Okinawa is the southernmost prefecture in Japan. Its area is 2276.49 km2 and its population is more than 1,000,000 people. Okinawa is the largest prefecture in Japan with 160 islands. These islands are also known as the Ryukyu archipelago, and once Okinawa was a disputed territory between Japan and China. In 1972, it became part of Japan. Its inhabitants have a special culture and even language.
History of the prefecture
Since the 14th century, the state of Ryukyu has been on its territory. Its ruler was considered a subject of China. In 1609, Ryukyu was captured by the Shimazu samurai. The samurai retained the independence of the inhabitants of this state, but placed their governor in the capital. Since that period, Ryukyu has been a vassal of Japan and China.
In 1872, the Japanese government unilaterally renamed the state into an autonomous appanage, and in 1879 it became Okinawa Prefecture. Until 1912, the old management system and method of farming operated on its territory. Because ofThis prefecture Okinawa lagged behind in socio-economic terms compared with the regions of Central Japan. Most of the population went to work on other islands.
Okinawa Prefecture suffered a lot of damage during World War II. During the battle for it in 1945, a large number of civilians died, including because of the requirements of the Japanese government not to surrender to the military and ordinary residents. After the war, Okinawa was under US control until 1972, despite the restoration of Japanese independence in 1952.
But for various reasons, the US government returned the islands of Okinawa to the control of the Japanese government. Also on its territory, the Americans conducted tests of biological weapons. There are now 14 US military bases on these islands. The capital of Okinawa is Naha.
Climate features
This prefecture has the following coordinates: 26° 30'N. sh. and 128° 00' E. e. The climate of Okinawa in Japan is the warmest because it is located in the subtropics. This prefecture does not experience sub-zero temperatures and snow. Because these islands are popular among tourists at any time of the year.
The average temperature in Okinawa is 23°C. And the heat is not so terrible for the residents due to the fact that there is a clear blue sea nearby, in which you can plunge. Therefore, not only tourists come to Okinawa, but also residents of other regions of Japan.
Description of the capital
This city is the largest in the prefecture and is located in its southern part on the coast of the East China Sea. On the territory of Naha there was Shuri Castle, which played an important role in the Ryukyu state. During the battle for Okinawa, this city was practically destroyed.
The historical part of the capital, including Shuri Castle, which was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List, was heavily damaged. Later, the castle was restored and received the status of a central park. The Central Gate is also interesting - the burial place of all the kings of the Ryukyu state.
Kokusai-dori, the most famous street in Okinawa, is located in the capital. It is also called the "Magic Mile" because it has a large number of shops. There is also a Fukuxuen park with picturesque scenery that is a bit like the Chinese city of Fuzhou. A monorail is thrown over Naha, which is located at a height of 8 to 12 m and allows you to enjoy the beauty of the Okinawa Islands in Japan. But there are other interesting cities for tourists in the archipelago.
Okinawa City
It is the second largest after the capital of the prefecture. This city has an amazing combination of American and Japanese cultures. A popular street in Okinawa is Gate Two Street, which has a large number of entertainment venues.
Once a year, a grand celebration is held in the city: theater actors perform a dance dedicated to the spirits of their ancestors. Not far from the city there are large tropical gardens - Southeast Botanical Gardens. Visitors will be able to see more than two thousand species of exotic plants.
Other attractions
On the islands of Okinawa in Japan, you can see other attractions. For example, the city of Chatan is a resort town. It is very conveniently located for various tourist shops and catering establishments.
Also on the archipelago it is worth visiting the large oceanarium "Okinawa Churaumi", located in the park. It was built in 2002, its design is elegant, and the building looks like huge feet. There you can see not only representatives of the tropical, oceanic and underwater habitats. At the top entrance, visitors will be able to see a beautiful view of the coral reefs with unique fish species. The lower you descend, the more picturesque you will see.
The northern part of Okinawa is a mountainous region. In the center there are mountains with a height of 300 to 500 m. The inhabitants call this area Yambaru. There you can see unique species of animals and plants.
A special place in the southern part of Okinawa - Sefa Utaki, which is a sacred place and is mentioned in Ryukyuan legends. It was there that the monks took orders, and the monarch personally visited this place twice a year to pray to the gods for a good harvest and hunting. This is a triangular grotto created by nature about 150,000 years ago as a result of an earthquake. Sefa Utaki is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Shopping
What to buy inshopping time in Okinawa? In Yomitan town, you can buy interesting and unique items made of glass, ceramics and textiles made by local craftsmen. Only in Okinawa is sold a unique musical instrument - sanshin.
In souvenir shops, buy sisy - these are figurines of dog-lions, which are the mascots of this prefecture. Okinawa is considered the birthplace of karate, the art of self-defense without weapons. Therefore, there you can find a lot of products of this subject.
If you want to buy something useful, then buy lemon "sikuvasa" in the form of juice concentrate or lemon vinegar. And if you want to experience more culture, then choose something made of Ryukyuan glass. There are many souvenir shops in the archipelago where tourists can buy interesting goods.
Peculiarities of culture
Cultural life in Okinawa has been influenced by other cultures. But at the same time, it has special directions that are unique to this archipelago. These are karate, sanshin, a special textile dyeing technique called bingata, and a method of making glassware.
In addition, during the time of the state of Ryukyu, their own language system and even a poetic genre appeared - ryuk. There are 3-4 Ryukyu languages in total. Sometimes more. That is, when dialects are isolated into an independent language. When Okinawa was ruled by foreign states, communication in the Ryukyu languages was not encouraged. Now the prefectural authorities are trying to keep their language system.
Kitchen Features
Okinawa- the island of centenarians, most experts believe that this is due not only to climatic features, but also to the cuisine. The cuisine of this region is different from the Japanese - it was formed under the influence of the cuisines of the countries of Southeast Asia.
The diet is based not only on vegetables and fruits, but also on pork, which Okinawans consume in greater quantities than in other regions of Japan. But fish and seafood are not so popular, despite the proximity to the sea. Many medical experts consider Okinawan food to be the he althiest, so there are more and more restaurants serving Okinawan food in Japan.
