Native name: Myaaku | |
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 Aerial view of Miyako Island from northwest | |
  Miyako Island Location of Miyako within Okinawa Prefecture Show map of Okinawa Prefecture Miyako Island Location of Miyako within Japan Show map of Japan Miyako Island Location of Miyako Islands within the East China Sea Show map of East China Sea | |
| Geography | |
| Location | Okinawa Prefecture |
| Coordinates | 24°46′N125°19′E / 24.767°N 125.317°E /24.767; 125.317 |
| Archipelago | Miyako Islands |
| Adjacent to | East China Sea |
| Area | 158.87 km2 (61.34 sq mi)[1] |
| Highest elevation | 114.8 m (376.6 ft) |
| Highest point | Nakao (ナカオ嶺) |
| Administration | |
| Prefecture | Okinawa Prefecture |
| Demographics | |
| Population | 45,625 (2015 census)[1] |
| Pop. density | 275.4/km2 (713.3/sq mi) |
| Ethnic groups | Ryukyuans,Japanese |
Miyako Island (Japanese:宮古島,Hepburn:Miyako-jima;Miyako:Myaaku (ミャーク);Okinawan:Naaku (ナーク)) is the largest and the most populous island among theMiyako Islands ofOkinawa Prefecture,Japan. Miyako Island is administered as part of theCity of Miyako Island, which includes not only Miyako Island, but also five other islands.[2]
Miyako Island lies approximately 300 kilometres (186 mi) southwest ofOkinawa Island.[2] With an area of 158.70 square kilometres (61.27 sq mi), Miyako is the fourth-largest island in Okinawa Prefecture.[3] The island is triangular in shape and is composed of limestone.[2] Miyako Island is subject to drought and is frequently struck by typhoons.[2]
Miyako Island is well known for its beauty, particularly theEastern Cape (東平安名岬,Higashi-hennazaki), anationally designatedPlace of Scenic Beauty at the southeasternmost point of Miyako Island. It is considered by many as one of the most beautiful spots inJapan. Other notable locations include Yonaha Maehama beach, Sunayama beach, Painagama Beach and the sights onIrabu-jima. There are three islands nearby which are connected by bridges to Miyako Island, Irabujima (as of early 2015),Ikema Island (池間島,Ikema-jima), andKurima Island (来間島,Kurima-jima).[citation needed]
Ikema Bridge connects Miyako Island andIkema Island. It is 1,425 metres (4,675 ft)-long and was completed in February 1992.[4] Yonaha Maehama beach can be viewed from the opposite side on Kurima Island. TheMiyako language, one of severalRyukyuan languages spoken there to some degree.[citation needed]
Miyako Island has atropical rainforest climate (Af according to theKöppen climate classification), because all twelve months have a mean temperature of at least 18 °C (64 °F).
| Climate data for Miyakojima (1991−2020 normals, extremes 1937−present) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 27.0 (80.6) | 27.6 (81.7) | 28.6 (83.5) | 30.7 (87.3) | 33.3 (91.9) | 35.1 (95.2) | 35.3 (95.5) | 34.2 (93.6) | 34.2 (93.6) | 32.5 (90.5) | 30.9 (87.6) | 28.8 (83.8) | 35.3 (95.5) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 20.6 (69.1) | 21.1 (70.0) | 22.8 (73.0) | 25.1 (77.2) | 27.7 (81.9) | 30.3 (86.5) | 31.7 (89.1) | 31.3 (88.3) | 30.1 (86.2) | 27.8 (82.0) | 25.3 (77.5) | 22.2 (72.0) | 26.4 (79.5) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 18.3 (64.9) | 18.6 (65.5) | 20.1 (68.2) | 22.5 (72.5) | 25.0 (77.0) | 27.7 (81.9) | 28.9 (84.0) | 28.6 (83.5) | 27.6 (81.7) | 25.5 (77.9) | 23.1 (73.6) | 20.0 (68.0) | 23.8 (74.8) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 16.3 (61.3) | 16.6 (61.9) | 17.9 (64.2) | 20.4 (68.7) | 23.0 (73.4) | 25.7 (78.3) | 26.8 (80.2) | 26.5 (79.7) | 25.6 (78.1) | 23.8 (74.8) | 21.3 (70.3) | 18.2 (64.8) | 21.9 (71.4) |
| Record low °C (°F) | 6.9 (44.4) | 7.3 (45.1) | 8.6 (47.5) | 11.4 (52.5) | 15.2 (59.4) | 17.4 (63.3) | 21.4 (70.5) | 21.2 (70.2) | 19.7 (67.5) | 17.2 (63.0) | 12.9 (55.2) | 9.6 (49.3) | 6.9 (44.4) |
| Averageprecipitation mm (inches) | 138.8 (5.46) | 119.8 (4.72) | 138.7 (5.46) | 148.7 (5.85) | 222.3 (8.75) | 194.7 (7.67) | 151.6 (5.97) | 257.4 (10.13) | 259.3 (10.21) | 157.9 (6.22) | 139.8 (5.50) | 147.2 (5.80) | 2,076 (81.73) |
| Average snowfall cm (inches) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) |
| Average precipitation days(≥ 0.5 mm) | 14.3 | 12.0 | 12.4 | 11.3 | 11.7 | 11.0 | 10.6 | 14.0 | 13.2 | 11.2 | 12.5 | 13.9 | 148.2 |
| Averagerelative humidity (%) | 72 | 74 | 76 | 79 | 82 | 84 | 80 | 81 | 79 | 75 | 74 | 71 | 77 |
| Mean monthlysunshine hours | 85.5 | 90.3 | 116.0 | 122.9 | 149.3 | 191.9 | 241.0 | 210.9 | 179.3 | 151.9 | 112.3 | 92.7 | 1,743.9 |
| Source: Japan Meteorological Agency[5] | |||||||||||||
