is a

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 Yaeyama District,

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 ...

. The town includes all of the islands in the

Yaeyama Islands The Yaeyama Islands (八重山列島 ''Yaeyama-rettō'', also 八重山諸島 ''Yaeyama-shotō'', Yaeyama: ''Yaima'', Yonaguni: ''Daama'', Okinawan: ''Yeema'', Northern Ryukyuan: ''Yapema'') are an archipelago in the southwest of Okinawa Pref ...

excluding Ishigaki,

Yonaguni , one of the Yaeyama Islands, is the westernmost island of Japan, lying from the east coast of Taiwan, between the East China Sea and the Philippine Sea. The island is administered as the Towns of Japan, town of Yonaguni, Okinawa, Yonaguni, Ya ...

, and the

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 ...

. This includes the islands of

Iriomote is the largest of the Yaeyama Islands of Japan, and the second largest in Okinawa Prefecture after Okinawa Island itself. The island has an area of and a 2005 population of 2,347. The island does not have an airstrip, and most visitors—over ...

Yubu ''Yubu'', translated as Pace(s) of Yu or Step(s) of Yu, is the basic mystic dance step of religious Daoism. This ancient walking or dancing technique typically involves dragging one foot after another, and is explained in reference to the leg ...

Taketomi is an island in the town of Taketomi, within Yaeyama District of Okinawa Prefecture, Japan. Taketomi is one of the Yaeyama Islands. The population of Taketomi Island was 323 as of January 2012. Geography Taketomi Island is located south o ...

, Kohama, Kuroshima,

Hateruma Hateruma (波照間島; ''Hateruma-jima''; Yaeyama: ''Patirooma'', Hateruma dialect: ''Besїma'' "our island", Okinawan: ''Hatiruma'', Northern Ryukyuan: ''Patara'') is an island in the Yaeyama District of Okinawa Prefecture, Japan. It is t ...

, and

Hatoma Hatoma (鳩間島, ''Hatoma-jima''; Yaeyama: ''Patuma''; Okinawan: ''Hatuma'') is a small island of the Yaeyama Islands, approximately in diameter. It is under the administration of Taketomi District, Okinawa Prefecture, Japan. In local la ...

. Although Ishigaki is not part of the town of Taketomi, the town hall is located there. As of October 2016, the town has an estimated

population Population is a set of humans or other organisms in a given region or area. Governments conduct a census to quantify the resident population size within a given jurisdiction. The term is also applied to non-human animals, microorganisms, and pl ...

of 4,050 and the

population density Population density (in agriculture: Standing stock (disambiguation), standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geog ...

of . The total area is .

Geography

The town includes the inhabited islands of

, Kohama, Kuro,

, Aragusuku (comprising the islands of Kamiji and Shimoji) Kayama and

and the surrounding desert islands such as Sotobanari or Nakanokami.
Since all traffic between the different islands in the town go through Ishigaki Island, the town office is located on Ishigaki Island. There is a project to move it to Ōhara on Iriomote Island, but with the completion of the new town office on Ishigaki Island in 2022, the project in Ōhara will probably be downsized. There are only two other municipalities in Japan whose office is located outside of the municipality:

Toshima is a special ward in the Tokyo Metropolis in Japan. It is one of the eight central wards of the Tokyo Metropolitan area. Located in the northern area of Tokyo, Toshima is bordered by the wards of Nerima, Itabashi, and Kita in the north and N ...

and

Mishima Mishima may refer to: Places * Mishima, Fukushima, a town in Fukushima Prefecture * Mishima, Kagoshima, a village in Kagoshima Prefecture * Mishima, Niigata, a town in Niigata Prefecture * Mishima, Shizuoka, a city in Shizuoka Prefecture, Japa ...

Kagoshima Prefecture is a Prefectures of Japan, prefecture of Japan located on the island of Kyushu and the Ryukyu Islands. Kagoshima Prefecture has a population of 1,527,019 (1 February 2025) and has a geographic area of 9,187 Square kilometre, km2 (3,547 Square m ...

. *easternmost point: Taketomi Island (24.320833 N, 124.101944 E) *westernmost point: Nakanokami Island (24.192500 N, 123.555278 E) *southernmost point: Hateruma Island (24.045556 N, 123.788333 E) *northernmost point: Hatoma Island (24.477222 N, 123.817222 E)

Administrative divisions

The town counts thirteen wards, themselves divided into thirty-six villages.

