Kerama Islands
Native name: Kerama-shotō (慶良間諸島) | |
|---|---|
| File:Okinawa kerama islands.jpg | |
| File:Kerama Islands Map Okinawa.png Map of the Kerama Islands | |
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| Geography | |
| Location | Pacific Ocean |
| Coordinates | Lua error in Module:Coordinates at line 489: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value). |
| Archipelago | Okinawa Islands |
| Total islands | 36 |
| Major islands | Tokashiki Island, Zamami Island |
| Area | 35.97 km2 (13.89 sq mi) |
| Administration | |
Japan | |
| Prefecture | Okinawa Prefecture |
| Demographics | |
| Population | 1,625 (October 2010) |
| Pop. density | 45.2/km2 (117.1/sq mi) |
| Ethnic groups | Ryukyuan, Japanese |
| Official name | Keramashoto Coral Reef |
| Designated | 8 November 2005 |
| Reference no. | 1546[1] |
The Kerama Islands (慶良間諸島, Kerama-shotō; Okinawan: キラマ Kirama) are a subtropical island group 32 kilometres (20 mi) southwest of Okinawa Island in Japan.
Geography
[edit | edit source]Four islands are inhabited: Tokashiki Island, Zamami Island, Aka Island, and Geruma Island.[2] The islands are administered as Tokashiki Village and Zamami Village within Shimajiri District.[3] The Kerama-shotō coral reef is a Ramsar Site.[4]
The archipelago consists of the following islands (-jima/-shima) – inhabited ones are highlighted in blue – and rocks (other suffixes, unnamed entries) with an area of at least 0.01 km2.[5][6]
| Photo | Name | Japanese name | Size [km2] | Height [m] | Group | Coordinates |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| File:Tokashiki aerial.jpg | Tokashiki Island | 渡嘉敷島 | 15,31 | 227,3 | Tokashiki | Lua error: callParserFunction: function "#coordinates" was not found. |
| File:Zamami aerial.jpg | Zamami Island | 座間味島 | 6,66 | 160,7 | Zamami | Lua error: callParserFunction: function "#coordinates" was not found. |
| File:Aka Island gsi-20081121.jpg | Aka Island | 阿嘉島 | 3,82 | 165,0 | Zamami | Lua error: callParserFunction: function "#coordinates" was not found. |
| Maeshima (unterste Insel) | Mae Island | 前島 | 1,60 | 132,8 | Tokashiki | Lua error: callParserFunction: function "#coordinates" was not found. |
| File:Kubashima 20081121-gsi.jpg | Kuba-shima | 久場島 | 1,55 | 270,1 | Zamami | Lua error: callParserFunction: function "#coordinates" was not found. |
| File:Yakabi Island.jpg | Yakabi-jima | 屋嘉比島 | 1,26 | 214,4 | Zamami | Lua error: callParserFunction: function "#coordinates" was not found. |
| File:Geruma Island 20081121-gsi.jpg | Geruma Island | 慶留間島 | 1,15 | 157,3 | Zamami | Lua error: callParserFunction: function "#coordinates" was not found. |
| File:Fukaji Island 20081121-gsi.jpg | Fukaji Island | 外地島 | 0,83 | 76 | Zamami | Lua error: callParserFunction: function "#coordinates" was not found. |
| File:Amuro Island.jpg | Amuro-jima | 安室島 | 0,73 | 98,8 | Zamami | Lua error: callParserFunction: function "#coordinates" was not found. |
| File:Gishippu Island.jpg | Gishippu-jima | 儀志布島 | 0,49 | 113,6 | Tokashiki | Lua error: callParserFunction: function "#coordinates" was not found. |
| File:Kuro Island, Tokashiki.jpg | Kuroshima | 黒島 | 0,27 | 126,1 | Tokashiki | Lua error: callParserFunction: function "#coordinates" was not found. |
| Un-jima | ウン島 | 0,26 | 87 | Tokashiki | Lua error: callParserFunction: function "#coordinates" was not found. | |
| Gahi-jima | 嘉比島 | 0,13 | 51 | Zamami | Lua error: callParserFunction: function "#coordinates" was not found. | |
| Gusukushima | 城島 | 0,11 | 105,9 | Tokashiki | Lua error: callParserFunction: function "#coordinates" was not found. | |
| Hanari-jima | 離島 | 0,10 | 59,2 | Tokashiki | Lua error: callParserFunction: function "#coordinates" was not found. | |
| Agenashiku-jima | 安慶名敷島 | 0,10 | 41,6 | Zamami | Lua error: callParserFunction: function "#coordinates" was not found. | |
| Sunashiru-jima | 砂白島 | 0,05 | 28 | Zamami | Lua error: callParserFunction: function "#coordinates" was not found. | |
| Kuba-iwa, Ou-jima, Naka-iwa und Yubu-iwa (von oben nach unten) | Ou-jima (Ubu-iwa) | 奥武島(うぶ岩) | 0,05 | 45,6 | Zamami | Lua error: callParserFunction: function "#coordinates" was not found. |
| Kuba-iwa | くば岩 | 0,01 | 14 | Zamami | Lua error: callParserFunction: function "#coordinates" was not found. | |
| Yubu-iwa | ゆぶ岩 | 0,01 | 34 | Zamami | Lua error: callParserFunction: function "#coordinates" was not found. | |
| Naka-iwa | なか岩 | 0,01 | 17 | Zamami | Lua error: callParserFunction: function "#coordinates" was not found. | |
| Achirāne-iwa | アチラーネ岩 | 0,05 | – | Zamami | ||
| Mokaraku-jima | モカラク島 | 0,04 | 25 | Zamami | Lua error: callParserFunction: function "#coordinates" was not found. | |
| Tsumishiro-shima | 積城島 | 0,02 | – | Zamami | Lua error: callParserFunction: function "#coordinates" was not found. | |
| Ijakaja-jima | 伊釈迦釈島 | 0,02 | 56 | Zamami | Lua error: callParserFunction: function "#coordinates" was not found. | |
| Jinojitsuru-jima | 地自津留島 | 0,01 | 54 | Tokashiki | Lua error: callParserFunction: function "#coordinates" was not found. | |
