Ginoza, Okinawa

2025-03-15T03:21:44Z

2400:2652:9820:D700:C829:131E:46DC:FC57: Misspelled Ginoza. There are no US "bases" in the village, it is a central training area (not occupied by US bases).

{{Infobox settlement
| name = Ginoza
| official_name =
| native_name = {{nobold|宜野座村}}
| native_name_lang = ja
| settlement_type = Village
| other_name =

| image_skyline = Ginoza Village Office.jpg
| imagesize =
| image_caption = Ginoza Village Office
| image_flag = Flag of Ginoza, Okinawa.svg
| image_seal = Emblem of Ginoza, Okinawa.svg
| seal_type = Emblem

| image_map = Ginoza in Okinawa Prefecture Ja.svg
| map_alt =
| map_caption = Location of Ginoza in [[Okinawa Prefecture]]
| pushpin_map = Japan
| pushpin_relief =
| pushpin_map_caption = Location in Japan
| coordinates = {{coord|26|28|54|N|127|58|32|E|region:JP|display=inline,title}}
| coordinates_footnotes = 

| subdivision_type = Country
| subdivision_name = Japan
| subdivision_type1 = [[List of regions of Japan|Region]]
| subdivision_name1 = [[Kyushu]] ([[Okinawa Prefecture|Okinawa]])
| subdivision_type2 = [[Prefectures of Japan|Prefecture]]
| subdivision_name2 = [[Okinawa Prefecture]]
| subdivision_type3 = [[Districts of Japan|District]]
| subdivision_name3 = [[Kunigami District, Okinawa|Kunigami]]

| established_title = 
| established_date =
| extinct_title = Now part of
| extinct_date =
| founder =
| named_for =

| seat_type = 
| seat =

| government_footnotes = 
| leader_party =
| leader_title = Mayor
| leader_name = Atsushi Tōma
| leader_title1 = Vice Mayor
| leader_name1 =

| total_type = 
| unit_pref = Metric

| area_magnitude = 
| area_footnotes = 
| area_total_km2 = 31.28
| area_land_km2 =
| area_water_km2 =
| area_water_percent =
| area_note =

| elevation_footnotes = 
| elevation_m =

| population_footnotes = 
| population_total = 6,227
| population_as_of = March 2022<ref>http://www.vill.ginoza.okinawa.jp/Introduction {{Bare URL inline|date=August 2024}}</ref>
| population_density_km2 = auto
| population_est =
| pop_est_as_of =

| timezone1 = [[Japan Standard Time|JST]]
| utc_offset1 = +09:00

| postal_code_type =
| postal_code =
| area_code_type = 
| area_code =

| blank_name_sec1 = City hall address
| blank_info_sec1 = 296 Ginoza<br />Ginoza, Kunigami-gun<br />Okinawa Prefecture<br />904-1392

| website = {{URL|http://www.vill.ginoza.okinawa.jp/}}{{in lang|ja}}
| footnotes =
| module = {{Infobox place symbols| embedded=yes
| tree = [[Pinus luchuensis|Ryūkyū pine]]
| flower = [[Rhododendron]]
| bird = [[Japanese white-eye]]
| flowering_tree =
| butterfly =
| fish =
| other_symbols =
}}
}}

{{nihongo|'''Ginoza'''|宜野座村|Ginoza-son|[[Okinawan language|Okinawan]]: ''Jinuza''<ref name="n" />}} is a [[List of villages in Japan|village]] located in [[Kunigami District, Okinawa|Kunigami District]], [[Okinawa Prefecture]], [[Japan]].

As of March 2022, the village had a [[population]] of 6,227.<ref>http://www.vill.ginoza.okinawa.jp/Introduction {{Bare URL inline|date=August 2024}}</ref> The total area of Ginoza is {{convert|31.28|km2|mi2}}, around 50% of the land area of the village is used as the Central Training Area for the United States military.<ref name="n" /><ref name="c"/><ref name="pop" />

==Etymology==

The [[kanji]] for Ginoza (宜野座) mean "suitable field in which to sit".