Aza name (Japanese) (Islands)

*village names (Japanese)

Aragusuku (新城) (Aragusuku Island)

*Kamiji (上地) *Shimoji (下地)

Iriomote (西表) (Iriomote Island, Uchibanari Island, Sotobanari Island)

*Funauki (船浮) *Hoshitate (星立) *Shirahama (白浜) *Sonai (祖納)

Uehara (上原) (Iriomote Island, Hatopanari Island)

*Funaura (船浦) *Nakano (中野) *Sumiyoshi (住吉) *Uehara (上原) *Urauchi (浦内)

Kuroshima (黒島) (Kuro Island)

*Akarisuji (東筋) *Hori (保里) *Iko (伊古) *Miyazato (宮里) *Nakamoto (仲本)

Kohama (小浜) (Kohama Island)

*Kohama (小浜) *Kubozaki (細崎)

Komi (古見) (Iriomote Island, Yubu Island)

*Komi (古見) *Mihara (美原)

Sakiyama (崎山) (Iriomote Island, Nakanokami Island)

*Amitori (網取) *Kanokawa (鹿川) *Sakiyama (崎山)

Takana (高那) (Iriomote Island)

Taketomi (竹富) (Taketomi Island)

*Ainota (東) *In'nota (西) *Nāji (仲筋)

Haimi (南風見) (Iriomote Island)

*Ōhara (大原) *Toyohara (豊原)

Haiminaka (南風見仲) (Iriomote Island)

*Ōtomi (大富)

Hateruma (波照間) (Hateruma Island)

*Fuka (冨嘉) *Kita (北) *Mae (前) *Minami (南) *Naishi (名石)

Hatoma (鳩間) (Hatoma Island)

Nature

Taketomi Town, and especially Iriomote Island, is host to the

Iriomote cat The Iriomote cat (''Prionailurus bengalensis iriomotensis'') is a subspecies of the leopard cat that lives exclusively on the Japanese island of Iriomote. It has been listed as critically endangered on the IUCN Red List since 2008, as the only ...

and the

crested serpent eagle The crested serpent eagle (''Spilornis cheela'') is a medium-sized bird of prey that is found in forested habitats across tropical Asia. Within its widespread range across the Indian Subcontinent, Southeast Asia and East Asia, there are considera ...

( special natural monuments), the

Chinese box turtle The Chinese box turtle (), also known as the yellow-margined box turtle, or golden-headed turtle, is a species of Asian box turtle. Taxonomy (biology), Taxonomically, it is called ''Cuora flavomarginata''. Anatomy ''C. flavomarginata'' has a hi ...

and the Ryūkyū emerald dove (natural monuments), as well as the Sakishima grass lizard (endemic to the

). The whole area of Tatetomi Town, including the surrounding sea, is part of the

Iriomote-Ishigaki National Park is a national park in Okinawa Prefecture, Japan. It is located on and around the Yaeyama Islands of the East China Sea. The park was established in 1972 as and included the islands of Iriomote, Kohama, Kuro, and Taketomi. In August 2007 ...

. The Yaeyama Islands being located at a low latitude, 84 of the 88 constellations are visible, including the

Southern Cross CRUX is a lightweight x86-64 Linux distribution targeted at experienced Linux users and delivered by a tar.gz-based package system with BSD-style initscripts. It is not based on any other Linux distribution. It also utilizes a ports system to ...

when the conditions are good. The land part of the Iriomote-Ishigaki National Park, including Taketomi Town, was designated by DarkSky International as the first

dark-sky preserve A dark-sky preserve (DSP) is an area, usually surrounding a park or observatory, that restricts or reduces light pollution or maintains and protects naturally dark night skies. Different terms have been used to describe these areas as national or ...

in Japan on March the 30th 2018.

Transportation

Hateruma Airport is located on Hateruma Island in Taketomi. HaterumaAirport

Education

Combined elementary and junior high schools include: * Funauki Elementary and Junior High School (竹富町立船浮小中学校) - Iriomote Island * Hateruma Elementary and Junior High School (竹富町立波照間小中学校) -

* Hatoma Elementary and Junior High School (竹富町立鳩間小中学校) -

* Iriomote Elementary and Junior High School(竹富町立西表小中学校) - Iriomote Island * Kohama Elementary and Junior High School (竹富町立小浜小中学校) -

Kohama Island ( Yaeyama: ''Kumoo'', Okinawan: ''Kubama'') is an island in the Yaeyama Islands group at the southwestern end of the Ryukyu Islands chain, and part of Taketomi, Yaeyama District, Okinawa Prefecture, Japan. The island has an area of , with a s ...

* Kuroshima Elementary and Junior High School (竹富町立黒島小中学校) - Kuroshima Island * Taketomi Elementary and Junior High School (竹富町立竹富小中学校) - Taketomi Island Junior high schools include: * Funaura Junior High School (竹富町立船浦中学校) - , Iriomote Island * Ōhara Junior High School (竹富町立大原中学校) - , Iriomote Island Elementary schools include: * Komi Elementary School (竹富町立古見小学校) - , Iriomote Island * Ohara Elementary School (竹富町立大原小学校) - Haemi * Shirama Elementary School (竹富町立白浜小学校) - Shirahama (白浜), Iriomote Island * Uehara Elementary School (竹富町立上原小学校) - Uehara For public senior high school students may attend schools of 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 dir ...

