China, Kagoshima
Encyclopedia
is a town
located in Ōshima District
, Kagoshima
, Japan
. , the town has an estimated population
of 6,892 and a density
of 129 persons per km². The total area is 53.29 km².
China is located on Okinoerabujima
island, one of two towns on the island. The town's one kilometre-long Yakomo Beach is about five minutes from the harbour by bus. NHK
describes it as one of the most beautiful beaches on the island. Other natural seaside attractions include Ushishi Beach (ウシシ海岸) and Tamina Cape (田皆岬).
Another tourist attraction in the town is the 3,500-meter long Shōryū Caves (昇竜洞). They were discovered in 1963 and partially opened to the public that same year.
, is about 80 minutes away. There also is a ferry to the prefectural capital Kagoshima
. It takes between 17 and 18 hours.
is also practiced. A total of 1,958 hectare
s of land are under cultivation in the town. However, due to the lack of local jobs, there has been an outflow of residents.
, believed to have been transmitted from Okinawa in the 18th century. Another local traditional dance is the , consisting of a snake puppet suspended in mid-air from a frame and manipulated by strings. It is performed to a taiko
drum and sanshin
(Okinawan three-stringed banjo) accompaniment.
Popular local dishes include the traditional tofu-misozuke, prepared by drying tofu in the sun and then adding miso
. A more recent innovation adds kimchi
to the dish. The town tree is the banyan
, and the town flower is the hibiscus
. Both were chosen in 1982.
The town has five kindergartens, five primary schools, two middle schools, and one senior high school. The high school, Okinoerabu High School, was formed in 1949 through the merger of China High School and Wadomari High School; it maintains campuses in both towns.
There is also a municipal library.
The Ooyama Japan Self-Defense Forces
base is located about 10 minutes from the center of town by bus, near the Ooyama Camping Grounds.
Towns of Japan
A town is a local administrative unit in Japan. It is a local public body along with prefecture , city , and village...
located in Ōshima District
Oshima District, Kagoshima
is a district located in Kagoshima, Japan.As of the March 20, 2006 merger but with 2003 population statistics, the district has an estimated population of 78,882 and a density of 84.4 persons per km²...
, Kagoshima
Kagoshima Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located on the island of Kyushu. The capital is the city of Kagoshima.- Geography :Kagoshima Prefecture is located at the southwest tip of Kyushu and includes a chain of islands stretching further to the southwest for a few hundred kilometers...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. , the town has an estimated population
Population
A population is all the organisms that both belong to the same group or species and live in the same geographical area. The area that is used to define a sexual population is such that inter-breeding is possible between any pair within the area and more probable than cross-breeding with individuals...
of 6,892 and a density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
of 129 persons per km². The total area is 53.29 km².
History
The area was officially recognized as a settlement in 1888 with the establishment of the China Village Office (知名村役場). It was promoted from "village" to "town" status in 1946, during the Allied occupation of Japan.Geography
Okinoerabujima
is an island in the political boundaries of Ōshima District, Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan and in the Amami Islands.Two towns, Wadomari and China, govern portions of the island.Okinoerabu Airport, in Wadomari, is located on the island.-References:...
island, one of two towns on the island. The town's one kilometre-long Yakomo Beach is about five minutes from the harbour by bus. NHK
NHK
NHK is Japan's national public broadcasting organization. NHK, which has always identified itself to its audiences by the English pronunciation of its initials, is a publicly owned corporation funded by viewers' payments of a television license fee....
describes it as one of the most beautiful beaches on the island. Other natural seaside attractions include Ushishi Beach (ウシシ海岸) and Tamina Cape (田皆岬).
Another tourist attraction in the town is the 3,500-meter long Shōryū Caves (昇竜洞). They were discovered in 1963 and partially opened to the public that same year.
Transport
China is located on Kagoshima Prefectural Route 84. The only airport serving the area, the Okinoerabu AirportOkinoerabu Airport
is located on Okinoerabujima in Wadomari, Ōshima District, Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan.-Airlines:-External links:* Japan Airlines...
, is about 80 minutes away. There also is a ferry to the prefectural capital Kagoshima
Kagoshima, Kagoshima
is the capital city of Kagoshima Prefecture at the southwestern tip of the Kyūshū island of Japan, and the largest city in the prefecture by some margin...
. It takes between 17 and 18 hours.
