, officially , is the largest 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 ...
and the
Ryukyu
The , also known as the or the , are a chain of Japanese islands that stretch southwest from Kyushu to Geography of Taiwan, Taiwan: the Ryukyu Islands are divided into the Satsunan Islands (Ōsumi Islands, Ōsumi, Tokara Islands, Tokara and A ...
(''Nansei'') Islands of Japan in the
Kyushu
is the third-largest island of Japan's Japanese archipelago, four main islands and the most southerly of the four largest islands (i.e. excluding Okinawa Island, Okinawa and the other Ryukyu Islands, Ryukyu (''Nansei'') Ryukyu Islands, Islands ...
region. It is the smallest and least populated of the five
main islands of Japan.
The island is approximately long, an average wide, and has an area of . It is roughly south of the main island of Kyushu and the rest of Japan. It is northeast of
Taiwan
Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia. The main geography of Taiwan, island of Taiwan, also known as ''Formosa'', lies between the East China Sea, East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocea ...
. The total population of Okinawa Island was 1,384,762 in 2009.
The greater
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.). ...
area has roughly 800,000 residents, while the city itself has about 320,000 people. Naha is the seat of
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 ...
on the southwestern part of Okinawa Island. Okinawa has a
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 ...
.
Okinawa has been a strategic location for the
United States Armed Forces
The United States Armed Forces are the Military, military forces of the United States. U.S. United States Code, federal law names six armed forces: the United States Army, Army, United States Marine Corps, Marine Corps, United States Navy, Na ...
since the
Battle of Okinawa
The , codenamed Operation Iceberg, was a major battle of the Pacific War fought on the island of Okinawa Island, Okinawa by United States Army and United States Marine Corps forces against the Imperial Japanese Army during the Pacific War, Impe ...
and the end of
World War II
World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
. The island was formally controlled by the
United States Civil Administration of the Ryukyu Islands
The was the civil administration government in the Ryukyu Islands, Japan (centered on Okinawa Island), replacing the United States Military Government of the Ryukyu Islands (itself created after World War II) in 1950, and functioned until the ...
until 1972, with around 26,000 U.S. military personnel stationed on Okinawa today, comprising about half of the total complement of the
United States Forces Japan
is a subordinate Unified combatant command, unified command of the United States Indo-Pacific Command. It was activated at Fuchū Air Base (Tokyo), Fuchū Air Station in Tokyo, Japan, on 1 July 1957 to replace the Far East Command (United State ...
, spread among 31 areas, across 13 bases and 48 training sites. United States military installations cover approximately 25% of the island.
History
Shell mound eras
Early Okinawan history is defined by
midden
A midden is an old dump for domestic waste. It may consist of animal bones, human excrement, botanical material, mollusc shells, potsherds, lithics (especially debitage), and other artifacts and ecofacts associated with past human oc ...
or shell heap culture and is divided into Early, Middle, and Late Shell Mound periods. The Early Shell Mound period was a
hunter-gatherer
A hunter-gatherer or forager is a human living in a community, or according to an ancestrally derived Lifestyle, lifestyle, in which most or all food is obtained by foraging, that is, by gathering food from local naturally occurring sources, esp ...
society, with the wave-like opening
Jōmon pottery. In the latter part of this period,
archaeological site
An archaeological site is a place (or group of physical sites) in which evidence of past activity is preserved (either prehistoric or recorded history, historic or contemporary), and which has been, or may be, investigated using the discipline ...
s moved near the seashore, suggesting the engagement of people in fishing. On Okinawa, rice was not cultivated until the Middle Shell Mound period. Shell rings for arms made of shells obtained in the
Sakishima Islands
The (or 先島群島, ''Sakishima-guntō'') (Okinawan language, Okinawan: ''Sachishima'', Miyakoan language, Miyako: ''Saksїzїma'', Yaeyama language, Yaeyama: ''Sakїzїma'', Yonaguni language, Yonaguni: ''Satichima'') are an archipelago loca ...
, namely
Miyakojima and
Yaeyama islands, were imported by Japan. In these islands, the presence of shell axes from 2,500 years ago suggests the influence of a southeastern-Pacific culture.

After the late Shell Mound period, agriculture started about the 12th century, and the population center moved from the seashore to higher places. This period is called the Gusuku period. ''
Gusuku
often refers to castles or fortresses in the Ryukyu Islands that feature stone walls. However, the origin and essence of ''gusuku'' remain controversial. In the archaeology of Okinawa Prefecture, the ''Gusuku period'' refers to an archaeological ...
'' is a term used for the distinctive Ryukyuan form of castles or fortresses. Many ''gusuku'' and related cultural remains in the Ryukyu Islands have been listed by
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO ) is a List of specialized agencies of the United Nations, specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) with the aim of promoting world peace and International secur ...
as
World Heritage Sites
World Heritage Sites are landmarks and areas with legal protection under an international treaty administered by UNESCO for having cultural, historical, or scientific significance. The sites are judged to contain "cultural and natural heritag ...