Cultural and natural assets

Taketomi Town hosts sixty-three designated or registered tangible cultural properties and monuments, at the national, prefectural or municipal level. *Name (Japanese) (Type of registration)

Cultural Properties

*Artefacts from Shimotabaru Shell Mound (下田原貝塚出土品) (Prefectural) *Former Yonaguni Family Residence (旧与那国家住宅) (National) *Iko Pier (伊古桟橋) (National) *Kamiyama Family Residence (main house, stone wall, water tank, well) (神山家住宅主屋、石垣、水タンク、井戸) (National) *Minamikawada Yonatoshi's clothing and tea utensils (南川田於那利の衣装及び茶器) (Municipal) *Nagomi Tower (なごみの塔) (National) *Nakasujinu Nubema's water jar (仲筋ぬヌベマの水がめ) (Municipal) *Official clothing of Inafuku Chikudun (稲福筑登之正装) (Municipal) *Ōmori Family Residence (main house, hinpun wall, stone wall, well) (大盛家住宅主屋、ヒンプン、石垣、井戸) (National) *Shinmori Family Residence (新盛家住宅) (Prefectural) *West Pier (西桟橋) (National)

Folk Cultural Properties

*Tools for life on Taketomi Island (竹富島の生活用具) (National) *Uhira-kā spring (大平井戸 (ウヒラカー)) (Municipal)

Historic Sites

*An'nukā Spring (下り井戸) (Municipal) *Banjo guards office site (番所跡) (Municipal) *Birthplace of Akahachi (アカハチ誕生の地) (Municipal) *Inumuru (Aji's castle site) (イヌムル (按司の城跡)) (Municipal) *Isanchayā Old Tomb (イサンチャヤー (古墓)) (Municipal) *Kandoura stone (thunder stone / spirit stone) (カンドウラ石 (雷石、霊石)) (Municipal) *Keraikedagusuku Residence site (慶来慶田城翁屋敷跡) (Municipal) *Kuinupana Site (クイヌパナ) (Municipal) *Kuramoto (Local Office) Site ( 蔵元跡) (Prefectural) *Miina-kā spring (ミーナ井戸) (Municipal) *Nagaki fishing wall (海垣・魚垣 (ながき)) (Municipal) *Nagata Utaki Sacred Site (長田御嶽) (Municipal) *Nakama No. 1 Shell Mound (仲間第一貝塚) (Prefectural) *Nakama No. 2 Shell Mound (仲間第二貝塚) (Prefectural) *Nishitō On Sacred Site (西塘御嶽) (Prefectural) *Ōtakesonaidōgiza's residence site (大竹祖納堂儀佐屋敷跡) (Municipal) *Pinishii Shell Mound (平西貝塚) (Prefectural) *Pisada Road (ピサダ道) (Municipal) *Utisukuyama Site (ウティスク山遺跡) (Municipal) * Sakishima Beacons (Kusukumui beacon, Puzumari beacon, Takaniku beacon, Nakamui -Haterumamui- beacon, Kōtomui beacon, Nakamui beacon, Ufudaki beacon) (先島諸島火番盛 (小城盛、プズマリ、タカニク、中森〔波照間ムリ〕、コート盛、中森、大岳)) (National) *Shichisadameishi stone (節定め石) (Municipal) *Shimotabaru Castle Site ( 下田原城跡) (National) *Shimotabaru Shell Mound ( 下田原貝塚) (Prefectural) *Shimusukē spring (シムスケー) (Municipal) *Shinzato village remains (新里村遺跡) (Municipal) *Yāmayasukyi shed in the Kohama Residence (小浜家のヤーマヤスキィ) (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 ...

*Scenery of Takana ( 高那の景勝) (Municipal) *Ufudaki (大岳) (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 ...

*Asabishibana Stone (アサビシバナ (遊び岩)) (Municipal) *Bantigue mangrove plant community (浜シタン群落) (Municipal) *Banyan tree plant community of Kōkibaru (コーキ原のガジュマル群落) *Hatoma-nakamori forest (鳩間中森) (Municipal) *Hoshitate Natural Protected Area (星立天然保護区域) (National) *Looking-glass mangrove community in Komi ''Heritiera littoralis'' (古見のサキシマスオウノキ群落) (National) *Nakama River Natural Protected Area (仲間川天然保護区域) (National) *Nakanokami Island sea birds breeding grounds (仲の神島海鳥繁殖地) (National) *Nipa palm communities of Funaura ''Nypa fruticans'' ( 船浦のニッパヤシ群落) (National) *Old bay tree (タブの老木) (Municipal) *Old mulberry tree (桑の老木) (Municipal) *Ryūkyū moonflower (''Monoon liukiuense'') plant community of Shiisabaru Wā Sacred Site (白朗原御嶽クロボウモドキ群落) (Municipal) *Ryūkyū moonflower (''Monoon liukiuense'') plant community of Ubaruta (大保良田クロボウモドキ群落) (Municipal) *Satake palm community in Ubundoru ''Satakentia liukiuensis'' (ウブンドルのヤエヤマヤシ群落) (National) *Sea almond tree of Kamadoma (カマドマのクバデサー) (Municipal) *Yaeyama hamago of Funauki ''Vitex trifolia var. bicolor'' (船浮のヤエヤマハマゴウ) (Prefectural)

References

External links

Taketomi Island - october 2016 archive
{{Authority control Towns in Okinawa Prefecture