Nanjō


Nanjō is a city located in the southern part of Okinawa Island in Okinawa Prefecture, Japan. Translated literally, the name Nanjō means "southern castle". Many castle ruins, called gusuku in the Okinawan language, can be found throughout the city. The modern city of Nanjō was established on January 1, 2006, from the merger of the town of Sashiki, and the villages of Chinen, Ōzato and Tamagusuku. Nanjō has an area of 49.94 km² and, on the date of its inception, a population of 46,690, and a density of 934.92 per km².
Of the eleven cities in Okinawa Prefecture, Nanjō has the smallest population. It does not have a separate police station nor a high school. For those services, citizens have to refer to the neighbouring towns of Yonabaru and Yaese. The city hosts a fire station responsible for Chinen, Ōzato and Tamagusuku and parts of Yaese, while Sashiki is served by a separate station. The city's main economic activities are agriculture and tourism. Important crops include sugarcane, for sugar and vinegar production, and turmeric, a popular medicinal herb in Okinawa. Several turmeric processing plants are based in the city, producing semi-processed goods to be used by industries on the mainland or consumer products like tea and dietary supplements.

Historical facts

  • Shō Hashi lived in Sashiki Castle before uniting the Ryukyu Kingdom.
  • 1908 - By an Imperial Edict, the Magiri system is abolished and the villages of Chinen, Ōzato, Sashiki and Tamagusuku are created.
  • 1945 - After the Battle of Okinawa, Chinen is given the status of city by the occupying American Army. In the following year, it reverts to being a village.
  • 1949 - The districts of Yonabaru, Ueyonabaru and Itarashiki are severed from the village of Ōzato to form the new village of Yonabaru.
  • 1980 - Sashiki receives the status of town.
  • 2005, March - The name Nanjō-shi was selected for the soon to be founded city.
  • 2006, January 1 - Foundation of the city of Nanjō.

    Geography

Nanjō is a city located in the southern region of Okinawa's main island. The isle of Kudaka, off the coast of Chinen, also belongs to the city.

Administrative divisions

  • Chinen
  • * Azama
  • * Umino
  • * Gushiken
  • * Kudaka
  • * Kudeken
  • * Kuhara
  • * Shikiya
  • * China
  • * Chinen
  • * Yamazato
  • * Yoshitomi
  • Ōzato
  • * Furugen
  • * Inamine
  • * Minei
  • * Nakama
  • * Ōzato
  • * Ōshiro
  • * Takahira
  • Sashiki
  • * Fusozaki
  • * Ibara
  • * Kaneku
  • * Nakaiho
  • * Okoku
  • * Sashiki
  • * Shinkai
  • * Shinzato
  • * Tedokon
  • * Tsuhako
  • * Yabiku
  • Tamagusuku
  • * Aichi
  • * Funakosi
  • * Fusato
  • * Horikawa
  • * Hyakuna
  • * Itokazu
  • * Kakinohana
  • * Kibaru
  • * Maekawa
  • * Nakayama
  • * Nakandakari
  • * Ō
  • * Oyakebaru
  • * Shikenbaru
  • * Tamagusuku
  • * Tōyama
  • * Yakabu

    Surrounding municipalities

  • Haebaru
  • Yaese
  • Yonabaru

    Climate

Tourism and culture

Located in Chinen, the seifa-utaki shrine is listed by UNESCO as part of the Gusuku Sites and Related Properties of the Kingdom of Ryukyu World Heritage Site. It was believed to be a sacred place, from where one could see the "Isle of the Gods". In the shrine, noro priestesses from Shuri Castle would pray for the well-being of the king and the kingdom.
In Tamagusuku, the Gyokusendō cave is known for its stalagmites and stalactites. Discovered in 1967, the cave is estimated to be at least five kilometers long, but only 890 metres are open to tourists. The cave is located inside the Okinawa World cultural theme park. Other attractions of the theme park are the Habu snake museum, native dances such as Eisa, and a traditional Ryūkyū-style village with traditional red-clay roofed houses and workshops for local crafts such as dying and weaving, pottery, and glass blowing.
Also located in Tamagusuku, the Itokazu-Abuchiragama cave was used in World War II as a bomb shelter by soldiers and civilians alike. It is also open to tourists. Himeyuri students were used as nurses in this location among others.
The isle of Kudaka, also called Isle of the Gods, can be accessed from Azama Port, located in Chinen.
From the isle of Ōjima, in Tamagusuku, one can board a glass-bottomed boat, a boat with a transparent floor used in marine-life observations.
Golf is a popular sport in Okinawa, and the Ryūkyū Golf Club in Nanjō has three 27-hole courses. Every spring, the Ryūkyū Golf Club welcomes the Daikin Orchid Ladies Golf Tournament.
The Nanjo Sightseeing Information Center and souvenir shop across the street have cardboard cut-outs of the characters of The Aquatope on White Sand, with the shop including an "entire Aquatope corner."