. There are three perspectives regarding the nature of ''gusuku'': that they were holy places, dwellings encircled by stones, and castles of the rulers. In this period,
porcelain
Porcelain (), also called china, is a ceramic material made by heating Industrial mineral, raw materials, generally including kaolinite, in a kiln to temperatures between . The greater strength and translucence of porcelain, relative to oth ...
trade between Okinawa and other countries became commonplace, and Okinawa was an important relay point in eastern-Asian trade. Ryukyuan kings, such as
Shunten and
Eiso, were important rulers. An attempted Mongolian invasion in 1291 during the Eiso Dynasty failed.
Hiragana
is a Japanese language, Japanese syllabary, part of the Japanese writing system, along with ''katakana'' as well as ''kanji''.
It is a phonetic lettering system. The word ''hiragana'' means "common" or "plain" kana (originally also "easy", ...
was imported from Japan by
Ganjin
Jianzhen (688–763), also known by his Japanese language, Japanese name Ganjin (,), was a Tang dynasty, Tang Han people, Chinese Buddhist monk, monk who helped to propagate Buddhism in Japan. In the eleven years from 743 to 754, Jianzhen attem ...
in 1265. ''
Noro'', village priestesses of the
Ryukyuan religion
Ryukyu may refer to:
* Ryukyu Islands, a volcanic arc archipelago
* Ryukyuan languages
* Ryukyuan people
* Kingdom of Ryukyu (1429–1879)
* Ryukyu (My Hero Academia), Ryuko Tatsuma, a character in the animanga series ''My Hero Academia''
See als ...
, appeared.
Sanzan era and Ryūkyū Kingdom
The
Sanzan period began in 1314 when the kingdoms of
Hokuzan and
Nanzan declared independence from
Chūzan. The three kingdoms competed with one another for recognition and trade with
Ming China
The Ming dynasty, officially the Great Ming, was an Dynasties of China, imperial dynasty of China that ruled from 1368 to 1644, following the collapse of the Mongol Empire, Mongol-led Yuan dynasty. The Ming was the last imperial dynasty of ...
. King
Satto, leading Chūzan, was very successful, establishing relations with Korea and Southeast Asia as well as China. The
Hongwu Emperor
The Hongwu Emperor (21 October 1328– 24 June 1398), also known by his temple name as the Emperor Taizu of Ming, personal name Zhu Yuanzhang, courtesy name Guorui, was the List of emperors of the Ming dynasty, founding emperor of the Ming dyna ...
sent 36 families from
Fujian
Fujian is a provinces of China, province in East China, southeastern China. Fujian is bordered by Zhejiang to the north, Jiangxi to the west, Guangdong to the south, and the Taiwan Strait to the east. Its capital is Fuzhou and its largest prefe ...
in 1392 at the request of the Ryukyuan king. Their job was to manage maritime dealings in the kingdom. They assisted the Ryukyuans in developing their technology and diplomatic relations. In 1407, however, a man named Hashi overthrew Satto's descendant, King
Bunei, and installed his father,
Shishō, as king of Chūzan.

In 1429, King
Shō Hashi
Shō Hashi (1372–1439) was a king of Chūzan, one of Sanzan period, three tributary states to China on the western Pacific island of Okinawa Island, Okinawa. He is traditionally described as the unifier of Okinawa and the founder of the Ryuky ...
completed the unification of the three kingdoms and founded the Ryūkyū Kingdom with its capital at
Shuri Castle. His descendants conquered the
Amami Islands
The The name ''Amami-guntō'' was standardized on February 15, 2010. Prior to that, another name, ''Amami shotō'' (奄美諸島), was also used. is a Japanese archipelago in the Satsunan Islands, which is part of the Ryukyu Islands, and is sout ...
. In 1469, King
Shō Taikyū died, so the royal government chose a man named Kanemaru as the new king, who chose the name
Shō En and established the Second Shō Dynasty. His son
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 ...
conquered the Sakishima Islands and centralized the royal government, the military, and the ''noro'' priestesses.
Satsuma Domain
In 1609, the Japanese
Satsuma Domain
The , briefly known as the , was a Han system, domain (''han'') of the Tokugawa shogunate of Japan during the Edo period from 1600 to 1871.
The Satsuma Domain was based at Kagoshima Castle in Satsuma Province, the core of the modern city of ...
launched the
invasion of Ryukyu, ultimately capturing the king and his capital after a long struggle. Ryukyu was forced to cede the Amami Islands and become a vassal of Satsuma. The kingdom became both a tributary of China and a tributary of Japan. Because China would not make a formal trade agreement unless a country was a tributary state, the kingdom was a convenient loophole for Japanese trade with China. When Japan officially closed off trade with European nations except for the Dutch,
Nagasaki
, officially , is the capital and the largest Cities of Japan, city of Nagasaki Prefecture on the island of Kyushu in Japan.
Founded by the Portuguese, the port of Portuguese_Nagasaki, Nagasaki became the sole Nanban trade, port used for tr ...
,
Tsushima, and
Kagoshima
, is the capital Cities of Japan, city of Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 583,966 in 285,992 households, and a population density of 1100 persons per km2. The total area of the city is .
Etymology
While the ...
became the only Japanese trading ports offering connections with the outside world.