| Sakuhara no Hana | 佐久原の鼻 | 0,01 | – | Zamami | Lua error: callParserFunction: function "#coordinates" was not found. | |
| Fukakane-se | ふかかね瀬 | 0,01 | 47 | Zamami | Lua error: callParserFunction: function "#coordinates" was not found. | |
| unnamed[7] | 0,01 | – | Zamami | Lua error: callParserFunction: function "#coordinates" was not found. | ||
| unnamed[8] | 0,01 | – | Zamami | Lua error: callParserFunction: function "#coordinates" was not found. |
Beaches
[edit | edit source]These are notable beaches of the Kerama Islands:
| Name | Island | Japanese name |
|---|---|---|
| Aharen Beach | Tokashiki Island | 阿波連ビーチ（渡嘉敷島） |
| Tokashiku Beach | Tokashiki Island | 渡嘉志久ビーチ（渡嘉敷島） |
| Ama Beach | Zamami Island | 阿真ビーチ（座間味島） |
| Furuzamami Beach | Zamami Island | 古座間味ビーチ（座間味島） |
| Kitahama Beach | Aka Island | 北浜ビーチ（阿嘉島） |
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Ama beach in Zamami island
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Aharen Beach on Tokashiki Island
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Tokashiku beach on Tokashiki Island
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Tokashiku beach
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Flora
[edit | edit source]The archipelago has several extensive coral reefs. Two of them were designated as Ramsar sites in November 2005: a 120-hectare area along the west coast of Tokashiki-jima and around Hanari-jima, and a 233-hectare area around Ijakaja-jima, Gahi-jima and Agenashiku-jima, i.e., between Aka Island and Zamami Island. These reefs are home to 248 different coral species, most notably of the Acropora genus.[9] On March 5, 2014, the waters and the islands were placed under protection as Kerama Shotō National Park.
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Coral reef, Aka island
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Coral reef, Aka island
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Clownfish, Aka island
Fauna
[edit | edit source]The islands of Aka, Fukaji, Geruma and Yakabi provide the sole natural habitat of the endangered Kerama deer (Cervus nippon keramae), thought to be an introduced population of the Japanese sika deer in the early 17th century that has since adapted to their island environment.[10]
History
[edit | edit source]The Kerama islands were historically part of the Ryukyu Kingdom (1429–1879), when islanders were employed as navigators on the kingdom’s trading vessels to China.[11]
During World War II and preliminary to the Battle of Okinawa, soldiers of the 77th Infantry Division landed in the Kerama Islands on March 26, 1945. Further landings followed, and the Kerama group was secured over the next five days. Kerama was used as a staging area for the assault on Okinawa. During the battle the first civilian mass suicides that later marked the Battle of Okinawa took place.[citation needed] The first US Navy ship to anchor in the harbor was USS Makin Island, a small "jeep" carrier.[citation needed]
Thereafter, the archipelago, like the rest of the Ryukyu Islands, was under US military administration before being returned to Japan in 1972.
The Kerama islands was the site of a true story about romance between two dogs who lived on neighboring islands that was made into the 1988 Japanese film I Want to See Marilyn (Marilyn ni Aitai).[12] It is now a popular beach and diving destination for visitors to Okinawa.
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The 77th Infantry Division on Zamami Island during World War II
Transportation
[edit | edit source]The Kerama Islands are served by the Kerama Airport, located on Fukaji Island.[13] Regular ferries are also available from Naha to the three largest islands, Aka, Zamami, and Tokashiki. Ferries between the islands are also available, as are boat tours.
References
[edit | edit source]- ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- ^ Kerama Islands. Open Coast Travel.
- ^ Special Feature #1 : Seas of Okinawa -The Kerama Islands- Archived 2011-05-17 at the Wayback Machine, Okinawa Prefecture
- ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
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- ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- ^ Presumed classification: Listed in the source as シマ(砂白島北) ‘island (north of Sunashiru-jima)’. Official maps show an unnamed island with the specified area at these coordinates.
- ^ Presumed classification: Listed in the source as シマ(モカラク島北) ‘island (north of Mokaraku-jima)’. Official maps show an unnamed island with the specified area at these coordinates.
- ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- ^ Marilyn Ni Aitai at IMDbLua error in Module:EditAtWikidata at line 30: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value).
- ^ Map showing islands of Zamami Village Archived 2011-05-26 at the Wayback Machine
External links
[edit | edit source]
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