Okinawa history

Okinawa's early history is shadowed by incomplete and sometimes contradictory evidence. Records indicate a series of kings struggling to maintain control over fighting warlords. The Okinawa of old may have resembled medieval Europe. In the 13th Century, the lord of Urasoe, Shunten, rose above the war-hardened chieftains and established a

Okinawa information

Okinawa, the principal island of Okinawa Prefecture's 160 or so islands, is often referred to as the "Keystone of the Pacific" because of its strategic location relative to major Far East cities. Kadena is located about 900 miles from Tokyo, Manila, Seoul and Hong Kong, and about 1,200 miles west of Guam. The island is 67 miles long and varies from

Okinawan culture

The society and customs of Okinawa, like those of its Asian neighbors, have survived thousands of years...lately including significant industrialization and modernization. Although the island has changed over the years from an agrarian and trading culture to a modern business and tourism frontier, Okinawans still maintain many ancestral traditions.