Honorary Citizen of Ishigaki City
The late Nobuizumi Ohama
Born in Tonoshiro, Ishigaki City in October 1891. Became President of Waseda University in September 1954. Received the Grand Cordon of the Order of the Rising Sun, First Class, in February 1976. Passed away in February 1976.
The late Yoshitaro Kamakura
Born in Chosei, Himiage Village, Kagawa Prefecture in October 1898. Returned 600 Bingata stencils to Okinawa in 1957. Contributed to the preservation and cultivation of Bingata techniques. Awarded the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Neck Ribbon in August 1983. Passed away in 1983.
The late Chozo Miyara
Born in Shinkawa, Ishigaki City in March, 1884. In January 1872, he published an article on educational shoka entitled “On the Titles of Shoka”. Published a collection of his works “New Folktales of Ryukyu” in 1936. Passed away in 1939.
The late Tousan Miyara
Born in Okawa, Ishigaki City in 1893. Entered Kokugakuin University in 1919 and studied dialectology and folklore. Engaged in nationwide research on dialects using the International Phonetic Alphabet. In recognition of his research achievements, he was awarded a doctorate in literature. He was a pioneer in the study of Japanese dialects. He passed away in 1964.
Yuki Tamanaha
Born in Okawa, Ishigaki City in 1936. Studied under Mr. Eiki Shiroma in 1961. Became independent in 1963, and has been creating mainly classic patterns. Since his first appearance at the Oki Exhibition in 1970, he has participated in various craft exhibitions and won prizes. In 1996, he was designated a Living National Treasure as a holder of Bingata, a nationally designated important intangible cultural property.
The late Takuji Iwasaki
Born in Sendai City, Miyagi Prefecture in 1872. Assigned to the Ishigaki Island Weather Station when it was newly established. He was loved by the local residents as Tembunya Nuushumai (astronomer’s master). He had a strong interest in the natural ecology, history, and folklore of Yaeyama and discovered more than a dozen new species of plants and animals. He was a pioneer in the study of the southern islands. He passed away in 1937.
Nobuyoshi Miyagi
Born in Niikawa, Ishigaki City in 1920. For many years, he diligently collected and researched materials related to Yaeyama, and with a deep affection for the dialect of Yaeyama, he published “Ishigaki Dialect Dictionary” with a passion for recording the Ishigaki dialect, which was feared to be extinct for over 20 years. In 1968, in the midst of the big wave of reversion to the mainland, he served as the director of the Ryukyu government’s planning bureau, fulfilling all the important posts and leaving a big mark in the administration.