==Geography==

Ginoza is located on the eastern coast of the middle of the island of [[Okinawa Island|Okinawa]]. The village is located on the backbone of mountains that run north to south on Okinawa Island, and slopes gently to a broad coastline along the [[Pacific Ocean]].<ref name="n" /> The [[Kanna Dam]] was completed in 1993.

===Neighboring municipalities===

Ginoza borders three municipalities in Okinawa Prefecture.

*[[Kin, Okinawa|Kin]]
*[[Nago, Okinawa|Nago]]
*[[Onna, Okinawa|Onna]]<ref name="c" />

===Administrative divisions===

Ginoza is divided into six wards.<ref>{{Cite web |title=村紹介 {{!}} 宜野座村 |url=http://www.vill.ginoza.okinawa.jp/introduction/ginoza |access-date=2024-10-02 |language=ja}}</ref>

*{{nihongo|Fukuyama|福山|}}
*{{nihongo|Ginoza|宜野座|}}
*{{nihongo|Kanna|漢那|}}
*{{nihongo|Matsuda|松田|}}
*{{nihongo|Shirohara|城原|}}
*{{nihongo|Sokei|惣慶|}}

==History==

The area of present-day Ginoza was historically agricultural. The area was, however, used as a retreat for members of the [[Yukatchu]] artistocratic class of the [[Ryukyu Kingdom]]; consequently, the area was strongly influenced, economically and culturally, by the central Ryukyuan state. In a census of Ginoza in 1903, half the town was registered as nobility, and half as commoners.<ref name="c" />

Ginoza became part of Okinawa Prefecture with its creation in 1879, and part of Kunigami District in 1896. In the administrative reorganization of Okinawa Prefecture in 1908 the Kinmu magiri was divided into two villages; the majority of the former magiri became Ginoza, and a small part was added to the present-day town of Kin.<ref name="c" /> A large part of the population of Ginoza emigrated overseas before World War II.<ref name="n" />

During World War 2 Ginoza village's schools were used as field hospitals. Bodies lie buried around the buildings to this day. Directly after the war Ginoza the south central part of Ginoza was home to a large concentration of refugees. The population of the village reached over 100,000, and the village was temporarily divided into six cities. The population of the village dropped rapidly after this period as Okinawans returned to their home villages.<ref name="n" /> 50% of Ginoza is utilized as the Central Training Area for the US military.
==Culture==

The Ginoza Village Museum opened in 1994.

==Cultural Properties==
*Name (Japanese) (Type of registration)
===[[Cultural Property (Japan)|Cultural Properties]]===
*Former Kochiya Village (currently Matsuda) kumi-odori texts (旧古知屋村(現松田区)組踊写本6冊) (Municipal)
*Genealogical records of the Tan Clan: branch line (「湛姓家譜」支流一冊) (Municipal)
*Genealogical records of the Kyoda Family and related ancient documents (許田家所蔵の家譜及び関連古文書類) (Municipal)
*Kanna Uē-nu-atai Site (漢那ウェーヌアタイ遺跡)
*Materials from Ginoza Village relating to the Battle of Okinawa (沖縄戦関連宜野座村資料) (Municipal)
*Mē-gā Site (メーガー遺跡)
*Ginoza Ukkā Gushiku Site (宜野座大川グシク)
===[[Cultural Property (Japan)#Folk Cultural Properties|Folk Cultural Properties]]===
*Ginoza Nuru Dunchi residence (宜野座ヌル殿内)
*Kanna shrine (漢那のお宮)
*Kushi-nu-utaki sacred site (クシヌ御嶽)
*Sokei-no-ugan sacred site (惣慶のウガン)
*Yuuagi-mō meadows (ユウアギモー)
===[[Monuments of Japan#Designated monuments of Japan|Natural Monuments]]===
*Old tree of Uē-nu-atai (ウェーヌアタイの古木)
*Pine tree lane of the former Matsuda Hippodrome (松田の馬場跡の松並木) (Municipal) <ref>{{Cite web |title=宜野座村オープンデータ - 宜野座村文化財一覧（2023年2月更新） - CKAN |url=https://data.bodik.jp/dataset/okinawa-dpf_ginoza_village/resource/a14d89da-6839-4c96-81b8-b67764377aae |access-date=2024-10-04 |website=data.bodik.jp |language=ja}}</ref>