On Miyako Island, Miruku-potoke (the local name for theMaitreya Buddha) is traditionally believed to be an ugly god who arrives from China to create humans, animals, and crops. The handsome god Saku-potoke (the historicalShakyamuni Buddha, founder of Buddhism) then challenges him to a flower contest and steals the flower while the other sleeps. Miruku-potoke is thus defeated and forced to return to China, which is why China is a prosperous country while Miyako is not. Nearly identical creation myths arefound in Korea.[6]
Miyako is home to a unique festival calledPaantu (パーントゥ), which occurs in the ninth month of the cultural (lunar) calendar. Three men dressed in grass, leaves and mud walk around town smearing mud on houses, cars and people. They carry sticks in one hand and an expressionless mask in the other. Legend holds that those who have been muddied by the Pantu will have a year of protection and good fortune. Owners of new homes will also invite Pantu to give a muddy 'blessing' to their homes.[citation needed]
Miyako has its own version ofsoba.Otōri is a custom of drinkingawamori, a distilled beverage native to Okinawa, Japan. It is performed by people sitting (usually around a table). One offers a toast, drinks from a small glass, and then offers some to each person at the table making a round, and usually going to the right. When the toaster makes their way back to their spot, the person who passed the otori before pours them another glass. They then announce "tsunagimasu" and drink their second glass. After a brief interval, it is then the turn of the next person to pass the otori, which continues until the celebration is ended.[citation needed]
Miyako is home tosugarcane cultivation, and producesbrown sugar.[2]Miyako jōfu is a locally produced hand-woven textile made fromramie fiber. It was formerly known asSatsuma jōfu. The textile traces its production to theTensho period, 1573–92.[3][7][8]
A large tourism boom in Miyako, starting with locals and Taiwanese visitors in the early 2010s, has been steadily growing with the annual number of tourists reaching over 1 million in both 2018 and 2019.[9] The city has been struggling to cope with cruise megaships from mainland China– currently, the central port in Hirara can only handle ships as large as 50,000 tons but port officials hope to service ships as large as 200,000 tons.[10] The effects of this growing tourist industry may change the character of the island as its population is small and rural.[citation needed]
TheMiyako Strait has strategic significance. Chinese warships' passage through the straits is monitored by Japanese forces.[11]
In late April 2015, it was confirmed that the JapaneseMinistry of Defense was in advanced planning regarding the permanent deployment of aGSDFsecurity unit to Miyako Island, to begin sometime infiscal year 2016. This is part of ongoing efforts to improve the defenses of theNansei Islands. A GSDF security unit is abattalion sized force, of up to 500 personnel, whose role on Miyako Island will include providing the initial response to large-scale disasters in the area as well as acting as arapid response force to counterattacks on remote islands within its area of responsibility.[12][13]
The Miyako Island security unit's exact composition is unclear as of April 2015, though given its known taskings, it is likely that theTOE will include both theKomatsu LAV andsoft skinned vehicles withall terrain capability.[citation needed]
Consideration is also currently being given to deploying GSDF units equipped withanti-aircraft andanti-ship missiles to the island.[12][13]
Tokyo has currently earmarked ¥21.2 billion yen ($205 million USD) in FY2021 to build newJapan Coast Guard patrol boats and helicopters for the region, with plans to assign 22 ships of over 1,000 tons in the region by 2024. Miyako Island's Coast Guard station is home to 9Shimoji-class small patrol vessels and aTokara-class medium patrol vessel.[14]
Positioned in between the larger commercial ports of Ishigaki and Naha, Coast Guard facilities on Miyako's neighbor islands can provide 3Tsugarus, aKunigami, and aHateruma class patrol vessel based at the 11th Regional Coast Guard Headquarters inNaha and 11Kunigami-class patrol vessels and 2Hateruma-class patrol vesselshomeported atIshigaki should the need arise. Along with facilities for housing up to 600 crew, Ishigaki is now JCG's largest base, surpassing even that of Yokohama.[15]
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