At some time,
karate
(; ; Okinawan language, Okinawan pronunciation: ), also , is a martial arts, martial art developed in the Ryukyu Kingdom. It developed from the Okinawan martial arts, indigenous Ryukyuan martial arts (called , "hand"; ''tī'' in Okinawan) un ...
came into existence as a type of systematized
martial arts
Martial arts are codified systems and traditions of combat practiced for a number of reasons such as self-defence; military and law enforcement applications; combat sport, competition; physical, mental, and spiritual development; entertainment; ...
.
18th and 19th centuries
Several Europeans visited Ryukyu starting in the late 18th century. The most important visits to Okinawa were from Captain
Basil Hall in 1816 and Commodore
Matthew C. Perry
Matthew Calbraith Perry (April 10, 1794 – March 4, 1858) was a United States Navy officer who commanded ships in several wars, including the War of 1812 and the Mexican–American War. He led the Perry Expedition that Bakumatsu, ended Japan' ...
in 1852. A Christian missionary,
Bernard Jean Bettelheim, lived in the
Gokoku-ji temple in Naha from 1846 to 1854.
In 1879, Japan annexed the entire Ryukyu archipelago. The
Meiji government then established
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 ...
. The monarchy in
Shuri was abolished, and the deposed King
Shō Tai
was the final King of Ryukyu, initially as Second Shō dynasty, hereditary king of the Tributary system of China#Ryukyu Kingdom, Qing tributary Ryukyu Kingdom from 8 June 1848 until 10 October 1872 and finally as the Empire of Japan, Japanese a ...
was forced to relocate to
Tokyo
Tokyo, officially the Tokyo Metropolis, is the capital of Japan, capital and List of cities in Japan, most populous city in Japan. With a population of over 14 million in the city proper in 2023, it is List of largest cities, one of the most ...
.
Pacific War
Okinawa Island had the bloodiest ground battle of the
Pacific War
The Pacific War, sometimes called the Asia–Pacific War or the Pacific Theatre, was the Theater (warfare), theatre of World War II fought between the Empire of Japan and the Allies of World War II, Allies in East Asia, East and Southeast As ...
from 1 April to 22 June 1945. During this 82-day-long battle, about 95,000
Imperial Japanese Army
The Imperial Japanese Army (IJA; , ''Dai-Nippon Teikoku Rikugun'', "Army of the Greater Japanese Empire") was the principal ground force of the Empire of Japan from 1871 to 1945. It played a central role in Japan’s rapid modernization during th ...
troops and 20,195 Americans were killed. The
Cornerstone of Peace at the Peace Memorial Park in
Itoman lists 149,193 persons from Okinawa—approximately one quarter of the civilian population—were either killed or committed suicide during the
Battle of Okinawa
The , codenamed Operation Iceberg, was a major battle of the Pacific War fought on the island of Okinawa Island, Okinawa by United States Army and United States Marine Corps forces against the Imperial Japanese Army during the Pacific War, Impe ...
and the Pacific War. Very few Japanese ended up in
POW camps. This may have been because of Japanese soldiers' reluctance to surrender. The total number of casualties shocked American military strategists. This made them apprehensive to
invade the other main islands of Japan, because it would result in very high casualties.
American occupation
Japan became a
pacifist
Pacifism is the opposition to war or violence. The word ''pacifism'' was coined by the French peace campaigner Émile Arnaud and adopted by other peace activists at the tenth Universal Peace Congress in Glasgow in 1901. A related term is ''a ...
country with the
1947 constitution, so America was obligated to protect Japan against foreign threats. During the
American military occupation of Japan (1945–1952), which followed the
Imperial Japanese surrender on 2 September 1945, in Tokyo Bay, the United States controlled Okinawa Island and the rest of the Ryukyu Islands. The Amami Islands were returned to Japanese control in 1953. The remaining Ryukyu Islands were returned to Japan on 17 June 1971. America kept numerous U.S. military bases on the islands. There are 32
United States military
The United States Armed Forces are the Military, military forces of the United States. U.S. United States Code, federal law names six armed forces: the United States Army, Army, United States Marine Corps, Marine Corps, United States Navy, Na ...
bases on Okinawa Island
by the
U.S.-Japan alliance since 1951. U.S. bases on Okinawa played critical roles in the
Korean War
The Korean War (25 June 1950 – 27 July 1953) was an armed conflict on the Korean Peninsula fought between North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea; DPRK) and South Korea (Republic of Korea; ROK) and their allies. North Korea was s ...
,
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War (1 November 1955 – 30 April 1975) was an armed conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia fought between North Vietnam (Democratic Republic of Vietnam) and South Vietnam (Republic of Vietnam) and their allies. North Vietnam w ...
,
Laotian Civil War
The Laotian Civil War was waged between the Communist Pathet Lao and the Royal Lao Government from 23 May 1959 to 2 December 1975. The Kingdom of Laos was a covert Theatre (warfare), theater during the Vietnam War with both sides receiving heavy ...
,
Cambodian campaign,
War in Afghanistan
War in Afghanistan, Afghan war, or Afghan civil war may refer to:
*Conquest of Afghanistan by Alexander the Great (330 BC – 327 BC), the conquest of Afghanistan by the Macedonian Empire
* Muslim conquests of Afghanistan, a series of campaigns in ...
