Okinawa Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan. Okinawa Prefecture is the southernmost and westernmost prefecture of Japan, has a population of 1,457,162 (as of 2 February 2020) and a geographic area of 2,281 km2 (880 sq mi).
Naha is the capital and largest city o ...
,
Japan
Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...
. The town consists of the islands of
Kume
is a List of towns in Japan, town located in Shimajiri District, Okinawa, Shimajiri District, Okinawa Prefecture, Japan. The town consists of the islands of Kume Island, Kume, Ōjima, Ōhajima, Kume Torishima, Torishima, and Iōtorishima. Among ...
, Ōjima, Ōhajima, Torishima, and Iōtorishima. Among the islands, only Kumejima and Ōjima are populated. Kumejima is located approximately west of Naha. The town can be accessed by the New Kumejima Ferry, Japan Transocean Air, or Ryukyu Air Commuter.
Kumejima Airport
is an airport in Kumejima, a city and island in the Okinawa Prefecture of Japan.
The prefecture operates the airport, which is classified as a third class airport.
Airlines and destinations
References
External links
Kumejima Airpor ...
serves the island. , the town had an estimated population of 7,647 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. It is well known for its textiles, called Kumejima-tsumugi 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 (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 invaded Kume under the leadership of Shō Shin. During Ryukyuan rule, Kume Island was often visited by Chinese envoys called "sapposhi" on their way to Shuri Castle on
Okinawa Island
is the largest of the Okinawa Islands and the Ryukyu (''Nansei'') Islands of Japan in the Kyushu 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 ...
. 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.
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 zone of climate characterized by hot and humid summers, and cool to mild winters. These climates normally lie on the southeast side of all continents (except Antarctica), generally between latitudes 25° and 40° ...
( Köppen climate classification ''Cfa'') bordering on a tropical rainforest climate (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 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 on
Mount Uegusuku
Mount is often used as part of the name of specific mountains, e.g. Mount Everest.
Mount or Mounts may also refer to:
Places
* Mount, Cornwall, a village in Warleggan parish, England
* Mount, Perranzabuloe, a hamlet in Perranzabuloe parish, C ...
, which is the highest situated castle in Okinawa Prefecture. Gushikawa Castle is also designated a
National Treasure
The idea of national treasure, like national epics and national anthems, is part of the language of romantic nationalism, which arose in the late 18th century and 19th centuries. Nationalism is an ideology that supports the nation as the fundame ...
.
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 Demonstration Facility. The facility is open to tours by appointment for free.