Amami Islands
The Amami Islands (奄美諸島, Amami Shōtō) is a group of islands in Kagoshima prefecture in the Kyūshū region of Japan.[1] It is also known as the Satsunan Islands (薩南諸島, Satsunan Shōtō).
History
The name of the islands comes from the mythological figure of Amamiko.[2]
It was attacked by the Ryūkyū Kingdom in 1570, but was invaded by Satsuma Domain in 1609.
Amami was occupied by the United States from 1945 to 1953.[1]
Demographics
The native people of the Amami Islands are the Amami people, who are a subgroup of a larger Ryukyuan ethnicity.
Languages
The Amami language belongs to the Ryukyuan languages, all of which are endangered because in the past, Japan suppressed them. This is also why most younger Amamians speak Japanese instead, as it was enforced in schools.
Geography
The largest island in the group is Amami Island.[3] Other islands include Kikai Island, Tokunoshima, Okinoerabu Island, Yorontou and some small islands make up the Amami Islands.
Amami Islands Media
- Ryukyu map.jpg
Map of Ryukyu Island
- Amami-Gunto - DPLA - fae10dd15e97eac989faa9001bc068f7.jpg
United States CIA map of the islands from October 1944, depicting intelligence for a possible invasion
- Amami Oshima.jpg
Amami Oshima, Kagoshima prefecture, Japan.
- Kikaijima.jpg
Kikai-jima, Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan.
- Kakeroma Island ISS035.jpg
Kakeroma Island, Kagoshima prefecture, Japan.
- Yoroshima.jpg
Yorohima, Amami Islands, Kagoshima, Japan
- Ukejima.jpg
奄美諸島南部の請島。機内より撮影
- Tokunoshima zenkei.jpg
徳之島全景。機内より撮影
- Amami okinoerabu.jpg
沖永良部島（鹿児島県）
- Yoron Island 20080622.jpg
- YoronIsland