, and
Iraq War
The Iraq War (), also referred to as the Second Gulf War, was a prolonged conflict in Iraq lasting from 2003 to 2011. It began with 2003 invasion of Iraq, the invasion by a Multi-National Force – Iraq, United States-led coalition, which ...
.
Okinawa served as a prime staging post for the aforementioned wars.
Its ports and airports were used to transport supplies. The base at Camp Chinen, Nanjo City was used by the
CIA for covert operations. In 1965,
Admiral Ulysses S. Grant Sharp stated that "Without Okinawa, we couldn't continue fighting the Vietnam war."
Intense use of the island by the U.S. military caused damage to the environment and residents.
There were oil and fuel spills.
Exposure to toxic substances caused illness of service members such as a nerve agent leak in 1969.
Aircraft crashes, hit-and runs and murders killed residents.
The perpetrators were often unpunished, since they could not be prosecuted in Okinawa Courts.
The 1970s and 1980s also had severe pollution of waterways and wells with
PFAS: toxic chemicals in foam used by fire fighting training at U.S. facilities such as
Kadena Air Base.
1970s narcotics trade
In the early 1970s, according to a U.S. government report, Okinawa was a key conduit for smuggling drugs such as heroin from Thailand via Okinawa to the United States.
It was called "The Okinawa System" in the global drug trade.
A testimony by a head of the Department of Defense said that drug abuse was "quite extensive."
It began in the second half of 1968;
marijuana
Cannabis (), commonly known as marijuana (), weed, pot, and ganja, List of slang names for cannabis, among other names, is a non-chemically uniform psychoactive drug from the ''Cannabis'' plant. Native to Central or South Asia, cannabis has ...
was smuggled from Thailand to Okinawa and grown near an unidentified
U.S. Marine Corps training area in northern Okinawa.
A package of marijuana fell from an aircraft, and another was discovered at a military post office.
From the mid-1970s onwards,
LSD and
heroin
Heroin, also known as diacetylmorphine and diamorphine among other names, is a morphinan opioid substance synthesized from the Opium, dried latex of the Papaver somniferum, opium poppy; it is mainly used as a recreational drug for its eupho ...
became more prevalent.
Deserters worked as "passport civilians" and smuggled the drugs into Okinawa.
A lack of customs inspections made smuggling easy.
There were well organized Ryukyuan smuggling rings who brought heroin, LSD, and marijuana to Okinawa, and produced LSD on the island.
21st century
In 2013, following escalating tensions following
competing claims to the uninhabited
Senkaku Islands
The Senkaku Islands, known as the Diaoyu Islands in China and the Tiaoyutai Islands in Taiwan, are a group of uninhabited islands in the East China Sea, administered by Japan. They were historically known in the Western world as the Pinnacle ...
, the
People's Republic of China
China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. With population of China, a population exceeding 1.4 billion, it is the list of countries by population (United Nations), second-most populous country after ...
began questioning Japan's sovereignty to the island of Okinawa, citing its past as the independent tributary state of Ryukyu.
On 31 October 2019, the main courtyard structures of
Shurijo were destroyed in a fire.
It marked the fifth time that Shurijo was destroyed following previous incidents in 1453, 1660, 1709 and 1945.
The 2019 fire burned down sections of
Shuri Castle: "Six castle buildings occupying some in total were gutted."
Rebuilding efforts were underway as of 10 February 2020.
Demographics

In September 2009, the Japanese government estimated the population to be 1,384,762,
[沖縄県推計人口データ一覧(Excel形式)]
. Pref.okinawa.jp. Retrieved on 16 August 2013. which included American military personnel and their families. The
Okinawan language
Okinawan (, , , ), or more precisely Central Okinawan, is a Northern Ryukyuan languages, Ryukyuan language spoken primarily in the southern half of the Okinawa Island, island of Okinawa, as well as in the surrounding islands of Kerama Islands, K ...
, called ''Uchināguchi'', is spoken by adults only, but several local groups promote the use of the Okinawan language by younger people.
Whereas the northern half of Okinawa Island is sparsely populated, the south-central and southern parts of the island are markedly
urbanized—particularly the city of Naha and the urban corridor stretching north from there to
Okinawa City. The population distribution is approximately 120,000 in northern Okinawa, 590,000 in central Okinawa and 540,000 in southern Okinawa. It has a high population density of 1,014.93/km
2.
During the
Meiji Period
The was an era of Japanese history that extended from October 23, 1868, to July 30, 1912. The Meiji era was the first half of the Empire of Japan, when the Japanese people moved from being an isolated feudal society at risk of colonizatio ...
, Okinawan ethnic identity, tradition, culture and language were suppressed by the
Meiji government
The was the government that was formed by politicians of the Satsuma Domain and Chōshū Domain in the 1860s. The Meiji government was the early government of the Empire of Japan.
Politicians of the Meiji government were known as the Meiji ...
, which sought to assimilate the Okinawans as Japanese (
Yamato
was originally the area around today's Sakurai, Nara, Sakurai City in Nara Prefecture of Japan, which became Yamato Province and by extension a Names of Japan, name for the whole of Japan.
Yamato is also the dynastic name of the ruling Imperial ...
