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Iha Castle
is a Ryukyuan '' gusuku'' in Uruma, Okinawa. It sits on a cliff that separates Iha from Ishikawa, with a grand view of the Ishikawa Isthmus. The castle is in ruins, with nothing left of the original structures save the walls. There are also multiple Ryukyuan shrines in the bailey. Based on artifacts found in and around the castle, it has been estimated to have been in use around the 13th to 15th centuries.Flemming, Michael. "Iha Castle Ruins - An Okinawa prefecture cultural asset." Stars and Stripes Okinawa Nov 2013, n. pag. Web. 3 Feb. 2014. . The Okinawa Prefectural government erected a stone Torii A is a traditional 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. The presence of a ''torii'' at the entrance is usually the simple ... in front of one of the castle gates, along with a plaque describing it. File:Bailey of Iha Castle.jpg, Bailey of Iha Castle. F ...
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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 epoch of the Okinawa Islands that follows the shell-mound period and precedes the Sanzan period, when most ''gusuku'' are thought to have been built. Many ''gusuku'' and related cultural remains on Okinawa Island have been listed by UNESCO as World Heritage Sites under the title ''Gusuku Sites and Related Properties of the Kingdom of Ryukyu''. Philological analysis The '' Yarazamori Gusuku Inscription'' (1554) contains phrases, "pile ''gusuku''" (くすくつませ) and "pile up ''gusuku'' and ..." (くすくつみつけて); apparently, ''gusuku'' in these phrases refers to stone walls. In the ''Omoro Sōshi'' (16th–17th centuries), the term ''gusuku'' is written as "くすく," or "ぐすく" in hiragana. Occasionally, the Chinese c ...
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US Flag 48 Stars
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territories, nine Minor Outlying Islands, and 326 Indian reservations. The United States is also in free association with three Pacific Island sovereign states: the Federated States of Micronesia, the Marshall Islands, and the Republic of Palau. It is the world's third-largest country by both land and total area. It shares land borders with Canada to its north and with Mexico to its south and has maritime borders with the Bahamas, Cuba, Russia, and other nations. With a population of over 333 million, it is the most populous country in the Americas and the third most populous in the world. The national capital of the United States is Washington, D.C. and its most populous city and principal financial center is New York City. Paleo-Ameri ...
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United States Military Government Of The Ryukyu Islands
The , also referred to as U.S. Ryukyu Islands, was the government in the Ryukyu Islands, Japan (centered on the Okinawa Island) from 1945 to 1950, whereupon it was replaced by the United States Civil Administration of the Ryukyu Islands (USCAR). Background The first prolonged American presence in the Ryukyu Islands commenced with the arrival of Commodore Matthew C. Perry in May 1853, on Okinawa. A bit more than one year later, this presence ended when Perry left. Perry had hoped to use Okinawa as a springboard to opening up relations with Japan during the Bakumatsu period. Almost 100 years later, Americans returned to the islands, beginning in April 1945, after the last battle of World War II came to an end. Again, the American presence was as a stepping stone to Japan. Government system The government was headed by the and his second-in-command, the . They were assisted by the . Governors References See also * United States Civil Administration of the Ryukyu Islands ...
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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 at the conclusion of World War II) in 1950, and functioning until the islands were returned to Japan in 1972. History The U.S. National Archives and Records Administration describes USCAR's history thus: Following signing of the Instrument of Surrender, 2 September 1945, Ryukyu Islands were administered by Department of the Navy, 21 September 1945 – 30 June 1946, with Commanding Officer, Naval Operating Base, Okinawa functioning as chief military government officer under authority of Commander-in-Chief U.S. Pacific Fleet. Transfer of administration from Department of the Navy to War Department authorized by Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) approval, 1 April 1946, of JCS 819/11, 5 March 1946, with added proviso of JCS 819/12, 22 March 1946. Pursuant to implementing instructions of General Headqu ...
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Okinawan Language
The Okinawan language (, , , ) or 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, Kerama, Kumejima, Okinawa, Kumejima, Tonaki, Okinawa, Tonaki, Aguni, Okinawa, Aguni and a number of smaller peripheral islands. Central Okinawan distinguishes itself from the speech of Northern Okinawa, which is classified independently as the Kunigami language. Both languages are listed by UNESCO as Atlas of the World's Languages in Danger, endangered. Though Okinawan encompasses a number of local dialects, the Shuri, Okinawa, Shuri–Naha variant is generally recognized as the ''de facto'' standard, as it had been used as the official language of the Ryukyu Kingdom since the reign of King Shō Shin (1477–1526). Moreover, as the former capital of Shuri was built around the royal palace, the language used by the royal court became the regio ...
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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 epoch of the Okinawa Islands that follows the shell-mound period and precedes the Sanzan period, when most ''gusuku'' are thought to have been built. Many ''gusuku'' and related cultural remains on Okinawa Island have been listed by UNESCO as World Heritage Sites under the title ''Gusuku Sites and Related Properties of the Kingdom of Ryukyu''. Philological analysis The '' Yarazamori Gusuku Inscription'' (1554) contains phrases, "pile ''gusuku''" (くすくつませ) and "pile up ''gusuku'' and ..." (くすくつみつけて); apparently, ''gusuku'' in these phrases refers to stone walls. In the ''Omoro Sōshi'' (16th–17th centuries), the term ''gusuku'' is written as "くすく," or "ぐすく" in hiragana. Occasionally, the Chinese c ...
