• The Island where the creator of Ryukyu (Okinawa) used to reside
• I went to pray to be blessed with a new baby!
• On the next day, I finally prayed at Shirumichu
• Map

The Island where the creator of Ryukyu (Okinawa) used to reside

Hello, it’s Guri from Tadaima Japan.
Continued from the previous article, I would like to talk about Hamahigajima Island in Okinawa.
It’s said to be the place where the creator of Rykuyu used to live, and there are still, many legends that remain on this Island. On Mainland Okinawa, a female God is called “Amamikiyo” and a male God is called “Shinerikiyo”. On Hamahigajima Island, people have been respectfully referring to them as “Amamichu” and “Shirumichu”. There are graveyards and sacred places associated with them. Among these places is a large cave called “Shirumichu”, and is said to be the place where they gave their first birth and today, is especially protected as a sacred place. From its legend, many visitors visit to pray for being blessed with babies.

I went to pray to be blessed with a new baby!

There were two big reasons that I visited: One was to stay at the Hotel Hamahigajima Resort, and the other was to pray for being blessed with a new baby! As you can see from the picture, I went there in the morning. While walking in the small village after leaving the hotel, the local people shouted at me, “You look so handsome! Are you from Hokkaido?” I was very surprised. At the time, I had never been to Hokkaido and wondered why I looked like someone from Hokkaido. It’s a mystery. I think it took about 20 minutes to get to Shirumichu from the hotel, but it felt to me as if I was experiencing the slow moving time of Hamahigajima Island. I really enjoyed walking in nature and in the village.

On the next day, I finally prayed at Shirumichu

There is a Tori gate under Shimiruchu, leading you up the stairs of more than a 100 steps. The sea breeze was blowing the tropical trees, and it felt so refreshing.

There was a fence in front of Shirumichu because unfortunately, someone vandalized it in the past.
It’s usually locked, but if you ask at the community center, you can borrow the key to get in. I chose to pray to Shirumichu over the fence. After my son was born, I didn’t’ know for sure if God was responsible for my son’s birth, but I returned to Shirumichu anyway and paid my respects to God again by saying “Orei Mairi”, a common expression to thank a God for your wish coming true.

Map

Shirumichu, 1606-33 Katsurenhiga Uruma, Okinawa