is a
town
A town is a human settlement. Towns are generally larger than villages and smaller than cities, though the criteria to distinguish between them vary considerably in different parts of the world.
Origin and use
The word "town" shares an ori ...
located in
Kunigami District,
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 ...
. As of October 2016, the town has an estimated
population
Population typically refers to the number of people in a single area, whether it be a city or town, region, country, continent, or the world. Governments typically quantify the size of the resident population within their jurisdiction using a ...
of 13,441 and a
density
Density (volumetric mass density or specific mass) is the substance's mass per unit of volume. The symbol most often used for density is ''ρ'' (the lower case Greek letter rho), although the Latin letter ''D'' can also be used. Mathematical ...
of 250 persons per km
2.
The total area is .
Several islands can be accessed from Motobu, namely the small islands of
Sesoko (by bridge) and
Minna-jima (by ferry). Both islands are incorporated as part of the Town of Motobu. Ferry service also runs from Motobu Port to Ie-jima.
Motobu is served by three large supermarkets and eight individual schools from elementary to high school levels.
Like many towns in Okinawa, Motobu is composed of what were formerly several smaller and independent villages. In addition to Motobu proper other included districts are Sesoko, Kamimotobu, Sakimotobu and Izumi.
The well-known
Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium
The , formerly known as the Okinawa Ocean Expo Aquarium, is located within the Ocean Expo Park in Okinawa, Japan. It is a member of the Japanese Association of Zoos and Aquariums (JAZA), and was the largest aquarium in the world until it was sur ...
is located in Motobu. Other notable sites include the remains of
Nakijin Castle
is a Ryukyuan '' gusuku'' located in Nakijin, Okinawa. It is currently in ruins. In the late 14th century, the island of Okinawa consisted of three principalities: Nanzan to the south, Chūzan in the central area, and Hokuzan in the north. Na ...
, as well as several cafes.
Geography
![Minnajima beach, Okinawa](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e7/Minnajima_beach%2C_Okinawa.jpg)
The town of Motobu sits on the northern part of
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 ...
. The town occupies the eastern part of the
Motobu Peninsula
The is a peninsula in the Yanbaru region of Okinawa Island. It is surrounded by Nago Bay to the east, the Haneda Inland Sea to the north, and the East China Sea to the west.Okinawa Island Guide " Nago City / Motobu Town / Nakijin VillageOkina ...
as well as two islands:
Minnajima and
Sesokojima
Sesoko Island (瀬底島, Japanese: ''Sesoko-jima'', Okinawan: ''Shisuku-jima'') is a small island in Okinawa Prefecture, Japan. Politically, the place is administered by the town of Motobu, which is a part of the Kunigami District in the nort ...
. Motobu is bordered by
Nago
''Nagu'', Kunigami: ''Naguu'' 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 288 persons per km2. Its tota ...
to the south,
Nakijin
is a village located in Kunigami District, Okinawa Prefecture, Japan.
As of 2003, the village has an estimated population of 9,529 and a population density of 239.00 persons per km2. The total area is 39.87 km2.
Education
The village o ...
to the east, and by the
East China Sea
The East China Sea is an arm of the Western Pacific Ocean, located directly offshore from East China. It covers an area of roughly . The sea’s northern extension between mainland China and the Korean Peninsula is the Yellow Sea, separated b ...
to the west.
The
Minna River () runs from the center of the Motobu Peninsula through the town and empties into the East China Sea at the small
Toguchi Bay. Coral around the entrance of the bay was removed to create a natural shipping channel into the bay, and the town center is concentrated in this area.
There are beaches with white sand and clear water such as
Minnajima Beach.
Parks
The
Omoro Botanical Garden The , also known as the Omoro Arboretum, is an arboretum and botanical garden located in the Ocean Expo Park, 424 Ishikawa, Motobu, Okinawa, Japan. It is open daily except Thursdays; admission is free.
This facility was opened in 1980 to commemorat ...
and
Tropical & Subtropical Arboretum are located in the northern portion of this town.
History
Motobu
magiri
The administrative divisions of the Ryukyu Kingdom were a hierarchy composed of districts, ''magiri'', cities, villages, and islands established by the Ryukyu Kingdom throughout the Ryukyu Islands.
Divisions
There were three or ''hō'': , , and ...
covered the area of the present-day town. The ''magiri'', a type of regional administrative district, were abolished under Imperial Edict 46 in 1907, and the Town of Motobu was incorporated in 1908.
