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.
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]
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. H. 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.
Coral reef, Aka island
Coral reef, Aka island
Clownfish, Aka island
BeachesEdit
These are notable beaches of the Kerama Islands:
Notable beaches
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）
Ama beach in Zamami island
Aharen Beach on Tokashiki Island
Tokashiku beach on Tokashiki Island
Tokashiku beach
FaunaEdit
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]
HistoryEdit
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.
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.
ReferencesEdit
^"Keramashoto Coral Reef". Ramsar Sites Information Service. Retrieved 25 April 2018.
^ (in Japanese). Präfektur Okinawa. 2013-11-13. Archived from the original on 2020-04-17.
^"指定離島・指定離島一覧" (PDF). pref.okinawa.jp 離島関係資料(平成28年1月) (in Japanese). 沖縄県企画部地域・離島課 [„Land and Islands Section, Planning Department, Okinawa Prefecture“]. 2016-01-01. Retrieved 2016-08-03.
^vermutete Zuordnung: In der Quelle als シマ(砂白島北) ‚Insel (nördlich von Sunashiru-jima)‘ aufgeführt. Auf den amtlichen Karten ist an diesen Koordinaten eine unbenannte Insel mit der angegebenen Fläche.
^vermutete Zuordnung: In der Quelle als シマ(モカラク島北) ‚Insel (nördlich von Mokaraku-jima)‘ aufgeführt. Auf den amtlichen Karten ist an diesen Koordinaten eine unbenannte Insel mit der angegebenen Fläche.
^"Kerama-shoto Coral Reef" (PDF; 523 kB). Conservation and Wise Use of Rich and Diverse Wetlands: Ramsar Sites in Japan. Umweltministerium. 2008. p. 41. Retrieved 2012-11-29.
^"Cervus nippon keramae". National Institute for Environmental Studies. Retrieved 2014-06-11.
^Map showing islands of Zamami Village 2011-05-26 at the Wayback Machine
External linksEdit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Kerama Islands.
IMDB entry for I Want to See Marilyn
August 29, 2023
kerama, islands, 慶良間諸島, kerama, shotō, okinawan, キラマ, kirama, subtropical, island, group, kilometres, southwest, okinawa, island, japan, native, name, kerama, shotō, 慶良間諸島, location, show, okinawa, prefecture, ryukyu, islands, show, ryukyu, islands, japan, sho. 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 Kerama IslandsNative name Kerama shotō 慶良間諸島 Map of the Kerama IslandsKerama IslandsLocation of the Kerama IslandsShow map of Okinawa PrefectureKerama IslandsKerama Islands Ryukyu Islands Show map of Ryukyu IslandsKerama IslandsKerama Islands Japan Show map of JapanGeographyLocationPacific OceanCoordinates26 12 00 N 127 19 59 E 26 2 N 127 333 E 26 2 127 333ArchipelagoOkinawa IslandsTotal islands36Major islandsTokashiki Island Zamami IslandArea35 97 km2 13 89 sq mi AdministrationJapanPrefectureOkinawa PrefectureDemographicsPopulation1 625 October 2010 Pop density45 2 km2 117 1 sq mi Ethnic groupsRyukyuan JapaneseRamsar WetlandOfficial nameKeramashoto Coral ReefDesignated8 November 2005Reference no 1546 1 Contents 1 Geography 2 Flora 2 1 Beaches 3 Fauna 4 History 5 Transportation 6 References 7 External linksGeography EditFour 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 km 5 6 Photo Name Japanese name Size km Height m Group Coordinates Tokashiki Island 渡嘉敷島 15 31 227 3 Tokashiki 26 11 12 N 127 21 20 E 26 186667 N 127 355556 E 26 186667 127 355556 Tokashiki jima Zamami Island 座間味島 6 66 160 7 Zamami 26 14 04 N 127 18 27 E 26 234444 N 127 3075 E 26 234444 127 3075 Zamami jima Aka Island 阿嘉島 3 82 165 0 Zamami 26 11 56 N 127 16 41 E 26 198889 N 127 278056 E 26 198889 127 278056 Aka jima Mae Island 前島 1 60 132 8 Tokashiki 26 12 44 N 127 26 50 E 26 212222 N 127 447222 E 26 212222 127 447222 Maeshima Kuba shima 久場島 1 55 270 1 Zamami 26 10 17 N 127 14 16 E 26 171389 N 127 237778 E 26 171389 127 237778 Kuba shima Yakabi jima 屋嘉比島 1 26 214 4 Zamami 26 12 59 N 127 14 40 E 26 216389 N 127 244444 E 26 216389 127 244444 Yakabi jima Geruma Island 慶留間島 1 15 157 3 Zamami 26 10 54 N 127 17 21 E 26 181667 N 127 289167 E 26 181667 127 289167 Geruma jima Fukaji Island 外地島 0 83 76 0 Zamami 26 10 06 N 127 17 34 E 26 168333 N 127 292778 E 26 168333 127 292778 Fukaji shima Amuro jima 安室島 0 73 98 8 Zamami 26 12 26 N 127 18 40 E 26 207222 N 127 311111 E 26 207222 127 311111 Amuro jima Gishippu jima 儀志布島 0 49 113 6 Tokashiki 26 13 49 N 127 22 10 E 26 230278 N 127 369444 E 26 230278 127 369444 Gishippu jima Kuroshima 黒島 0 27 126 1 Tokashiki 26 15 06 N 127 24 15 E 26 251667 N 127 404167 E 