Tarama, Okinawa

Island within Ryukyu Islands

Village in Kyushu, Japan

Tarama

多良間村

Village

Tarama Village Hall

Flag

Seal

Location of Tarama in Okinawa Prefecture

Tarama

Location of Tarama within Okinawa Predecture

Show map of Okinawa Prefecture

Tarama

Location of Tarama within Japan

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Coordinates: 24°40′10″N 124°42′6″E﻿ / ﻿24.66944°N 124.70167°E﻿ / 24.66944; 124.70167
Country| Japan
Region| Kyushu (Ryukyu)
Prefecture| Okinawa Prefecture
District| Miyako
Government

• Mayor| Masaaki Shimoji
Area

• Total| 22.00 km2 (8.49 sq mi)
Population

(2020 National Census)

• Total| 1,058
• Density| 48.1/km2 (125/sq mi)
Time zone| UTC+09:00 (JST)
City hall address| 99-2 Nakasuji, Tarama-son, Miyako-gun, Okinawa-ken
906-0602
Climate| Af
Website| www.vill.tarama.okinawa.jp
Symbols

Bird| Japanese quail
Fish| Grouper
Flower| Safflower
Tree| Fukugi (Garcinia subelliptica)

Tarama (多良間村, Tarama-son, Miyako & Okinawan: Tarama) is a village located in Miyako District, Okinawa Prefecture, Japan. The village consists of Tarama Island and Minna Island between Ishigaki Island and Miyako Island.

As of 2020[update], the village has a population of 1,058 residents and 466 households. It has a density of 48.1 persons per km2 and the total area is 22.00 square kilometres (8.49 square miles).[1]

## History

[edit]

Under the Ryukyu Kingdom, Tarama is said to have been used as a penal colony for political prisoners.[2]

In 1879, with the abolition of the han system and creation of the prefectures of Japan, Tarama became part of the newly formed Okinawa Prefecture. In 1896 the village became part of Miyaki District. In 1908, with the abolishment of the magiri system in Okinawa, the three districts of present-day village, Nakasuzu, Shiyugaa, and Minna, became part of the village of Hirara. They were separated from Hirara in 1913 as part of a further redistricting of Okinawa, and incorporated as the Village of Tarama.[3][2]

The village hall of Tarama was the first modern tiled structured to be built on the islands, and the first village council consisted of eight citizens. Residents of Minna completed a planned relocation to the Takano district of Hirara in 1961.

Tarama was electrified and received direct telephone service in 1964, and residents were supplied with power for five hours a day. This increased to 17 hours a day by 1969, and the village was fully electrified in 1972. Regular ferry service to the village began in the same period, and Tarama Airport was opened in December 1971.[3]

## Geography

[edit]

Tarama Island (front) and Minna Island (back)

The two islands of the village, Tarama and Minna, are located at the midpoint between Ishigaki Island and Miyako Island. The islands face the Pacific Ocean to the south and the East China Sea to the north. The two islands have historically suffered from typhoon damage and drought.[3]

### Climate

[edit]

Tarama has tropical rainforest climate (Köppen climate classification Af), bordering on a humid subtropical climate (Köppen climate classification Cfa).

Climate data for Tarama, Okinawa (2003−2020 normals, extremes 1978−present)