Ocean Expo 1975
In 1975, the World Exposition was held in Motobu, with a focus on the world's oceans. After the expo concluded, Ocean Expo Park was built on the site. Ocean Expo Park is the site of the
Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium
The , formerly known as the Okinawa Ocean Expo Aquarium, is located within the Ocean Expo Park in Okinawa, Japan. It is a member of the Japanese Association of Zoos and Aquariums (JAZA), and was the largest aquarium in the world until it was sur ...
as well as other exhibits highlighting the Okinawa Island and its culture.
Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium
The
Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium
The , formerly known as the Okinawa Ocean Expo Aquarium, is located within the Ocean Expo Park in Okinawa, Japan. It is a member of the Japanese Association of Zoos and Aquariums (JAZA), and was the largest aquarium in the world until it was sur ...
is located within the Ocean Expo Commemorative National Government Park. The aquarium consists of four floors, with tanks containing deep sea creatures, sharks, coral and tropical fish. The aquarium sits on of land, with a total of 77 tanks containing of water. The main tank, called the Kuroshio Sea, holds of water and features an
acrylic glass
Poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) belongs to a group of materials called engineering plastics. It is a transparent thermoplastic. PMMA is also known as acrylic, acrylic glass, as well as by the trade names and brands Crylux, Plexiglas, Acrylite, ...
panel measuring with a thickness of . The aquarium was the world's largest until the construction of the
Georgia Aquarium
Georgia Aquarium is a public aquarium in Atlanta, Georgia, United States. It exhibits hundreds of species and thousands of animals across its seven major galleries, all of which reside in more than of water. It was the largest aquarium in the wor ...
in the city of
Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Georgia. It is the seat of Fulton County, the most populous county in Georgia, but its territory falls in both Fulton and DeKalb counties. With a population of 498,715 ...
. The aquarium additionally holds 80 species of
coral
Corals are marine invertebrates within the class Anthozoa of the phylum Cnidaria. They typically form compact colonies of many identical individual polyps. Coral species include the important reef builders that inhabit tropical oceans and sec ...
. The Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium is one of only a few aquariums that keeps and attempts to breed whale sharks in captivity.
Education
Motobu High School
is a town located in Kunigami District, Okinawa Prefecture, Japan. As of October 2016, the town has an estimated population of 13,441 and a density of 250 persons per km2. The total area is .
Several islands can be accessed from Motobu, namely ...
, a public high school operated by the
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 di ...
, serves the area.
* Located on Sesoko Island is another high school for the severely disabled
Motobu's public elementary and junior high schools are run under the guidance of the Motobu Board of Education located in Ohama Town, central Motobu. The Board also serves as a meeting place, art exhibit, English class, and a venue for other various town events.
Public elementary and junior high schools are:
* Motobu Junior High School (本部中学校), located in Ohama Town, central Motobu
* Motobu Elementary School (本部小学校), located in Ohama Town, central Motobu
* Kamimotobu Gakuen (上本部学園) - Kamimotobu Junior High School (上本部中学校) and Kamimotobu Elementary School (上本部小学校)
[ - located in Yamagawa Town near the Churaumi Aquarium
* Minna Elementary and Junior High School (水納小中学校)][ - On Minna-Jimma serving the residing 5 students of the island, in view of Toguchi port. 25 minute ferry
* Sesoko Elementary School (瀬底小学校)][ - located on Sesoko Island
* Izumi Elementary and Junior High School (伊豆味小中学校)][ - located near Nakijin Town
Former schools:
* Sakimotobu Elementary School (崎本部小学校),] located on the outskirts of Ohama Town
* Sesoko Elementary School was formerly Sesoko Elementary and Junior High School (瀬底小中学校)
Private schools:
* Yashima Gakuen University International High School, a private school, is located in Motobu.
Transportation
Motobu is located between the towns of Nakajin and Nago and can be reached by either route 449 or 84.
Port
There are plans to expand the pier in Motobu, and deepen the port. As ships of only up to 20,000 tons can dock at the port, only two cruise ships visited in 2014 and one in 2015. The expansion of the pier would allow larger cruise ships, especially carrying Chinese tourists, to dock. Berths at Naha port are limited and docking requests have been rejected for this reason.Extended pier to draw cruise ships to northern Okinawa May 17, 2016
/ref>
References
{{Authority control
Towns in Okinawa Prefecture