Ryukyu Islands

The Ryukyu Islands are a beautiful chain of islands that stretch from Kyushu to Taiwan. They are also called the Nansei Islands or the Ryukyu Arc. These islands are part of Japan and are split between Kagoshima Prefecture in the north and Okinawa Prefecture in the south. The largest island is Okinawa Island, and many of the islands are either volcanic or made of coral.

The weather in the Ryukyu Islands changes from a humid subtropical climate in the north to a tropical rainforest climate in the south. The islands often get a lot of rain and are affected by typhoons. Coral reefs can be found around many of the islands, especially those farther south.

The people living on the Ryukyu Islands have a rich cultural history. In the past, the islands were ruled by the Ryukyu Kingdom. Today, many people speak Japanese, but some still speak traditional Ryukyuan languages. After World War II, the islands were under the control of the United States until they were returned to Japan in 1971.

Geography

Island subgroups

Main article: List of islands in the Ryukyu Archipelago

The Ryukyu Islands are a group of islands split into two main parts. The Northern Ryukyus are in Kagoshima Prefecture and are called the Satsunan Islands. The Southern Ryukyus are in Okinawa Prefecture and are called the Ryukyu Islands.

These islands are also grouped by where they are. The Northern Ryukyus are north of the Tokara Strait. The Central Ryukyus are between the Tokara Strait and Kerama Gap. The Southern Ryukyus are south of the Kerama Gap.

The Ryukyu Islands have a warm, sub-tropical climate. It is warmer here than in the main islands of Kyushu, Shikoku, and Honshu. Summer sometimes brings typhoons. Winters are mild with clear, blue ocean water.

Names and extents

The English and Japanese words for "Ryukyu" mean different things. In English, "Ryukyu" can mean all of the islands in the chain. In Japanese, it usually means only the islands that were once part of the Ryūkyū Kingdom after 1624.

Nansei-shotō (南西諸島) is the official Japanese name for the whole island chain. Japan has used this name on maps since 1907. The international chart series also uses Nansei Shoto.

The name Ryūkyū (琉球) is linked to the Ryukyu Kingdom, a kingdom that began in the Okinawa Islands and later included the Sakishima and Amami Islands. In Japan today, this name is old-fashioned, but some places in Okinawa still use it. For example, the local national university and FC Ryukyu, a football team, carry the name. FC Ryukyu is the top football team in the prefecture and plays in the Japanese football league system, sometimes in the second-tier J2 League.

In Japanese, the "Ryukyu Islands" (琉球諸島, Ryūkyū-shotō) means only the Okinawa, Miyako, and Yaeyama Islands. In English, it also includes the Amami and Daitō Islands. The northern half of the island chain is called the Satsunan ("South of Satsuma") Islands in Japanese.

Uchinaa (沖縄), or Okinawa in Okinawan, is the original name for the largest island in the chain. The island was called Okinawa (阿児奈波) in an old story from the 8th century about Jianzhen. Old Japanese maps from 1644 called it Wokinaha Shima (悪鬼納嶋), and after 1702, they called it Okinawa Shima (沖縄嶋). The Meiji government chose the name Okinawa Shima when they made the area a prefecture in 1879 after taking over the Ryukyu Kingdom.

The folklorist Kunio Yanagita and his followers used the word Nantō (南島, "Southern Islands"). This word was used by the ancient Japanese imperial court, but it is not used today.

History

Main article: History of the Ryukyu Islands

The Ryukyu Islands have an interesting history. Old Chinese records mentioned islands where "happy immortals" lived. Later, Chinese visitors came to the islands and noticed the local people’s special language and customs.

In the past, the islands were called the Southern Islands in Japanese records. Over time, different parts of the islands were explored and sometimes ruled by Japan. The islands were important for trade and later became part of Japan.

More recently, the Okinawa Islands became a single kingdom. This kingdom had connections with both Japan and China. In the 1600s, Japan took control of the Ryukyu Kingdom. After World War II, the islands were controlled by America before joining Japan again in 1972. Today, the Ryukyu Islands are part of Japan, and some people there believe their history and culture are special.

Population

Ryukyuan native people

Main article: Ryukyuan people

During a time called the Meiji Period, the people of the Ryukyu Islands were asked to adopt Japanese culture and language. Many Japanese people moved to the islands and mixed with the local people.

Today, the people living on these islands are Japanese citizens. In the northern islands, there is little discussion about their identity. However, in the central and southern islands, people often feel they are different from other Japanese. Many people now see themselves as coming from a specific island rather than a larger group.

For example, people from Okinawa Island call themselves Uchinaanchu, while people from Okinoerabujima in the Amami Islands call themselves Erabunchu. They have their own special names for their identity.

Religion

Main article: Ryukyuan religion

The traditional beliefs of the Ryukyu Islands focus on respecting ancestors and the relationships between people, spirits, and nature. These beliefs have ancient roots and include respect for local spirits.

Over time, these beliefs have been shaped by Chinese religions, Buddhism, and Japanese Shinto. There is also a Roman Catholic community served by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Naha, which was established in 1947.

Ecology

See also: Nansei Islands subtropical evergreen forests

The Ryukyu Islands have many interesting plants and animals. The Ōsumi Islands north of the Watase Line belong to a region called the Palearctic realm, while the Amami islands south of it are part of the Indomalayan realm. Yakushima, an island in the Ōsumi group, is famous for its very old cedar trees and is part of Kirishima-Yaku National Park. It was named a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1993.

The islands south of the Watase Line have forests similar to those in Taiwan, the Philippines, and Southeast Asia. They are part of the Indomalayan realm. The coral reefs here are very important but face dangers from farming and fishing. The islands are home to special animals such as the Amami Rabbit, Ryukyu flying fox, and several unique birds and frogs. Some venomous snakes, known locally as habu, also live here.