The prefecture I was born in

By Ezekiel Newby

By Ezekiel Newby

Did you know that instead of cities and towns, Okinawa has prefectures, which are sections of the island.

I was born in a prefecture called Chatan Village in Okinawa, Japan, at Camp Lester Naval Hospital in 2012. The hospital was built in 1958 and named after Fred Faulkner Lester, who received the Medal of Honor for going above and beyond his duty during the Battle of Okinawa.

Did you know that during the Battle of Okinawa in WWII, American forces landed between the prefectures of Chatan and Yomita? Also, Kadena Air Base, where my dad was stationed, loaded up the bombs that were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Not only that, 53.5% of the land in Chatan village is now covered by U.S. military bases.

In Chatan Village, specifically, there are many fun activities, such as an annual tug-of-war festival between the north and south at the center of the island each year, and a giant Ferris wheel in a shopping district called “American Village.”

Also, there are over 600 limestone caves in the area, and, according to “Ancient Ogrins,” Chatan Village contains ancient bones from the Paleolithic era, which is crazy.

Ezekiel Newby is a student at Clack Middle School.