Culture - Amakuma Ryukyu

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Akōkurō

A word meaning “evening,” akōkurō draws out an image of … Continued

OSHIRO Tatsuhiro

Amagashi

May 4th on the lunar calendar is called yukkanufī (literally, … Continued

Amamikyo

The god who created Okinawa. In the second volume of … Continued

FURUHASHI Nobuyoshi

Āsa, Ōsa

It’s not only birds and flowers which hail the coming … Continued

Awamori

In 1991, I was working on my two movies based … Continued

Bashō-fu

A type of textile typical to Okinawa. Tough, stiff, and … Continued

TAKAHASHI Osamu

Beniimo (Purple yam)

Beniimo is a type of sweet potato that is popular … Continued

Bingata

Bingata is a quintessential element within traditional Okinawan female dances. … Continued

Boxing

There is a boxing gym called Winner Gym in Shuri, … Continued

Bull Fighting

Unlike Spanish bullfighting, in Okinawa, two bulls push each other … Continued

Chanpurū

Stir-fry¹; one of the all-star Okinawan daily dishes. Tôfu is … Continued

Chidēkuni

“Chi” is “yellow”, and “dēkuni” is “radish” in the Okinawan … Continued

Chimu

The chimu is the liver. However in Okinawa, the chimu … Continued

SHINJO Kazuhiro

CHINA Sadao

During the Okinawan music boom in the early 1990s, there … Continued

MATSUMURA Hiroshi

Chōmīgusa

Coastal hog fennel. Also called button siler in Japanese, given … Continued

Diving

The crystal clear waters surrounding Okinawa, home to an abundance … Continued

MIYAGAWA Mitsuyo

Divorce Rate and Unemployment

Nothing is less reliable than official statistics in Okinawa. … Continued

Eisā

Eisā (July Eisā) is an event celebrating Kyūbon, especially popular … Continued

MATSUMURA Hiroshi

Finger-whistling

When the kachāshī starts, anyone there would instantly begin whistling … Continued

MATSUMURA Hiroshi

Folk Music Labels

The Ryukyu archipelago has walked history on a different path … Continued

MATSUMURA Hiroshi

Giant Clams

The first time anyone sees any member of the giant … Continued

Gurukun

There has long been a widespread and heavily biased perspective, … Continued

ADACHI Noriyuki

Hajichi

Tatoo. Spelled “needle thrust” in Japanese, hajichi carves designs in … Continued

Hamaori

Hama-ori is an event for gathering shellfish on the shores. … Continued

IKEZAWA Natsuki

Hārī

On the Fourth Month of the Fifth day1 by the … Continued

HASHIGUCHI Joji

Harusā and Uminchu

Farmers are called harusā in Okinawa. An Okinawan language, out … Continued

Hihachi

You’ll find the spice hihachi, which is not unlike black … Continued

Hinpun

Originating from the Chinese word for a folding screen, hinpun … Continued

OTAKE Akiko, SUGAMA Asao

Hinukan (god of fire)

Hinukan (god of fire) is usually enshrined near the kitchen … Continued

NAGAMINE Tetsunari

Iju

The song of kukkaru (ruddy kingfisher) brings the nagashi (rainy … Continued

IHA Fuyu

Iha Fuyu (1876-1947) was one of the founders of Okinawan … Continued

FURUHASHI Nobuyoshi

Imaiyu

Imaiyu coming from ima (now) - iyu (fish), stands for … Continued

Indigo

At the time of this writing (1998), it’ll be twenty … Continued

Ishigantō

Ishigantō is an amulet placed on house walls to ward … Continued

IKEZAWA Natsuki

Izaihō

The Izaihō is a divine ritual that takes place on … Continued

Jazz

After World War II, there was strong demand for jazz … Continued

Jinjin

In Okinawa, there is a well-known folk song about fireflies … Continued

FUKAISHI Takashi

Kachāshī

Sitting in a circle surrounding a big one shō1 bottle … Continued

Kagiyadefū

Kagiyadefū is regularly played and danced at the opening of … Continued

Kami Asagi

In general, a building where the noro (priestess) performs religious … Continued

YAMASHITA Kinichi

Kani hanriru

To get senile. Okinawa is an island with a reputation … Continued

SHINJO Kazuhiro

Karate

Okinawa Prefecture was once the Ryukyu Kingdom. It enjoyed a … Continued

MIYAGI Tokumasa

Kariyushi

In traditional Ryukyu songs, “嘉例吉” is often sung as kareyoshi, … Continued

NAKAMURA Kyoji, SUGIYAMA Toru

Kasutera-kamaboko

A man from Shuri once told me that he didn’t … Continued

Kibinago (Silver-stripe Round Herring)

Kibinago, the silver-stripe round herring, is called sururu in Okinawa. … Continued

