Okinawa Prefecture facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Okinawa Prefecture
Okinawan: 沖縄県 Uchinaa-ken Japanese: 沖縄県 Okinawa-ken
Capital	Naha
Region	Kyūshū
Island	Okinawa
Governor	Hirokazu Nakaima
Area (rank)	2,271.30 km² (44th)
- % water	0.5%
Population  (December 1, 2008)
- Population	1,379,338 (32nd)
- Density	606 /km²
Districts	5
Municipalities	41
ISO 3166-2	JP-47
Website	{{{Website}}}
Prefectural Symbols
- Flower	Deigo (Erythrina variegata)
- Tree	Pinus luchuensis (ryūkyūmatsu)
- Bird	Okinawa woodpecker (Sapheopipo noguchii)
- Fish	Banana Fish (Caesio diagramma,"Takasago", "Gurukun")
Symbol of Okinawa Prefecture

Okinawa Prefecture (沖縄県, Okinawa-ken, Okinawan: Uchinaa-ken) is traditionally a prefecture in the Kyūshū region of Japan. Okinawa Prefecture is made up of islands which are southwest of the island of Kyushu. Recent government proposals recognize the prefecture as its own region.

The capital city is Naha which is on the island of Okinawa.

History

Timeline

• 1429: Shō Hashi founded the Ryūkyū Kingdom
• 1609: Shimazu of Satsuma Province invade Ryukyu Kingdom
• 1853: Commodore Mathew Perry and US Navy ships at Naha
• 1875 (Meiji 5): Ryūkyū Domain is created
• 1879 (Meiji 12): Okinawa Prefecture was established.
• 1945 (Shōwa 20): US administration after World War II
• 1953 (Shōwa 28): Partial reversion to Japan
• 1972 (Shōwa 47): Reversion to Japan
• 2000 (Heisei 12): 26th G8 summit at Kyushu and Okinawa

Geography

Okinawa is a grouping of many islands along the border at the edge of the East China Sea and the Pacific Ocean from Kyūshū to Taiwan. It is the southernmost prefecture in Japan.

Cities

Okinawa Prefecture has eleven cities. Okinawan names are in parentheses.

• Ginowan (Jinoon)
• Ishigaki (Ishigachi)
• Itoman (Ichuman)
• Miyakojima (Naaku)
• Nago (Nagu)
• Naha (Naafa) (capital)
• Nanjō (Nanjoo)
• Okinawa (Uchinaa) (formerly Koza)
• Tomigusuku (Timigushiku)
• Urasoe (Urashii)
• Uruma (Uruma)

Towns and villages

These are the towns and villages in each district.

National Parks

National Parks are established in about 19% of the total land area of the prefecture.

Shrines and Temples

Naminouegū was the chief Shinto shrine (ichinomiya) of the Ryukyu Islands. In 1890, the shrine was recognized in the system of State Shinto. It is among the ranked, nationally significant shrines or Kanpei-shōsha (官幣小社) which includes five sanctuaries.

Related pages

• Provinces of Japan
• Prefectures of Japan
• List of regions of Japan
• List of islands of Japan

More reading

• Kerr, George H. (1958). Okinawa: the History of an Island People. Rutland, Vermont: Charles Tuttle Co. OCLC 722356
• ___________. (1953). Ryukyu Kingdom and Province before 1945. Washington, D.C.: National Academy of Sciences, National Research Council. OCLC 5455582

Images for kids

• 

  Nago, Okinawa Prefecture, Japan

• 

  A Ryukyuan embassy in Edo.

• 

  The islands of Okinawa Prefecture

• 

  Arch at an Okinawan Castle ruin.

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  Shuri Castle, Naha

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  Ishigaki

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  Naha

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  Shisa

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  Awamori pots

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  Nakamura house

• 

  Shuri Castle in Naha

See also

In Spanish: Prefectura de Okinawa para niños