Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Not counting the three preceding island reefs, sandy islets or sandbars, we now come to what
can only be described as the first “real” island west of Okinawa-hontō. The name Maéjima (
前
島
; Maé-jima) translates as “Anterior Island,” which is quite logical considering that it's loc-
ated in front of the other Keramas. The island is 14 miles (22 kilometers) due west of Naha's
Tomari Port. Maejima is actually a small collection of three islets, the center one being a
double isle, arranged in a north-south row. Altogether, the three islets extend 3 miles (5 kilo-
meters) in length. The largest islet, Mae, is the most southerly and is 1.75 miles (3 kilometers)
long. No part of any of them is ever much wider than about 1,640 or 1,970 feet (500 or 600
meters). Maejima is quite steep and tall given its small size.
Nowadays it is difficult to believe that anyone could live on Mae, but prior to World War
II it was indeed inhabited. It was known as a prime bonito tuna fishery. The residents had a
water collection system that made habitation possible, but it was destroyed in a typhoon and
Mae was abandoned not long afterwards. It has remained uninhabited ever since. Maejima
has two named islets just above it to the north, Nakajima and Hatejima.
NAKAJIMA
(
中島
; Naka-jima). Only about 400 feet (120 meters) separate the northern tip of
Maejima from the southern tip of Nakajima. Its name suitably means “Middle Island.” Alto-
gether this little uninhabited double islet is about three-quarters of a mile (1 kilometer) long,
it's in two pieces connected by a sandbar. The first section is more or less a rectangle about
2,700 feet (825 meters) long from north to south and 820 feet (250 meters) wide from east to
west. The second northern section is roughly a 2,150 square foot (200 square meter) rock. Al-
though from a distance Naka looks like two islets, technically, since these two are connected,
they are considered to be one.
HATEJIMA
(
ハテ島
; Haté-jima). Separated from the northern top half of Nakajima by about
660 feet (200 meters) of water, Hatejima, also known as Hateno (
ハテ之
; Haténo), is the
last islet in this mini-group. It's sort of round, anywhere from 1,150 to 1,640 feet (350-500
meters) in diameter, depending on where it's measured.
