When was okinawa established

While we cherish traditional festivals, new festivals that incorporate Okinawan history, culture, and traditional performing arts, such as the All-Okinawa Eisa Festival and the Ryukyu Kingdom Royal Procession, have also been created. Skip to main content.

Okinawa Prefecture. Main content starts here. Date updated:December 23, Introduction of Okinawa History: A Unique Path 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. Nature: The Ocean with Coral Reefs and Subtropical Greenery Sustains Life on the Islands Okinawa Prefecture is the only region in Japan that is in the subtropical zone, and is blessed with a warm climate all year round.

Performing Arts and Crafts: A Distinct Culture Developed by a Long and Glorious History During the Ryukyu Dynasty, the royal government put a great deal of effort into developing performing arts, and royal performing arts such as kumiodori a traditional narrative dance , buyo a traditional dance , and music blossomed. Casualties were enormous on both sides by the time the Americans took Shuri Castle in late May.

Defeated yet not beaten, the Japanese retreated to the southern coast of Okinawa where they made their last stand. On April 4, the Japanese unleashed these well-trained pilots on the Fifth Fleet. Some dove their planes into ships at miles per hour causing catastrophic damage.

American sailors tried desperately to shoot the kamikaze planes down but were often sitting ducks against enemy pilots with nothing to lose. During the Battle of Okinawa, the Fifth Fleet suffered:.

The Maeda Escarpment, also known as Hacksaw Ridge, was located atop a foot vertical cliff. The American attack on the ridge began on April It was a brutal battle for both sides.

To defend the escarpment, Japanese troops hunkered down in a network of caves and dugouts. They were determined to hold the ridge and decimated some American platoons until just a few men remained. Much of the fighting was hand-to-hand and particularly ruthless.

The Americans finally took Hacksaw Ridge on May 6. All Americans who fought in the Battle of Okinawa were heroic, but one soldier at the escarpment stood out—Corporal Desmond T.

He was an army medic and Seventh-Day Adventist who refused to raise a gun to the enemy. Still, he remained on the escarpment after his commanding officers ordered a retreat. Surrounded by enemy soldiers, he went alone into the battle fray and rescued 75 of his wounded comrades. His heroic story was brought to life on the big screen in in the film Hacksaw Ridge and he won a Medal of Honor for his bravery. As a result, countless took their own lives. To encourage their surrender, General Buckner initiated propaganda warfare and dropped millions of leaflets declaring the war was all but lost for Japan.

For example, women had tattoos on the backs of their hands that were said to be a sign of adulthood and a talisman to protect them from evil. These were banned in Children were prohibited from speaking in Okinawan dialects in school.

From the beginning of the 20th century they were forced to wear dialect cards as punishment if they spoke the Ryukyu language. Following the battle of Okinawa, the U. Signed in , the pact took effect on April 28, , which became the day of independence for Japan. Why did the U. One is that Okinawa was of great strategic importance during the Cold War, he said.

According to the defense white paper, Okinawa hosts about 74 percent of all U. Okinawa underwent modernization during that period, but a fierce ground battle unfolded during World War II that involved the general population, causing severe damage both in terms of human lives, and culturally.

In , as World War II came to a close, Okinawa was placed under American rule, and until it was reverted to Japan on May 15, , it went through a different history from that of the Japanese mainland, undergoing heavy influence from the United States. Prehistory Paleolithic era — Gusuku era There are several theories surrounding the origin of the Minatogawa people who are believed to have lived in Okinawa 22, years ago, one suggesting China being their origin while others speculating their origin to be Indonesia, Australia, and other regions.