Kumejima, Okinawa in the context of "Shimajiri District, Okinawa"

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⭐ Core Definition: Kumejima, Okinawa

Kumejima (Japanese: 久米島町, Hepburn: Kumejima-chō; Okinawan: Kumishima) is a town located in Shimajiri District, Okinawa Prefecture, Japan. The town consists of the islands of Kume, Ōjima, Ōhajima, Torishima, and Iōtorishima. Among the islands, only Kumejima and Ōjima are populated. Kumejima is located approximately 100 kilometres (62 mi) west of Naha. The town can be accessed by the New Kumejima Ferry, Japan Transocean Air, or Ryukyu Air Commuter. Kumejima Airport serves the island. As of 1 October 2020, the town had an estimated population of 7,192 and a population density of 110 inhabitants per square kilometre (280/sq mi). The total area is 63.50 km (24.52 sq mi).

Kume Island is often said to be one of the most beautiful of the Okinawa Islands. It is well known for its textiles, called Kumejima-tsumugi which are designated an Important Intangible Cultural Property. The town is also known for its Kumesen Awamori (Okinawan sake) and deep sea water. Kumejima's main industries are sugar cane (sato-kibi), tourism, and deep seawater products.

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Kumejima, Okinawa in the context of Okinawan language

Okinawan (沖縄口, ウチナーグチ, Uchinaaguchi, [ʔut͡ɕinaːɡut͡ɕi]), or more precisely Central Okinawan, is a Northern Ryukyuan language spoken primarily in the southern half of the island of Okinawa, as well as in the surrounding islands of Kerama, Kumejima, Tonaki, Aguni and a number of smaller peripheral islands. Central Okinawan distinguishes itself from the speech of Northern Okinawa, which is classified independently as the Kunigami language. Both languages are listed by UNESCO as endangered.

Though Okinawan encompasses a number of local dialects, the Shuri–Naha variant is generally recognized as the de facto standard, as it had been used as the official language of the Ryukyu Kingdom since the reign of King Shō Shin (1477–1526). Moreover, as the former capital of Shuri was built around the royal palace, the language used by the royal court became the regional and literary standard, which thus flourished in songs and poems written during that era.

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LINKED FROM (PARENTS)
← Okinawan language ← Central Okinawan language
LINKS TO (CHILDREN)
Japanese language → Hepburn romanization → Okinawan language → List of towns in Japan → Shimajiri District, Okinawa → Okinawa Prefecture → Japan → Kume Island → Iōtorishima → Naha, Okinawa → Kumejima Airport → Okinawa Islands → Kumejima-tsumugi → Important Intangible Cultural Properties of Japan → Sugar cane →