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. Some islands, like the Senkaku Islands, are also claimed by China.

Geography

Island subgroups

Main article: List of islands in the Ryukyu Archipelago

The Ryukyu Islands are a group of islands that are split into two main parts. The Northern Ryukyus are found 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 their location. The Northern Ryukyus are north of the Tokara Strait, the Central Ryukyus are between the Tokara Strait and Kerama Gap, and 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, and winters are mild with clear, blue ocean water.

Names and extents

The English and Japanese uses of the term "Ryukyu" differ. In English, the term Ryukyu may apply to the entire chain of islands, while in Japanese Ryukyu usually refers only to the islands that were previously part of the Ryūkyū Kingdom after 1624.

Nansei-shotō (南西諸島) is the official name for the whole island chain in Japanese. Japan has used the name on nautical charts since 1907. Based on the Japanese charts, the international chart series uses Nansei Shoto.

The name of Ryūkyū (琉球) is strongly associated with the Ryukyu Kingdom, a kingdom that originated from the Okinawa Islands and subjugated the Sakishima and Amami Islands. The name is generally considered outdated in Japanese although some entities of Okinawa still bear the name, such as the local national university. FC Ryukyu is the maximum football representative of the prefecture in the Japanese football league system and has played as high as the second-tier J2 League.

In Japanese, the "Ryukyu Islands" (琉球諸島, Ryūkyū-shotō) cover only the Okinawa, Miyako, and Yaeyama Islands, while in English it includes the Amami and Daitō Islands. The northern half of the island chain is referred to as the Satsunan ("South of Satsuma") Islands in Japanese, as opposed to Northern Ryukyu Islands in English.

Uchinaa (沖縄), Okinawa in Okinawan, is originally a native name for the largest island in the island chain. The island was referred to as Okinawa (阿児奈波) in the 8th century biography of Jianzhen (唐大和上東征傳). The Japanese map series known as the Ryukyu Kuniezu lists the island as Wokinaha Shima (悪鬼納嶋) in 1644 and Okinawa Shima (沖縄嶋) after 1702. The name Okinawa Shima was chosen by the Meiji government for the new prefecture when they annexed the Ryukyu Kingdom in 1879.

The folklorist Kunio Yanagita and his followers used Nantō (南島, "Southern Islands"). This term was originally used by the imperial court of Ancient Japan. The term is outdated today.

History

Main article: History of the Ryukyu Islands

The Ryukyu Islands have a rich history. Early mentions in Chinese records talk about islands where "happy immortals" lived. Later, Chinese expeditions visited these islands and noted the local people’s unique language and customs.

During ancient times, the islands appeared in Japanese records as the Southern Islands. Over centuries, different parts of the chain were explored and sometimes controlled by Japan. The islands were important for trade routes and were later incorporated into Japanese administration.

In more recent history, the Okinawa Islands became a unified kingdom. This kingdom had ties with both Japan and China. In the 17th century, Japan took control of the Ryukyu Kingdom. After World War II, the islands were under American control before returning to Japan in 1972. Today, the Ryukyu Islands are part of Japan, but some people there feel their history and culture are unique.

Population

Ryukyuan native people

Main article: Ryukyuan people

During the Meiji Period, the people of the Ryukyu Islands faced pressure to adopt Japanese culture and language. Many Japanese people moved to the islands and mixed with the local population.

Today, the people living on these islands are Japanese citizens. In the northern islands, there is little debate 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 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.