).
Many ethnic Japanese have since migrated to Okinawa. The modern inhabitants of Okinawa are mainly ethnic
Okinawan, Japanese,
half Japanese and mixed.
Okinawans are known for their
longevity
Longevity may refer to especially long-lived members of a population, whereas ''life expectancy'' is defined Statistics, statistically as the average number of years remaining at a given age. For example, a population's life expectancy at birth ...
. This particular island is a so-called
Blue Zone, an area where the people live longer than most others elsewhere in the world. Five times as many Okinawans reach 100 years old compared to the rest of Japan. there were 34.7 centenarians for every 100,000 inhabitants, which is the highest ratio worldwide.
Possible explanations are diet, low-stress lifestyle, caring community, activity, and spirituality of the inhabitants of the island.
The
Okinawan diet consists of low-fat, low-salt foods, such as whole fruits and vegetables, legumes, tofu, and seaweed.
JC virus research study
In 1997, a scientific research study on the transmission of the ubiquitous
JC virus (JCV) was conducted on the population of Okinawa due to the specific separation of Japanese and military populations on Okinawa. By the time of the study, researchers had identified multiple subtypes of JCV, each of which was generally associated with a specific geographic region or ancestral population. Most humans become infected with some subtype of JCV by age of 10 years. The study conjectured that transmission occurred through prolonged close contact within households, rather than between populations living in close proximity, as was the case for the Japanese population and the military personnel living on Okinawa. Specifically, the study looked for transmission from the American population to the Japanese population.
The study found no evidence of Japanese children having the American JCV subtype. The researchers proposed a "horizontal transmission from parents to children during long-term cohabitation".
[ As a result of the study, JCV subtype analysis is now used to determine human migration patterns,] including the population history of the Jōmon people
The Jōmon (縄文) were a prehistoric hunter-gatherer culture that inhabited the Japanese archipelago approximately between 14,000 BC and 300 BC. Both genetically and culturally, the Jōmon are among the earliest known ancestors of the modern ...
of Okinawa.
Geography
Okinawa is the fifth largest island of Japan. The island has an area of . The coastline is long.[『日本統計年鑑 平成26年』「1-2 主な島」(2013年)p.13, 17] The straight-line distance is about from north to south.[『日本歴史地名大系』「沖縄島」(2002年)p.73中段] Okinawa is in the northeastern end of 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 ...
. Since 1972 over of land has been added via reclamation (0.83% of the island's total area).
It is roughly south of the main island of Kyushu. Okinawa is connected to nearby islands near a land bridge: Katsuren Peninsula is connected via the Mid-Sea Road to Henza Island, Miyagi Island, Ikei Island, and Hamahiga Island. Similarly, from the Motobu Peninsula on the northwestern side, all of Sesoko-jima plus Yagaji Island and Kōri-jima are connected by bridges. Okinawa Island has several beaches such as Manza Beach, Emerald Beach, Okuma Beach, Zanpa Beach, Moon Beach and Sunset Beach (Chatan-cho). Mount Omoto, at , is the highest mountain in Okinawa, with Mount Yonaha being the second highest.
Geology
The Motobu Peninsula in the north has limestone layers and karst
Karst () is a topography formed from the dissolution of soluble carbonate rocks such as limestone and Dolomite (rock), dolomite. It is characterized by features like poljes above and drainage systems with sinkholes and caves underground. Ther ...
development.[『日本歴史地名大系』「総論 自然環境」(2002年)p.24] In the center and south is mainly a Ryukyu limestone layer and mudstone. The topography is flat, there are few hills over with very few rivers. The subtropical rains accelerate erosion requiring many drainages and uvala. The southern end of the island consists of uplifted coral reef
A coral reef is an underwater ecosystem characterized by reef-building corals. Reefs are formed of colonies of coral polyps held together by calcium carbonate. Most coral reefs are built from stony corals, whose polyps cluster in group ...
, whereas the northern half has proportionally more igneous rock
Igneous rock ( ), or magmatic rock, is one of the three main rock types, the others being sedimentary and metamorphic. Igneous rocks are formed through the cooling and solidification of magma or lava.
The magma can be derived from partial ...
. The easily eroded limestone
Limestone is a type of carbonate rock, carbonate sedimentary rock which is the main source of the material Lime (material), lime. It is composed mostly of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different Polymorphism (materials science) ...
of the south has many caves, the most famous of which is Gyokusendō in Nanjō. The northernmost Cape Hedo is only away from Yoronjima
, also known as Yoron, is one of the Amami Islands.
The island, 20.8 km2 (8 sq. mi.) in area, has a population of approximately 6,000 people, and is administered as the town of Yoron, Kagoshima. Much of the island is within the borders of t ...
. Cape Arasaki is the southernmost location of Okinawa island. It is sometimes confused with Cape Kiyanmisaki.