Gusuku in Nanjō

Nanjō City hosts sixty-two designated or registered cultural properties and monuments, at the national, prefectural or municipal level.
  • Name

    Cultural Properties">Cultural Property (Japan)">Cultural Properties

  • Artefacts excavated from Sefa Utaki
  • Chichingā spring
  • Chinen Castle Site
  • Chinen Residence
  • Irei Residence
  • Kakinohana Shitakarī Family's ancient documents
  • Kyan Residence
  • Letters incinerator of Hyakuna
  • Meiji Land Registry Map
  • Nakandakari Hījā spring
  • Shimashii Ōzato Aji's tomb
  • Taba Residence
  • Uezato Residence
  • Ufugusuku Anji's tomb

    Folk Cultural Properties">Cultural Property (Japan)#Folk Cultural Properties">Folk Cultural Properties

  • Chankudun Sacred Site
  • Fucchā Stone
  • Iimui Utaki Sacred Site
  • Nzatu-gā spring
  • Okoku Ii-nu-kā spring
  • Okoku Naka-nu-kā spring
  • Okoku Shimo-nu-kā spring
  • Paved road of Okoku
  • Stone lion of Chinen
  • Stone lion of Gushiken
  • Stone lion of Haebaru
  • Tūtiikun / Buddha statue of Tedokon
  • Tūtiikun Sacred Site of Shinzato
  • Yaharazukasa Sacred Site

    Historic Sites">Monuments of Japan#Designated monuments of Japan"> Historic Sites

  • China Ukkā spring
  • Chinen Aji's tomb
  • Chinen Castle Site
  • Funakoshi Gusuku
  • Gushiken Hījā spring
  • Hamagā Utaki Sacred Site
  • Itokazu Castle Site
  • Kakinohana Castle Site
  • Kamiyama Tun Sacred Site
  • Kancha Ukkā spring
  • Kubō Utaki Sacred Site on Kudaka Island
  • Minton Gusuku
  • Nāshiru Ufuyā's Residence Site
  • Ōshiro Castle Site
  • Sashiki Castle Site
  • Sashiki Yōdore mausoleum
  • Sefa Utaki
  • Shikiya Gusuku
  • Shimashī-Ōzato Castle Site
  • Tamagusuku Castle Site
  • Teda Ukkā sacred spring
  • Tsukishiro Rock / Tsukishiro-nu-kā spring
  • Ukinjuhainju sacred springs

    Places of scenic beauty">Monuments of Japan#Designated monuments of Japan">Places of scenic beauty

  • Amamiku-nu-mui
  • Amamiku-nu-mui
  • Amamiku-nu-mui
  • Sefa Utaki

    Natural Monuments">Monuments of Japan#Designated monuments of Japan">Natural Monuments

  • Deer fossils discovery point in Shichaībaru
  • Dwarf mock orange tree Plant Community
  • Fusozaki Coast Myoporum bontioides community in Sashiki
  • Group of fukugi trees in Chinin Ē-gā spring
  • Gyokusendō Cave
  • Kudaka Island coastal plant community
  • Large bishop wood tree in Kudeken
  • Looking-glass mangrove tree in Mīya Residence
  • Looking-glass mangrove tree in Ufu Dunchi Residence
  • Looking-glass mangrove tree in Ufujō Praying Site

    Sister cities

  • Tamaki, Mie since 1993
In kanji, Tamaki has the same spelling as Tamagusuku. Neither name follows the standard readings for the kanji in Japanese.

Access

Passengers traveling from mainland Japan and overseas arrive at Naha Airport. Several bus lines serve the city of Nanjo, departing from the bus terminals at Naha and Itoman.