Kuroshima, Okinawa
Kuroshima (Japanese黒 岛; Yaeyama: Fishīma / okinawisch: Kurushima, dt " Black Island " ), also known as Kuro, is an island municipality of Taketomi, Okinawa. The Japanese name is stressed on the antepenultimate syllable.
Kuroshima belongs to the Yaeyama Islands. From the air, the island resembles a heart, and is therefore also known under the name Heart Island. As more cows than people living on the island, it is sometimes marketed under the name "Island of the Cows ".
On the 10.02 km ² large island life (31 March 2011 ) 205 inhabitants in 116 households. Of economic importance are animal husbandry and tourism. The island is relatively flat, its highest elevation is 15 m. It is surrounded by a coral reef.
Attractions
Kuroshima has several attractions to offer:
- A lighthouse rises on the southern tip.
- In the visitor center (Visitors ' Centre ) near the west coast, an exhibition of historical photographs, stuffed animals, agricultural implements and other objects worth visiting.
- The most interesting structure on the island is the Puzumari called tower near the center Beucher. It was built in the time of the Ryukyu kingdom of black coral rock and served the monitoring of vessel traffic to and from the neighboring island of Ishigaki. At that time his peak was the highest point on the island. From him messages were transmitted to Ishigaki with beacons and smoke signals. Similar towers of dark coral rock can also be found on other islands of the Yaeyama group, eg Kodomori called the tower on Hateruma from the 17th century.
- The West Coast Kuroshimas, Nakamoto Kaigan, is also worth a visit. Here you can see an impressive, washed by the sea rock formations of coral and a small Shinto shrine.
- In the center of the island rises near the school a further, but more recently, a tower with a panoramic view of the entire island.
- More ruins of dark coral rock can be found, sometimes densely overgrown with various plants, scattered all over the island distributed.
- In the only village on the island several houses are preserved in the traditional architectural style of the Ryukyu Islands with a hipped roof. They are still partially surrounded by a wall of sharp-edged, dark coral rock.
Infrastructure
Kuroshima several times a day to reach by ferry from neighboring Ishigaki out. At the small harbor in the north of the island is a bicycle hire service, but all interesting places of the island also easily reached on foot. In one village there are several small guesthouses ( minshuku ), a business to meet the daily needs as well as a post office, which also serves as a savings bank.
West Coast Nakamoto Kaigan
Traditional Architecture
Main street of the village
Puzumari tower
One of the numerous ruins
Tower in the center of the island