Month  | Jan  | Feb  | Mar  | Apr  | May  | Jun  | Jul  | Aug  | Sep  | Oct  | Nov  | Dec  | Year
Record high °C (°F)  | 27.5
(81.5)  | 28.0
(82.4)  | 29.0
(84.2)  | 31.2
(88.2)  | 32.7
(90.9)  | 34.6
(94.3)  | 35.0
(95.0)  | 35.4
(95.7)  | 34.6
(94.3)  | 32.9
(91.2)  | 31.0
(87.8)  | 29.2
(84.6)  | 35.4
(95.7)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F)  | 21.3
(70.3)  | 22.2
(72.0)  | 23.4
(74.1)  | 25.8
(78.4)  | 28.6
(83.5)  | 31.0
(87.8)  | 32.5
(90.5)  | 32.0
(89.6)  | 31.1
(88.0)  | 28.8
(83.8)  | 26.2
(79.2)  | 22.7
(72.9)  | 27.1
(80.8)
Daily mean °C (°F)  | 18.7
(65.7)  | 19.5
(67.1)  | 20.4
(68.7)  | 22.8
(73.0)  | 25.6
(78.1)  | 28.2
(82.8)  | 29.5
(85.1)  | 29.1
(84.4)  | 28.1
(82.6)  | 26.0
(78.8)  | 23.6
(74.5)  | 20.2
(68.4)  | 24.3
(75.8)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F)  | 16.3
(61.3)  | 17.0
(62.6)  | 17.8
(64.0)  | 20.3
(68.5)  | 23.3
(73.9)  | 26.1
(79.0)  | 27.2
(81.0)  | 26.7
(80.1)  | 25.7
(78.3)  | 23.9
(75.0)  | 21.5
(70.7)  | 17.9
(64.2)  | 22.0
(71.6)
Record low °C (°F)  | 7.5
(45.5)  | 6.6
(43.9)  | 7.2
(45.0)  | 10.4
(50.7)  | 13.4
(56.1)  | 18.0
(64.4)  | 22.8
(73.0)  | 23.1
(73.6)  | 18.2
(64.8)  | 16.6
(61.9)  | 11.9
(53.4)  | 6.1
(43.0)  | 6.1
(43.0)
Average precipitation mm (inches)  | 135.1
(5.32)  | 111.5
(4.39)  | 111.3
(4.38)  | 138.7
(5.46)  | 183.9
(7.24)  | 177.9
(7.00)  | 136.1
(5.36)  | 237.0
(9.33)  | 246.1
(9.69)  | 159.8
(6.29)  | 167.2
(6.58)  | 132.4
(5.21)  | 1,943.2
(76.50)
Average precipitation days (≥ 1.0 mm) | 13.1  | 11.2  | 10.0  | 9.2  | 10.3  | 9.5  | 8.8  | 12.1  | 11.7  | 9.7  | 10.8  | 12.9  | 129.3
Source: JMA[4][5][6]

## Demographics

[edit]

Tarama has seen population decline since the beginning of the 20th century. In the period prior to World War II typhoon damage and drought caused many residents to leave the island, mostly to Osaka and areas of the newly formed Japanese Empire. Residents of Tarama emigrated to Taiwan, the South Pacific, Korea, and Manchuria in this period. Residents of Minna completed a planned relocation to the Takano district of Hirara in 1961. At present the population of Minna Island has only one household and two people.[3][2]

## Education

[edit]

The Village of Tarama has one preschool, one elementary school, and one junior high school, all named Tarama.[7]

* Tarama Junior High School (多良間中学校)
* Tarama Elementary School (多良間小学校)
* Tarama Kindergarten (多良間幼稚園)

The preschool and Tarama Elementary school are connected, and located directly south of the village hall at the north of the island. Tarama Junior High School is located .5 kilometres (0.31 mi) south of the village hall. Minna, due to its depopulation, no longer has any educational institutions. The village has no high school; students must leave the island to attend high schools in other areas of Okinawa Prefecture.[8]

## Transportation

[edit]

Tarama Airport

Tarama Airport serves the island.

## References

[edit]

1. ^ 多良間村の人口 [Population of Tarama] (in Japanese). Tarama, Okinawa Prefecture, Japan: Village of Tarama. 2013. Retrieved 2013-06-28.
2. ^ a b c "多良間（村）". Nihon Daihyakka Zensho (Nipponika) (in Japanese). Tokyo: Shogakukan. 2013. OCLC 153301537. Archived from the original on 2007-08-25. Retrieved 2013-05-07.
3. ^ a b c d "多良間村" [Tarama]. Nihon Rekishi Chimei Taikei (in Japanese). Tokyo: Shogakukan. 2013. OCLC 173191044. Archived from the original on 2007-08-25. Retrieved 2013-05-07.
4. ^ 観測史上1～10位の値（年間を通じての値）(extremes 2003-present). JMA. Retrieved February 24, 2022.
5. ^ 観測史上1～10位の値（年間を通じての値）(extremes 1978-2009). JMA. Retrieved February 24, 2022.
6. ^ 気象庁 / 平年値（年・月ごとの値）. JMA. Retrieved February 24, 2022.
7. ^ "幼稚園". Tarama. Retrieved 2022-12-26.
8. ^ 教育施設 [Educational Facilities] (in Japanese). Village of Tarama, Okinawa Prefecture, Japan: Village of Tarama. 2013. Retrieved 2013-05-07.

## External links

[edit]

* Media related to Tarama, Okinawa at Wikimedia Commons
* Tarama official website (in Japanese)

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