
TAKETOMI ISLAND	TANEDORI FESTIVAL	CULTURE	HISTORY	NAPCOTI

TAKETOMI
ISLAND

Scenery in Taketomi-jima

The Japanese Trip P.E.N.Club Prize

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The Japanese Trip P.E.N.Club Prize

Pen-Club Prize of a Japanese Trip

Taketomi-jima received the Japanese Trip P.E.N. Club Prize in recognition of its residents and administration organizations acting together to preserve such unique cultural treasures as the Tanedori Festival, the heritage homes, and Basho cloth.

The prize, founded by travel writers, photographers and others who organized the Japanese Trip P.E.N. club, is awarded to individuals, associations, and administrative organizations that have made significant contributions to tourism. Mr.Masaki Tsuji is a current representative of the club.

Mr. Shoukyu Otsuka, a member of the club who published a collection of photographs of Taketomi-jima, said, "There is something special about Taketomi-jima that makes us think about how we live. I have been visiting this island for 28 years. I'm overwhelmed with emotion that Taketomi-jima should have received this prize."

Mr.Sonryo Asai, head of the Taketomi-jima public hall, said, "Rows of old houses and the atmosphere of the old town must have made a good impression. It's our duty to inherit these treasures from our ancestors. We should make a firm resolution to preserve them."

The Japanese Trip P.E.N. Club award pays respect to the renowned poet Basho Matsuo who departed for the Tohoku district on May 16th on a quest for poetic inspiration. The commendation ceremony is held on this date every year. This year represents the 20th such occasion. (Reproduced from the Okinawa Times, April 18th,2000)

The acceptance speech, which Mr. Asai gave in Tokyo, on May 16th, 2000, is reproduced below.

WORD OF THANKS

On behalf of all the people in Taketomi-jima, I'd like to express some words of thanks. It's a great honor to have received the award. Though Taketomi-jima is a small coral island with a population of only 300, but the residents take great pride in it. The ancestors of the island were poetic in expressing their feelings about the island in the folk song "Shikitabun-bushi". They said Taketomi-jima is a small coral island shaped like a tea tray in front of Ishigaki-jima and we live a humble life. But our spirits are great, graceful and noble like a tea tray served to guests. Taketomi-jima is the birthplace of Yaeyama administration and the shipping trade.
Be proud of ourselves and pull together in everything.

In this folk song the location, the history and the spirit of Taketomi-jima are clearly shown. After World War Two, residents of the island were given a say in the planning of the island's future. They chose to develop Taketomi-jima as a center of tourism in the region. Around 1972, when Okinawa was returned to Japan, residents experienced great hardship. Droughts and typhoons hit the island in succession. Many people sold their land and departed Taketomi-jima because of the difficulties lying ahead of them. Investors bought up much of the land and the population rapidly decreased. Under such dire circumstances, some of the island's
leaders strengthened their resolve to preserve Taketomi-jima. After repeated trial and error, the preservation movement bore fruit. In 1977, Tanedori Festival was designated as "an important intangible cultural asset of the indigenous people of the island".

In 1986, the Charter of Taketomi-jima was established and its rows of houses were designated as "an important area of traditional structures". The moral and financial support we have received has allowed us to be so successful in our goals. We'd like to reflect upon Taketomi-jima's history and do our best to preserve our beautiful island and pass it on to future generations. Mr.Otsuka's award encourages us and we are sincerely grateful to the Japanese Trip P.E.N. Club. I'd like to declare that we should endeavor continuously to make our hometown better and better.

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Translated by Makiko Ono (Professor at Rakuno Gakuen University) and B.J.Sanewski (Associate at Rakuno Gakuen University) .

Reproduction Forbidden

National Association for the Preservation of the Culuture Of Taketomi Island