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Uruma, Okinawa
is a city located in Okinawa Prefecture, Japan. The modern city of Uruma was established on April 1, 2005, when the cities of Gushikawa and Ishikawa were merged with the towns of Katsuren and Yonashiro (both from Nakagami District). As of May 1, 2013, the city has an estimated population of 118,330 and a population density of 1,400 people per km2. The total area is 86.00 km2. The city covers part of the east coast of the south of Okinawa Island, the Katsuren Peninsula, and the eight Yokatsu Islands. The Yokatsu Islands include numerous sites important to the Ryukyuan religion, and the city as a whole has numerous historical sites, including: Katsuren Castle, Agena Castle, and Iha Castle and the Iha Shell Mound. It is home to the largest venue for Okinawan bullfighting. The Mid-Sea Road, which crosses the ocean and connects the Yokatsu Islands to the main island of Okinawa, is now a symbol of Uruma. Uruma is noted for its role in hosting large-scale refugee camps an ...
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Ishikawa, Okinawa
was a city located in Okinawa Prefecture, Japan. The city was founded on September 26, 1945. It was named after the nearby Mount Ishikawa and the Ishikawa River. As of 2003, the city had an estimated population of 22,126 and a density of 1,052.12 persons per km². The total area was 21.03 km². On April 1, 2005, Ishikawa, along with the city of Gushikawa, and the towns of Katsuren and Yonashiro (both from Nakagami District), was merged to create the city of Uruma is a Cities of Japan, city located in Okinawa Prefecture, Japan. The modern city of Uruma was established on April 1, 2005, when the cities of Gushikawa, Okinawa, Gushikawa and Ishikawa, Okinawa, Ishikawa were merged with the towns of Katsuren, .... External linksCity of Ishikawa website(archives)Uruma official website Dissolved municipalities of Okinawa Prefecture {{Okinawa-geo-stub ...
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Ishikawa Isthmus
Ishikawa may refer to: Concepts *Ishikawa diagram, cause-and-effect diagram, developed by Kaoru Ishikawa Places *Ishikawa Prefecture, a prefecture in the Chūbu region on Honshū island, Japan *Ishikawa District, Ishikawa, a former district in Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan *Ishikawa District, Fukushima, a district in Fukushima Prefecture, Japan *Ishikawa, Fukushima, town in Ishikawa District, Fukushima Prefecture *Ishikawa, Okinawa, a city in Okinawa Prefecture, Japan *Ishikawa (restaurant), a Michelin 3-star sushi restaurant in Shinjuku, Tokyo Japan People *Ishikawa (surname) *Ishikawa clan is a Japanese samurai family which descended from the Seiwa Genji. Papinot, Jacques Edmond Joseph. (1906). ''Dictionnaire d’histoire et de géographie du Japon''; Papinot, (2003)"Ina" at ''Nobiliare du Japon'', p. 16 retrieved 2013-4-11. His ...
, a Japanese clan mainly active during the Sengoku Period {{disambig, geo ...
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Ruins
Ruins () are the remains of a civilization's architecture. The term refers to formerly intact structures that have fallen into a state of partial or total disrepair over time due to a variety of factors, such as lack of maintenance, deliberate destruction by humans, or uncontrollable destruction by natural phenomena. The most common root causes that yield ruins in their wake are natural disasters, armed conflict, and population decline, with many structures becoming progressively derelict over time due to long-term weathering and scavenging. There are famous ruins all over the world, with notable sites originating from ancient China, the Indus Valley and other regions of ancient India, ancient Iran, ancient Israel and Judea, ancient Iraq, ancient Greece, ancient Egypt, Roman sites throughout the Mediterranean Basin, and Incan and Mayan sites in the Americas. Ruins are of great importance to historians, archaeologists and anthropologists, whether they were once individual f ...
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Utaki
Utaki (御嶽) is an Okinawan term for a sacred place, often a grove, cave, or mountain. They are central to the Ryukyuan religion and the former noro priestess system. Although the term ''utaki'' is used throughout the Ryukyu Islands, the terms ''suku'' and ''on'' are heard in the Miyako and Yaeyama regions respectively. Utaki are usually located on the outskirts of villages and are places for the veneration of gods and ancestors. Most gusuku have places of worship, and it is theorized that the origins of both ''gusuku'' and ''utaki'' are closely related. Important Utaki * Biinudaki (弁ヶ嶽), Naha * Misaki-on (美崎御嶽), Ishigaki * Miyatori-on (宮鳥御嶽), Nago * Pyarumizu-utaki (漲水御嶽), Miyako * Sefa-utaki (斎場御嶽), Nanjō * Sunuhyan-utaki ''Sunufan-utaki'' is a sacred grove of trees and plants (''utaki'') of the traditional indigenous Ryukyuan religion. It is located on the grounds of Shuri Castle in Naha, Okinawa, a few paces away from t ...
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Bailey (fortification)
A bailey or ward in a fortification is a courtyard enclosed by a curtain wall. In particular, an early type of European castle was known as a motte-and-bailey. Castles can have more than one bailey. Their layout depends both on the local topography and the level of fortification technology employed, ranging from simple enclosures to elaborate concentric defences. In addition to the gradual evolution of more complex castle plans, there are also significant differences in regional traditions of military architecture regarding the subdivision into baileys. Upper, lower, middle, inner and outer wards or baileys Baileys can be arranged in sequence along a hill (as in a spur castle), giving an upper bailey and lower bailey. They can also be nested one inside the other, as in a concentric castle, giving an outer bailey and inner bailey. Large castles may have two outer baileys; if in line they may form an outer and middle bailey. On the other hand, tower houses lack an enclosed bailey. ...
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