Okinawa History and Mythology

According to Okinawan mythology, Hamahiga Island on the east coast of Okinawa is the place where Okinawan civilization was born. That's where a female God Amamichu and a male God Shirumichu settled after they were ordered by other gods to create Ryukyu Island (Okinawa). First they created the soil, stones, trees and flowers, and settled to live on the island as humans.

They had five children, three boys and two girls. The eldest boy became a king, the second a warrior and the third a farmer. The older child became the chief priestess and the younger a priestess in charge of the village. That's how Okinawan people got the rules to live by. The tuifa kata, Hamahiga No Tuifa, implies it came from this island. An island which has much significance in Okinawan culture.

Another look at this legend for interests sake.

The oldest human remains found on Okinawa are believed to be dated about 30,000 b.c. give or take a week.

607 A.D. is believed to be when the first contact with the Chinese occurred but due to several cultural and language differences the Chinese soon there after returned to China. 753 A.D. The word Okinawa first

appears in the Japanese records. Legend has it that at about the dawn of time, Tedako Onushi who is the great sun god, sent Shinerikyo and Amamikyo to an isolated island. They lived next to each other and over the years Amamikyo became pregnant and gave birth to three children. The first was a son who became the ruler of Okinawa. The second was a daughter who is believed to have become the first priestess of Okinawa and the Third was a son who became known as the ancestor to the Okinawan common people. From the earliest times, Okinawans survived by their agricultural and fishing abilities. The people generally lived in isolated villages without much outside influences from foreigners or even from other nearby villages which is apparent in their differences of the northern and southern dialects of their own unique language.

As with any society the skillful become wealthy and and the meek inherit the shovel. Being a leader meant that one of your responsibilities was to protect the citizens of your community. To accomplish this leaders began to build large stone defensive protectorates on key ground in their villages.

About 1000 A.D. The first castles started to appear these castles became the houses of the Anji (lords). Urasoe Castle is believed to have been the first castle of more than a 100 constructed during this period from which the Anji ruled. Urasoe also in old Okinawan dialect (Hogan) means to rule over the country side. As with any society of more than two people wars and skirmishes followed and eventually lead to Okinawa being divided into three kingdoms. In the north was the Hokuzan Kingdom, in the south was the Nanzan kingdom and in the center of it all was the Chuzan

kingdom. During this time Urasoe Castle was the center of government until it was moved to Shuri Castle. Then a little known ruler from the Sashiki area in Nanzan, called Sho Hashi whom was very short and was called "The little Anji of Sashiki" along with the help of his father took control of the Shuri Castle.