==Economy==

Agricultural production remains high in Ginoza. Like other areas of Okinawa, the village produces [[sugarcane]]. Cut flowers production, which has spread rapidly to other municipalities in Okinawa Prefecture, has also been developed in Ginoza. The village produces of [[chrysanthemum]]s and [[orchid]]s. Tropical fruit, specifically [[pineapple]]s and [[mango]]es, is also a developing part of the agricultural sector Ginoza. Additionally, strawberries and [[potato]]es are grown in Ginoza.<ref name="n" />

Rent from land used for military bases by the United States remains a large source of income in the Ginoza. The village government has attempted to diversify the economy of Ginoza, but dependence on rental income remains high.<ref name="c" />

==Government==

Under the [[Local Autonomy Law]] of 1947 the government of Ginoza consists of an elected village council, an elected mayor, and administrative committees and departments under control of the mayor. Ginoza, with a population of under 6,000 residents, has a village council consisting of 12 members. Members of the council and the mayor serve a four-year term. The mayor of Ginoza is Atsushi Tōma.<ref name="gikai"/>

==Education==

Ginoza operates three elementary schools (Matsuda (松田小学校), Kanna (漢那小学校), and Ginoza (宜野座小学校) Elementary Schools) and one junior high school (Ginoza Junior High School ([[:ja:宜野座村立宜野座中学校|宜野座中学校]])).

The [[Okinawa Prefectural Board of Education]] operates {{ill|Ginoza High School|ja|沖縄県立宜野座高等学校}}.

==Transportation==

===Road===

Ginoza is crossed by [[Japan National Route 329]], [[National highways of Japan|national highway]] which connects [[Nago, Okinawa]] and [[Naha, Okinawa]], and the [[Okinawa Expressway]]. The [[Ginoza Interchange]] connects JNR 329 and the Okinawan Expressway.<ref name="n" />

==References==

{{reflist|2|refs=

<ref name="c">{{cite encyclopedia | encyclopedia = Nihon Rekishi Chimei Taikei | title = 宜野座村 | url = http://rekishi.jkn21.com/ | access-date = 2013-06-21 | year = 2013 | publisher = Shogakukan | location = Tokyo | language = ja | trans-title = Ginoza | oclc = 173191044 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070825113418/http://rekishi.jkn21.com/ | archive-date = 2007-08-25 | url-status = dead }}</ref>

<ref name="gikai">{{cite web | url = http://www.vill.ginoza.okinawa.jp/villgikai | script-title=ja:村議会 |trans-title=Village Council | date = 2012 | publisher = Village of Ginoza | location = Ginoza, Okinawa Prefecture, Japan | access-date = 2013-05-29 | language = ja}}</ref>

<ref name="n">{{cite encyclopedia|encyclopedia=Nihon Daihyakka Zensho (Nipponika) |title=宜野座（村） |url=http://rekishi.jkn21.com/ |access-date=2013-02-04 |year=2013 |publisher=Shogakukan |location=Tokyo |language=ja |oclc=153301537 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070825113418/http://rekishi.jkn21.com/ |archive-date=2007-08-25 }}</ref>

<ref name="pop">{{cite web | url = http://www.vill.ginoza.okinawa.jp/introduction | script-title=ja:宜野座村基本情報（平成24年8月末現在） |trans-title=Basic Information on the Village of Ginoza (August 2012) | date = 2012 | publisher = Village of Ginoza | location = Ginoza, Okinawa Prefecture, Japan | access-date = 2013-02-04 | language = ja}}</ref>

}}

==External links==
{{commons category-inline}}
* [http://www.vill.ginoza.okinawa.jp/ Ginoza official website] {{in lang|ja}}

{{Okinawa}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Villages in Okinawa Prefecture]]
[[Category:Populated coastal places in Japan]]

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Ginoza, Okinawa