Kijimunā

A kind of trickster believed to be found in every … Continued

IKEZAWA Natsuki

Kippan

Kippan are sweets made from Okinawan citrus fruit specialties like … Continued

IKEZAWA Natsuki

Kudaka Island

An island situated 6 km to the east of the … Continued

Kyūyō

Kyūyō is the official history document compiled during the Ryukyu … Continued

TAKARA Kurayoshi

Mango

In Okinawa, mango means summer. It grows on an evergreen … Continued

SUNAGAWA Tomoko

Martial Arts

Many different types of martial arts are practiced in Okinawa … Continued

Medicinal Herbs

On a corner along the building of the Public Market … Continued

Minyō-sakaba

A minyō-sakaba is a pub where you can see live … Continued

Miyako Jōfu

The history of Miyako jōfu textiles goes back four centuries. … Continued

Monchū

There are a lot of words unique to Okinawa that … Continued

Mūchī

Okinawan rice cakes used to be made by stone-grinding watered … Continued

Murasaki

Okinawan rock first started by copying American and British rock. … Continued

Muscovado

Muscovado is the go-to tea snack in any ordinary household. … Continued

Nicolai Aleksandrovich Nevsky

A Russian scholar of Japan and the Orient (1892-1937). In … Continued

NAKASONE Masaji

Nifēdēbiru

The Okinawan language can be very roughly divided into three … Continued

SHINJO Kazuhiro

Niraikanai

A world different from ours, where the gods live, an … Continued

IKEZAWA Natsuki

Noro

My obaa is a noro, and our family’s yagou1 is … Continued

Nmu

Potato. In Okinawa, sweet potatoes are just called potatoes, nmu. … Continued

Nuchi du takara

“Nuchi du takara” means “your life is a treasure,” and … Continued

OSHIRO Tatsuhiro

Okinawa Bunko (Okinawa Library)

Okinawa Bunko is a series of mini encyclopedias about Okinawan … Continued

Okinawan Cinema

Movies shot in Okinawa, movies set in Okinawa, movies about … Continued

Okinawan Rock

That descending glissando guitar riff from the Ventures spread the … Continued

Onarigami

Onari or unai means “sisters.” We might say that the … Continued

IKEZAWA Natsuki

Orion Beer

Beer produced in Okinawa. It owns a one and only … Continued

Ōshima Tsumugi

A type of fabric. Albeit the fact that it is … Continued

Pig

There is a saying, “In Okinawa, no part of the … Continued

Praying for Rain

In Okinawa, typhoon and drought are two natural phenomena that … Continued

Public Market

There is no formal name for the Naha public market. … Continued

Rising Sun

Just before dawn, the sky is a shade darker. On … Continued

Ryukyu Glassware

Also called “Okinawan glass,” this glassware is lightly colored with … Continued

Ryukyu Lacquerware

In Okinawa, lacquerware is called nuimun. The three most common … Continued

MIYAZATO Masako

Ryukyu Limestone

Rock created by the coral reefs that rose from the … Continued

MAKISHI Yoshikazu

Ryukyu Murasaki

Countless varieties of butterflies can be found on Okinawa Island … Continued

IKEZAWA Natsuki

Ryūsō

Called “Uchinā-sugai” in the regional dialect. We used to see … Continued

Sabani

It is said that it used to be a dugout … Continued

TAKAHASHI Osamu

Sai On

(1682~1761) The most prominent statesman representing the early-modern Ryukyu Kingdom. … Continued

TAKARA Kurayoshi

Sakurazaka

They say that long ago bandits and highwaymen began to … Continued

Salt

The reason why salt is called māsu in the Okinawan … Continued

IKEZAWA Natsuki

Sanshin

“Senpai1, my dog is gone…” … Continued

FUJIMOTO Giichi

Sātā-andagī

Made of flour, sugar, egg, and milk — pretty round … Continued

MAKIOKA Sachiyo

Seji

Seji is spiritual power. People close to gods are called … Continued

FURUHASHI Nobuyoshi

Shell Ginger

“Hello,” “Nice to meet you” and hand your business card—a … Continued

Shibui

A dialect for winter melon, probably deriving from shibu-uri (渋瓜) … Continued

Shīmī (Qingming Festival)

“We had shīmī yesterday.” … Continued

Shuri Castle

As its name suggests, the castle is located in Shuri … Continued

IKEZAWA Natsuki

Soba

Okinawa soba, much like Japanese soba and Chinese noodles, attracts … Continued

Sugarcane Field

“I’m off~” … Continued

Tachigami

Tachigan, Tonbara, Twungan, Tachise—called by various names on various islands, … Continued

Tēgē

Tēgē is an Okinawan word used to describe the character … Continued

Tempurā

When I was in junior high school, there was one … Continued

Thirty-six Families of Kume

The Thirty-six Families of Kume are the Chinese people, and … Continued

TAKARA Kurayoshi

Tōkachi and Kajimayā

Tōkachi (August 8 on the lunar calendar) is an event … Continued

NAGAMINE Tetsunari

Tōtoganashi

In the Amami Islands, people pray to their ancestors at … Continued

Tōtōmē

We often hear people say, “It’s hectic during the Bon … Continued

Turtleback Tombs

Kikkoubaka, the turtleback tomb, was named after its exterior shape … Continued

Tushibī

In accordance with the Chinese zodiac, we call every twelfth … Continued

Twunji-bīsa

Twunji-bīsa (winter solstice chill) is the seasonal wind that blows … Continued

Uchinānchu

An Okinawan. Uchinā is Okinawa, chu is person. It seems … Continued

SHINJO Kazuhiro

Ugwan

Praying to Gods and Buddhas. In Okinawa, it does not … Continued

NAGAMINE Tetsunari

Utchin

An ingredient appreciated by drinkers. It is said to be … Continued

NAGAMINE Tetsunari

Yachimun

In Okinawan parlance, pottery is called yachimun. And those who … Continued

Yaeyama Jōfu

If the Yūki-tsumugi is the acme of silk textile, then … Continued

TAKAHASHI Osamu

Yamakunibū

“About yamakunibū…” … Continued