26 251667 127 404167 Kuroshima Un jima ウン島 0 26 87 0 Tokashiki 26 08 34 N 127 20 35 E 26 142778 N 127 343056 E 26 142778 127 343056 Un jima Gahi jima 嘉比島 0 13 51 0 Zamami 26 13 06 N 127 17 10 E 26 218333 N 127 286111 E 26 218333 127 286111 Gahi jima Gusukushima 城島 0 11 105 9 Tokashiki 26 11 55 N 127 22 40 E 26 198611 N 127 377778 E 26 198611 127 377778 Gusukushima Hanari jima 離島 0 10 59 2 Tokashiki 26 09 42 N 127 20 18 E 26 161667 N 127 338333 E 26 161667 127 338333 Hanari jima Agenashiku jima 安慶名敷島 0 10 41 6 Zamami 26 12 55 N 127 17 42 E 26 215278 N 127 295 E 26 215278 127 295 Agenashiku jima Sunashiru jima 砂白島 0 05 28 0 Zamami 26 11 03 N 127 16 29 E 26 184167 N 127 274722 E 26 184167 127 274722 Sunashiru jima Ou jima Ubu iwa 奥武島 うぶ岩 0 05 45 6 Zamami 26 09 24 N 127 16 24 E 26 156667 N 127 273333 E 26 156667 127 273333 Ou jima Ubu iwa Kuba iwa くば岩 0 01 14 0 Zamami 26 09 33 N 127 16 23 E 26 159167 N 127 273056 E 26 159167 127 273056 Kuba iwa Yubu iwa ゆぶ岩 0 01 34 0 Zamami 26 08 50 N 127 16 11 E 26 147222 N 127 269722 E 26 147222 127 269722 Yubu iwa Naka iwa なか岩 0 01 17 0 Zamami 26 09 01 N 127 16 06 E 26 150278 N 127 268333 E 26 150278 127 268333 Naka iwa Achirane iwa アチラーネ岩 0 05 ZamamiMokaraku jima モカラク島 0 04 25 0 Zamami 26 09 22 N 127 17 23 E 26 156111 N 127 289722 E 26 156111 127 289722 Mokaraku jima Tsumishiro shima 積城島 0 02 Zamami 26 10 52 N 127 16 25 E 26 181111 N 127 273611 E 26 181111 127 273611 Tsumishiro shima Ijakaja jima 伊釈迦釈島 0 02 56 0 Zamami 26 12 56 N 127 16 06 E 26 215556 N 127 268333 E 26 215556 127 268333 Ijakaja jima Jinojitsuru jima 地自津留島 0 01 54 0 Tokashiki 26 14 16 N 127 22 07 E 26 237778 N 127 368611 E 26 237778 127 368611 Jinojitsuru jima Sakuhara no Hana 佐久原の鼻 0 01 Zamami 26 10 42 N 127 16 27 E 26 178333 N 127 274167 E 26 178333 127 274167 Sakuhara no Hana Fukakane se ふかかね瀬 0 01 47 0 Zamami 26 10 33 N 127 13 45 E 26 175833 N 127 229028 E 26 175833 127 229028 Fukakane se unbenannt 7 0 01 Zamami 26 11 00 N 127 16 21 E 26 183333 N 127 2725 E 26 183333 127 2725 Felseninsel unbenannt 8 0 01 Zamami 26 09 34 N 127 17 31 E 26 159444 N 127 291944 E 26 159444 127 291944 Felseninsel Flora EditThe 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 H 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 Coral reef Aka island Coral reef Aka island Clownfish Aka islandBeaches Edit These are notable beaches of the Kerama Islands Notable beaches Name Island Japanese nameAharen 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 Ama beach in Zamami island Aharen Beach on Tokashiki Island Tokashiku beach on Tokashiki Island Tokashiku beachFauna EditThe 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 EditThe 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 The 77th Infantry Division on Zamami Island during World War IITransportation EditThe 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 Keramashoto Coral Reef Ramsar Sites Information Service Retrieved 25 April 2018 Kerama Islands Open Coast Travel Special Feature 1 Seas of Okinawa The Kerama Islands Archived 2011 05 17 at the Wayback Machine Okinawa Prefecture Ramsar Sites in Japan Kerama shoto Coral Reef PDF Ministry of the Environment Retrieved 24 March 2011 沖縄県島しょ別面積一覧 in Japanese Prafektur Okinawa 2013 11 13 Archived from the original on 2020 04 17 指定離島 指定離島一覧 PDF pref okinawa jp 離島関係資料 平成28年1月 in Japanese 沖縄県企画部地域 離島課 Land and Islands Section Planning Department Okinawa Prefecture 2016 01 01 Retrieved 2016 08 03 vermutete Zuordnung In der Quelle als シマ 砂白島北 Insel nordlich von Sunashiru jima aufgefuhrt Auf den amtlichen Karten ist an diesen Koordinaten eine unbenannte Insel mit der angegebenen Flache vermutete Zuordnung In der Quelle als シマ モカラク島北 Insel nordlich von Mokaraku jima aufgefuhrt Auf den amtlichen Karten ist an diesen Koordinaten eine unbenannte Insel mit der angegebenen Flache Kerama shoto Coral Reef PDF 523 kB Conservation and Wise Use of Rich and Diverse Wetlands Ramsar Sites in Japan Umweltministerium 2008 p 41 Retrieved 2012 11 29 Cervus nippon keramae National Institute for Environmental Studies Retrieved 2014 06 11 Kerama islands Kerama islands Retrieved 2016 06 10 Marilyn Ni Aitai at IMDb Map showing islands of Zamami Village Archived 2011 05 26 at the Wayback MachineExternal links Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to Kerama Islands IMDB entry for I Want to See Marilyn Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Kerama Islands amp oldid 1162695285, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
