It is a descriptive name, meaning glazed horn-dragon. The origin of the term Okinawa remains unclear, although Okinawa (Okinawan: Uchinaa) as a term was used in Okinawa. The current Chinese characters (kanji) for Okinawa (沖縄) were first written in the 1702 version of Ryukyu Kuniezu.

What is Okinawa in English?

Okinawa in British English (ˌəʊkɪˈnɑːwə ) noun. a coral island of SW Japan, the largest of the Ryukyu Islands in the N Pacific: scene of heavy fighting in World War II; administered by the US (1945–72); agricultural.

What do Okinawa mean?

rope in the open sea The name Okinawa means rope in the open sea, a fairly apt description of this long stretch of islands between the four main islands of Japan and Taiwan. Consisting of 49 inhabited islands and 111 uninhabited islands, Okinawa has a subtropical/tropical climate.

Is Okinawa Chinese or Japanese?

Okinawa, ken (prefecture), Japan, in the Pacific Ocean. The prefecture is composed of roughly the southwestern two-thirds of the Ryukyu Islands, that archipelago forming the division between the East China Sea to the northwest and the Philippine Sea to the southeast.

Why is Okinawa so popular?

Forget longevity — Okinawa hides the secrets to happiness The island is famous for its sheer number of centenarians but Cheong Kamei finds out that Okinawas greatest gift to the world just might be something more precious than longevity: the secrets to a fulfilling and purposeful life.

What language do they speak in Okinawa?

Japanese Primarily spoken in the southern half of the Okinawan Islands, the Okinawan language (沖縄口 uchinaaguchi, or 沖縄方言 okinawa hougen in Japanese) is designated as an endangered language by the UNESCO Atlas of Endangered Languages (Moseley, 2010).

Did China own Okinawa?

Okinawa, also known as the largest of the Ryukyu Islands, was historically treated as a vassal kingdom by both China and Japan. Its status, like that of the nearby Diaoyu Islands, was never entirely settled during much of the nineteenth century.

Is Okinawa a part of China?

Okinawa was once an independent country which was ruled by the Ryukyu Kingdom, and flourished through trade with China - the largest country in Asia - as well as other neighboring countries. After the invasion of Satsuma in 1609, Ryukyu became a part of Japans shogunate system.

What is Okinawa known for?

Known as the “Hawaii of Japan”, Okinawa has amazing star-gazing, diving, a unique cuisine and yes, cherry blossoms too. Whatever misconceptions you might have had about this prefecture, we set the record straight.