangible cultural expressions. They include such items as cultural landscapes, histo ...
*Anchor Stone from Uegusuku Castle (宇江城城跡の碇石) (Municipal)
*Criminal Records (科人公事帳) (Municipal)
*Former Nakazato Magiri Warehouse stone walls (旧仲里間切蔵元石牆) (National)
*Kominato Matsubara Tomb (小港松原墓) (Municipal)
*Painting: flowers and birds, colour on silk, by Son'oku (絹本着色花鳥図孫億筆) (Prefectural)
*Portrait of Kikumura Keisō (Katami Jitudē) , colour on paper (紙本着色喜久村絜聡(片目地頭代)像) (Prefectural)
*Public records of Kume Nakazato Magiri (久米仲里間切公事帳) (Municipal)
*Public records of the villages of Kume Nakazato Magiri (久米仲里間切諸村公事帳) (Municipal)
*Round Black Lacquer Outer Box with Chrysanthemums, Flowers, Birds, and Insects, Chinkin Technique (黒塗菊花鳥虫沈金丸外櫃) (Prefectural)
*Round Green Lacquer Inner Box with Phoenixes and Clouds, Chinkin Technique (緑塗鳳凰雲沈金丸内櫃) (Prefectural)
*Tenkō-gū Shrine (天后宮) (Prefecture)
*Uezu Family Documents (上江洲家資料) (Prefectural)
* Uezu Family Residence (上江洲家住宅) (National)
* Chinaha Castle Site (伊敷索城跡) (Prefectural)
*Chinpē Dunchi Praying Site (君南風殿内) (Municipal)
*Dakidun Uganju Praying Site and its Large Banyan Tree (武富拝所と大ガジュマル) (Municipal)
* Gushikawa Castle Site (具志川城跡) (National)
*Gushikawa Magiri Kuramoto (Administrative Office) Site (具志川間切蔵元跡) (Municipal)
*Hantabaru Site (ハンタ原遺跡) (Municipal)
*Hōtoku Jinja Shrine (報徳神社) (Municipal)
*Ishidōnī Rock (石塘根) (Municipal)
*Kanegusuku Utaki Sacred Site and plant community (兼城御嶽と植物群落) (Municipal)
*Kume Island Ōhara Shell Mound (久米島大原貝塚) (Prefectural)
*Nakazato Magiri Kuramoto (Administrative Office) Site (仲里間切蔵元跡) (Prefectural)
*Namida Ishi (Tears Rock) (涙石) (Municipal)
*Nana Utaki Jinja Shrine (七嶽神社) (Municipal)
*Shimojibaru Cave Site (下地原洞穴遺跡) (Municipal)
*Shimojibaru Shell Mound (下地原貝塚) (Municipal)
*Shimojibaru Site (下地原遺跡) (Municipal)
*Sonami Beacon (ソナミの烽火台) (Municipal)
*Stone Tomb of Shimajiri (島尻の石墓) (Municipal)
* Suhara Castle Site (スハラ城跡・塩原城跡) (Municipal)
* Tunnaha Castle Site (登武那覇城跡) (Municipal)
* Uegusuku Castle Site (宇江城城跡) (National)
*Utida Stone (ウティダ石) (Prefectural)
*Utida Stone of Shimajiri (島尻のウティダ石) (Municipal)
*Watchtower Office Site (遠見番所跡) (Municipal)
*Yamato Tomari Coast (大和泊海岸) (Municipal)
Places of scenic beauty
is a collective term used by the Japanese government's Law for the Protection of Cultural Properties to denote Cultural Properties of JapanIn this article, capitals indicate an official designation as opposed to a simple definition, e.g "Cultural ...
*Aka-gurushi Hill (阿嘉黒石) (Municipal)
*Aka-no-Higemizu Waterfall (阿嘉のひげ水) (Municipal)
*Hiyajō-banta Cliff (比屋定バンタ) (Municipal)
*Tokujimu Coast and Andesite Cobble Area (トクジム海岸と一帯の安山岩) (Municipal)
*Ueda Forest (上田森) (Municipal)
Natural Monuments
Nature is an inherent character or constitution, particularly of the ecosphere or the universe as a whole. In this general sense nature refers to the laws, elements and phenomena of the physical world, including life. Although humans are part ...
*Anmāgusuku Rock (天宮城) (Municipal)
*Bedrock in the area of Ikkachi (fish stone wall) (イッカチ（魚垣）一帯の岩石) (Municipal)
*Dianthus superbus (flower) (カワラナデシコ) (Municipal)
*Giant Sago Palm Tree Cycas revoluta of Une (宇根の大ソテツ) (Prefectural)
*Kume Goeda-no-matsu Pine Tree (久米の五枝のマツ) (National)
*Lone Pine Tree of Kumibaru Utaki (米原御嶽の一本松) (Municipal)
*Lone Pine Tree of Sesu (瀬寿の一本松) (Municipal)
*Maja beautiful fukugi tree lane (真謝のチュラフクギ) (Prefectural)
*Pine tree lane of Takinda (タキンダの松並木) (Municipal)
*Sea almond and deigo tree of Nangijō Praying Site (南謝門のコバテイシとデイゴ) (Municipal)
*Sea almonds and banyan trees of Kumejima Elementary School (久米島小学校のコバテイシとガジュマル) (Municipal)
*Sea almonds and banyan trees of Nakazato Elementary School (仲里小学校のコバテイシとガジュマル) (Municipal)
*Sea almond of Gima Shiradōgura (儀間志良堂蔵のコバテイシ) (Municipal)
*Six Pine Trees of Ikeda (池田の六本松) (Municipal)
*Tachijami Rock (タチジャミ) (Municipal)
*Tatami-ishi rock formation of Ou Island (久米島町奥武島の畳石) (National)
*Ūrii Utaki area plant community (ウーリー御嶽一帯の植物群落) (Municipal)
Deep Seawater and OTEC
Since 2001, the Okinawa Prefecture Deep Seawater Research Institute has researched the uses of deep seawater on Kumejima, fostering the development of new aquaculture and production industries totaling $20 million in yearly revenue. Due to the deep seawater resource, Kumejima now has the largest market share of Sea Grapes and Kuruma Prawns in Japan.
In March 2013, Okinawa Prefecture completed the world's only fully operational
Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion
Ocean thermal energy conversion (OTEC) is a renewable energy technology that harnesses the thermocline, temperature difference between the photic zone, warm surface waters of the ocean and the deep sea, cold depths to run a heat engine to produce ...
Demonstration Facility. The facility is open to tours by appointment for free.
Hawaiʻi
Hawaii ( ; ) is an island state of the United States, in the Pacific Ocean about southwest of the U.S. mainland. One of the two non-contiguous U.S. states (along with Alaska), it is the only state not on the North American mainland, th ...
,
United States
The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...