File:Onna_Okinawa_Japan_Cape-Manzamo-01.jpg, Cliffs at Manzamo
File:Subtropical Forest of Yanbaru National Park Okinawa 2018.jpg, Subtropical forest of Yanbaru National Park
File:OkinawaOnna1.jpg, Village of Onna
File:OkinawaOnna2.jpg, A pond in Okinawa
File:Busena Resort11n4272.jpg, Cape Busena, in Nago, Okinawa
File:Chatan_Sunset_Beach_(west)_20150317-2.JPG, Sunset Beach (Chatan-cho)
File:Map-okinawa-pref.png, Map of Okinawa Prefecture with the location of Okinawa Island
Flora and fauna
The northern half of Okinawa has one of the largest tracts of subtropical rainforest in Asia called the Yanbaru. There are many endemic
Endemism is the state of a species being found only in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also foun ...
species of flora and fauna. There are a small number of endemic Yanbaru kuina (also known as the Okinawa rail), a small flightless bird that is close to extinction. The critically endangered Okinawa woodpecker is also endemic to the island. The Indian mongoose was introduced to the island to prevent the native habu pit viper from attacking the birds. It did not succeed in eliminating the habu but instead preyed on birds, increasing the threat to the Okinawa rail.
The coconut crab is the largest terrestrial hermit crab of Okinawa and the Ryukyu Islands. It is an endangered species due to over-hunting, which has made them scarce on Okinawa island. In 2021, coconut crabs were found to live in a small cave system on the islet Nagashima off the Henoko district.
A small population of endangered dugongs lives around Okinawa. The estimates are between 3 and 50 survivors.
File:Gallirallus okinawae by OpenCage.jpg, The Okinawa rail
File:Coconut Crab in Kuroshima Okinawa Prefecture.jpg, Coconut crab
Climate
The island has a 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 ...
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 ...
. The climate supports a dense Subtropical forest in the northern Yanbaru National Park. A rainy season
The rainy season is the time of year when most of a region's average annual rainfall occurs.
Rainy Season may also refer to:
* ''Rainy Season'' (short story), a 1989 short horror story by Stephen King
* "Rainy Season", a 2018 song by Monni
* '' ...
occurs in the late spring.
Cuisine
There are many local pubs ('' izakaya'') and cafes that serve Okinawan cuisine and dishes, such as '' gōyā chanpurū'' (bitter melon stir fry), ''fu chanpurū'' (wheat gluten chanpurū
is an Okinawa Prefecture, Okinawan stir fry dish. It is considered the representative dish of Okinawan cuisine. Chanpurū generally consists of tofu combined with some kind of vegetable, meat, or fish. Cold cut, Luncheon meat (such as American ...
), and ''tonkatsu
is a Japanese dish that consists of a breaded, Deep frying, deep-fried pork cutlet. It involves coating slices of pork with Bread crumbs#Panko, panko (bread crumbs), and then frying them in oil. The two main types are fillet and loin. Tonkatsu ...
'' (tenderized, breaded, fried pork cutlet). Okinawan soba
Soba ( or , "buckwheat") are Japanese noodles made primarily from buckwheat flour, with a small amount of wheat flour mixed in.
It has an ashen brown color, and a slightly grainy texture. The noodles are served either chilled with a dipping sau ...
is the signature dish and consists of wheat noodles served hot in a soup, usually with pork (rib or pork belly). This contrasts with the mainland soba, which is buckwheat noodles. Rafute, which is braised pork belly, is another popular Okinawan dish. American presence on the island has also led to some creative dishes such as taco rice, which is now a common meal served in bentos, and the common use of spam
Spam most often refers to:
* Spam (food), a consumer brand product of canned processed pork of the Hormel Foods Corporation
* Spamming, unsolicited or undesired electronic messages
** Email spam, unsolicited, undesired, or illegal email messages
...
.
Economy
Among the prefectures of Japan
Japan is divided into 47 prefectures (, , ), which rank immediately below the national government and form the country's first level of jurisdiction and Administrative divisions of Japan, administrative division. They include 43 prefectures pro ...
, Okinawa has the youngest and fastest-growing population but has the lowest employment rate and average income. The island economy is primarily driven by tourism and the U.S. military presence, with efforts in recent years to diversify into other sectors.
Other significant contributors to the economy include public utilities and public works, as well as, to a lesser extent, telecommunications (), and alcoholic beverages ( Orion Breweries).
The Motobu Peninsula has a large-scale quarry and cement factory, taking advantage of the limestone in the area. There is also agriculture with tropical fruit such as '' Malpighia emarginata''.
Tourism
Tourist attractions include Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium (at one time the world's largest aquarium), Century Beach, Pineapple Park, the Orion Beer Factory and Hiji Falls. In recent years, Okinawa has become an increasingly popular destination for tourists from China and Southeast Asia. In 2018, Okinawa attracted 9,842,400 tourists, a positive growth of 4.7% from 9,396,200 in the previous year.
Military bases
The U.S. military bases account for 4 to 5% of the island economy. There is also a smaller contingent of Japanese military bases on the island. Several former U.S. military facilities on Okinawa have been re-developed as commercial areas, most notably the American Village in Chatan, which opened in 1998, and the Aeon Mall Okinawa Rycom in Kitanakagusuku, which opened in 2015.
U.S. military in Okinawa
The United States maintains American military bases in Japan as part of the U.S.-Japan alliance since 1951. As of December 2024, there were just over 60,000 U.S. military and civilian personnel in Japan — 53,603 active-duty U.S, 397 reserve troops, and 7,049 civilian personnel employed by the U.S. Defense Department. In addition, there are approximately 35,000 U.S. dependents in Japan. Most U.S. military is in Okinawa Prefecture.