Economy
Sugar cane, potato, and peanut farming are popular. FloricultureFloriculture
Floriculture, or flower farming, is a discipline of horticulture concerned with the cultivation of flowering and ornamental plants for gardens and for floristry, comprising the floral industry...
is also practiced. A total of 1,958 hectare
Hectare
The hectare is a metric unit of area defined as 10,000 square metres , and primarily used in the measurement of land. In 1795, when the metric system was introduced, the are was defined as being 100 square metres and the hectare was thus 100 ares or 1/100 km2...
s of land are under cultivation in the town. However, due to the lack of local jobs, there has been an outflow of residents.
Culture
China has a distinctive form of lion danceLion dance
Lion dance is a form of traditional dance in Chinese culture, in which performers mimic a lion's movements in a lion costume. The lion dance is often mistakenly referred to as dragon dance. An easy way to tell the difference is that a lion is operated by two people, while a dragon needs many people...
, believed to have been transmitted from Okinawa in the 18th century. Another local traditional dance is the , consisting of a snake puppet suspended in mid-air from a frame and manipulated by strings. It is performed to a taiko
Taiko
means "drum" in Japanese . Outside Japan, the word is often used to refer to any of the various Japanese drums and to the relatively recent art-form of ensemble taiko drumming...
drum and sanshin
Sanshin
The sanshin is an Okinawan musical instrument and precursor of the Japanese shamisen. Often likened to a banjo, it consists of a snakeskin-covered body, neck and three strings....
(Okinawan three-stringed banjo) accompaniment.
Popular local dishes include the traditional tofu-misozuke, prepared by drying tofu in the sun and then adding miso
Miso
is a traditional Japanese seasoning produced by fermenting rice, barley and/or soybeans, with salt and the fungus , the most typical miso being made with soy. The result is a thick paste used for sauces and spreads, pickling vegetables or meats, and mixing with dashi soup stock to serve as miso...
. A more recent innovation adds kimchi
Kimchi
Kimchi , also spelled gimchi, kimchee, or kim chee, is a traditional fermented Korean dish made of vegetables with varied seasonings. There are hundreds of varieties of kimchi made with a main vegetable ingredient such as napa cabbage, radish, green onions or cucumber. It is the most common...
to the dish. The town tree is the banyan
Banyan
A banyan is a fig that starts its life as an epiphyte when its seeds germinate in the cracks and crevices on a host tree...
, and the town flower is the hibiscus
Hibiscus
Hibiscus is a genus of flowering plants in the mallow family, Malvaceae. It is quite large, containing several hundred species that are native to warm-temperate, subtropical and tropical regions throughout the world...
. Both were chosen in 1982.
Education
Education in China is controlled by the five members of the Education Committee, whose members serve four year terms. , the members of the committee are Kasuga Tetsuyū, Nakada Akimi, Akita Yoshihiro, Miyayama Kazuo, and Ooyama Osamu.The town has five kindergartens, five primary schools, two middle schools, and one senior high school. The high school, Okinoerabu High School, was formed in 1949 through the merger of China High School and Wadomari High School; it maintains campuses in both towns.
| Name | Number of students | |
|---|---|---|
| Kindergartens | ||
| China Kindergarten | 39 | |
| Sumiyoshi Kindergarten | 13 | |
| Tamina Kindergarten | 9 | |
| Kamishiro Kindergarten | 0 (classes suspended) | |
| Shimohirakawa Kindergarten | 25 | |
| Primary schools | ||
| China Primary School | 222 | |
| Sumiyoshi Primary School | 53 | |
| Tamina Primary School | 35 | |
| Kamishiro Primary School | 23 | |
| Shimohirakawa Primary School | 109 | |
| Middle schools | ||
| China Middle School | 129 | |
| Tamina Middle School | 65 | |
| High schools | ||
| Okinoerabu High School | 337 | |
There is also a municipal library.
Facilities
There are two medical clinics, four dental clinics, and one hospital. There are also two nursing homes.The Ooyama Japan Self-Defense Forces
Japan Self-Defense Forces
The , or JSDF, occasionally referred to as JSF or SDF, are the unified military forces of Japan that were established after the end of the post–World War II Allied occupation of Japan. For most of the post-war period the JSDF was confined to the islands of Japan and not permitted to be deployed...
base is located about 10 minutes from the center of town by bus, near the Ooyama Camping Grounds.