Water buffalo
- Japanese: 水牛 (suigyû)
Water buffalo were introduced to Ishigaki Island from Taiwan in 1933, and have since been spread to elsewhere in Okinawa prefecture. They were used traditionally for pulling carts, and operating sugar grinders (sataaguruma).
The water buffalo of Okinawa are related to those of South and Southeast Asia, and generally grow to about 2.5 meters long and 700 kg in weight.[1]
Water buffalo horn was also a prominent imported luxury good in the premodern and early modern eras.