There are 120 active U.S. military bases in Japan, with about 70% being in or around Okinawa. They cover 25% of the island. The major bases are Futenma, Kadena, Hansen, Torii
A is a traditional culture of Japan, Japanese gate most commonly found at the entrance of or within a Shinto shrine, where it symbolically marks the transition from the mundane to the sacred, and a spot where kami are welcomed and thought to ...
, Schwab, Foster, and Kinser. There are 28 U.S. military facilities on Okinawa. They are mainly concentrated in the central area. At one point, Okinawa hosted approximately 1,200 nuclear warheads. There were several nuclear weapons incidents on Okinawa and in the sea near the islands.
Pollution
In 2020, tests around Kadena Air Base showed severe contamination of the wells and waterways of Dakujaku River and Hija river with toxic chemicals PFAS. This affects the drinking water of 450,000 residents. PFAS was used in foam at fire fighting training sites on U.S. facilities during the 1970s and 1980s.
Moving the bases
The 1971 Okinawa Reversion Agreement officially ended the U.S. military occupation on Okinawa. The bases primarily exist to serve Japanese and American strategic interests, despite recent efforts to move the bases out of core areas following incidents involving military personnel and resultant protests (including the 1995 Okinawa rape incident).
In 2012, an agreement was struck between the United States and Japan to reduce the number of U.S. military personnel on the island, moving 9,000 personnel to other locations and moving bases out of heavily populated Greater Naha, but 10,000 Marines will remain on the island, along with other U.S. military units. Attempts to completely close bases on the southern third of the island, where 90% of the population lives (all but about 120,000 people) have been impeded by both the American desire that alternative locations be found where bases subject to closure could move to (e.g. Henoko Peninsula, mid-island), as well as by local Okinawan opposition to any suggested locations on the island (who demand no U.S. troops at all anywhere on the island). Tokyo says the U.S. bases are important for national security. Locals complain that despite being home to less than 1% of Japan's population and area, Okinawa hosts the majority of the U.S. military presence in Japan. In late December 2013, Governor Hirokazu Nakaima gave permission for land reclamation to begin for a new U.S. military base at Henoko, reneging on previous promises and furthering the effort to consolidate the American troop presence on the island, though away from urban Naha.
In December 2016 the U.S. returned of the Northern Training Area on Okinawa to Japan. This reduced the footprint of the U.S. forces by 20% on the island. It was the biggest land return since 1972.
Architecture
Okinawa has various historical buildings and monuments, such as feudal castles, ruins, UNESCO, and other historical significant sites.
* Shuri Castle is the most famous castle on Okinawa and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
* Nakagusuku Castle is a ''gusuku
often refers to castles or fortresses in the Ryukyu Islands that feature stone walls. However, the origin and essence of ''gusuku'' remain controversial. In the archaeology of Okinawa Prefecture, the ''Gusuku period'' refers to an archaeological ...
'' in the village of Kitanakagusuku, Okinawa. This is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the 100 most famous castles in Japan.
*The Cornerstone of Peace monument in Itoman commemorates the Battle of Okinawa and the end of World War II. Nearby is the Okinawa Prefectural Peace Memorial Museum.
* is an original 18th-century farmhouse in Kitanakagusuki.
*The former
* Katsuren Castle
* Nakijin Castle
File:Naha_Shuri_Castle20s5s3200.jpg, Shuri Castle in Naha
File:Naha_Shuri_Castle32bs5s4592.jpg, Shureimon
File:Nakagusuku_Castle25bs3104.jpg, Nakagusuku Castle ruins
File:Okinawa_prefectural_Peace_memorial_Museum-2007-06-27_4.jpg, Cornerstone of Peace monument
File:Nakamura_House_Kitanakagusuku01n3104.jpg, Nakamura house
Attractions
Natural
* Cape Manzamo
* Cape Hedo
* Sefa-utaki
* Okinawa Senseki Quasi-National Park
*
* is a natural beach shaped like a crescent moon with tropical trees
Other
* Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium
* Mid-Sea Road
* main street 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 American Village in Chatan, Okinawa.
* Okinawa World
Culture
Festivals
There are multiple festivals on Okinawa throughout the year.
*Shurijo Castle Park New Year's CelebrationJanuary
*Cherry Blossom FestivalJanuary, February
*Naha Hari FestivalMay
*Orion BeerfestAugust
*Eisa Dancers ParadeAugust
*Shuri Castle FestivalOctober
*Naha Great Tug-of-War FestivalOctober
*The Ryukyu Dynasty Festival ShuriNovember
Sports
* FC Ryukyu, association football
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a team sport played between two teams of 11 Football player, players who almost exclusively use their feet to propel a Ball (association football), ball around a rectangular f ...
team, plays in J2 League
The or simply J2 is the second division of the and the second level of the Japanese association football league system. The top tier is represented by the J1 League. It (along with the rest of the J.League) is currently sponsored by Meiji Yasud ...
.
* Ryukyu Golden Kings
The are a Japanese professional basketball team based in Okinawa (city), Okinawa, Okinawa Prefecture. They compete in the B.League, the top-tier professional basketball league of Japan.
The Golden Kings have won the Japanese national title f ...
, basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular Basketball court, court, compete with the primary objective of #Shooting, shooting a basketball (ball), basketball (appro ...
team, plays in B.League.
Transportation
Airport
Naha Airport is the main transportation hub for the Ryukyu Islands and has an increasingly large role in regional logistics. All Nippon Airways
(ANA) is a Japanese airline headquartered in Minato, Tokyo. ANA operates services to both domestic and international destinations and is Japan's largest airline, ahead of its main rival flag carrier Japan Airlines. the airline has approximate ...
opened a cargo hub at the airport in 2009, providing overnight freight service between Japan and other Asian countries.
Monorail
The Okinawa Urban Monorail (Yui Rail) runs from Naha Airport to Japan's south-easternmost monorail station, Akamine Station, before heading to its final destination of Tedako-Uranishi Station ( Urasoe) and back.
Buses
There are multiple bus companies, such as Toyo Bus, Ryukyu Bus Kotsu, Naha Bus, and Okinawa Bus.
Roads
The Okinawa Expressway is a toll road
A toll road, also known as a turnpike or tollway, is a public or private road for which a fee (or ''Toll (fee), toll'') is assessed for passage. It is a form of road pricing typically implemented to help recoup the costs of road construction and ...
that runs from 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.). ...
to Nago
is a city located in the northern part of Okinawa Island, Okinawa Prefecture, Japan. As of December 2012, the city has an estimated population of 61,659 and a population density of 293 persons per km2. Its total area is 210.30 km2.
Geo ...
, and has a speed limit of , the highest on the island.
Ferries
There are many ferries
A ferry is a boat or ship that transports passengers, and occasionally vehicles and cargo, across a body of water. A small passenger ferry with multiple stops, like those in Venice, Italy, is sometimes referred to as a water taxi or water bus.
...
to many of the nearby islands, such as Ie Shima. Tomarin Port in Naha, has ferries to nearby islands such as Aguni, Tokashiki and Zamami.
Regions and cities
Northern Okinawa
With Kunigami district, it has an area of and a population of about 120,000. There is much nature with subtropical rainforest.
*Kunigami district
** Ginoza
** Higashi
** Kinmu
**Kunigami
is a List of villages in Japan, village in Kunigami District, Okinawa, Kunigami District, Okinawa Prefecture, Japan. It occupies the north tip of Okinawa Island, with the East China Sea to the west, Pacific Ocean to the east, and Municipalities ...
** Motobu
** Nakijin
** Ōgimi
** Onna
*Nago
is a city located in the northern part of Okinawa Island, Okinawa Prefecture, Japan. As of December 2012, the city has an estimated population of 61,659 and a population density of 293 persons per km2. Its total area is 210.30 km2.
Geo ...
Central Okinawa
With Nakagami district, it has an area of and a population of about 590,000. Most U.S. military facilities are located here. Urasoe has strong connections with the southern municipalities, including the Southern Wide Area Municipal Area Administrative Association, Nishihara town, Nakagusuku village, and Kitanakagusuku Village. These belong to the Southern Wide Area Administrative Association. With Kunigami district or Yamabaru, it has an area of and a population of about 120,000. Rich nature remains.
* Ginowan
*Nakagami district
**Yomitan
is a village located in Nakagami District, Okinawa Prefecture, Japan.
Geography
Yomitan is located on the western coast of the central part of Okinawa Island. The village is bound to the north by Onna, to the east by Okinawa City, to the ...
** Kadena
** Chatan
** Kitanakagusuku
** Nakagusuku
** Nishihara
* Okinawa City
* Urasoe
* Uruma
Southern Okinawa
With Shimajiri district, it has an area of and a population of about 540,000. The capital is Naha.
* Itoman
*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.). ...
* Nanjo
*Shimajiri district
** Haebaru
** Yaese
** Yonabaru
* Tomigusuku
Photo gallery
File:KinjoPot1656.jpg, Okinawa Island is the home of Tsuboya-yaki, pottery in the Ryūkyūan tradition
File:TogyuWP.jpg, Bullfighting ( Tōgyū) arena. Okinawa is the home of a form of bullfighting sometimes compared to sumo
is a form of competitive full-contact wrestling where a ''rikishi'' (wrestler) attempts to force his opponent out of a circular ring (''dohyō'') or into touching the ground with any body part other than the soles of his feet (usually by th ...
.
See also
* Geography of Japan
* Japanese archipelago
The is an archipelago of list of islands of Japan, 14,125 islands that form the country of Japan. It extends over from the Sea of Okhotsk in the northeast to the East China Sea, East China and Philippine Sea, Philippine seas in the southwest al ...
* History of the Ryukyu Islands
** 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 ...
*** List of monarchs of Ryukyu Islands
*** Shō Dynasties family tree
* Names of Okinawa
* Okinawan martial arts
References
Citations
Sources
*
*
*
*
*
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Okinawa Island
.
Islands of Okinawa Prefecture
Ryukyu Islands
World War II sites in Japan
World War II sites of the United States