When I announced my trip to Okinawa, Japan, people would tell me "Take a ride on a bullet train!”, “People are very serious there”, "Go to the Anime stores!"

What everyone had in mind when I mentioned “Japan” were ideas pertaining to mainland Japan – Tokyo in particular. What they didn’t understand, however, was that Okinawa represents a distinct, often antagonistic, set of ideas. In studying Okinawa it’s immediately clear that their history, ethnic origins, and lifestyle do not overlap nearly as much as other prefectures in Japan.

Given these misconceptions, I’ve included a brief history of Okinawa to set context for the rest of your reading. Likewise, before meeting my interviewees I visited several heritage sites in Okinawa.

Early Okinawa

Okinawa was originally known as the Ryukyu kingdom, which formed in the 14th century after one of three prevailing powers in the region succeeded over the others.

The earliest civilized Okinawan societies originated with the Gusuku (castle) period, when leaders of the early agrarian societies gathered power to establish three separate powers: The Nanzan to the south, the Hokuzan of the north, of Chozan of the central section of the island.

Given the strategic position of Okinawa along the East China Sea, and its recent organization into the Ryukyu Kingdom, the region entered a “Golden Age” of trade that drew in merchants, goods, culture from all over East Asia, and particularly China. For much of the 16th century, Okinawa was the only island through which Japan allowed trade from the rest of the world. Through its role as a cultural melting pot, and for the purposes of economic growth, Okinawa developed as an island of hospitality.

Ryukyu’s integration into Japan began in 1609 with the Satsuma invasion. Ryukyu, having existed free of conflict during several years of prosperous trade, did not develop as a strong military power, and was overtaken with relative ease.  Ryukyu remained an independently operated kingdom, however it was a vassal to Japan thereafter.

Ryukyu was formally annexed into Japan as Okinawa prefecture in 1875. The Ryukyu people refused their status as a Japanese prefecture at first, however, the Mieji government sent forces to Shurjo castle in 1879, at which time the Ryukyuan king was forced to abandon his castle and surrender authority to the prefecture. While some Okinawans were happy to join a reputable nation, many were disaffected by Japan’s subsequent cultural imposition. The Japanese introduced policies geared at the systemic assimilation of Okinawan culture. Schools and businesses were required to speak Japanese, and any use of the Okinawan language, religious practices, or ceremonies were publicly shamed. Prejudice against Okinawans continued in the following decades, but the greatest blow to Okinawan culture would not be felt until WWII.

WWII and the Battle of Okinawa

Okinawa was pulled into war not for its military capability – Okinawa avoided conflict for decades through maintaining good relations with its neighbors – but for the strategic position of its island.  Okinawan physically stood in the way of an invasion from the East, and was situated near critical trade lines to Japan. For the Americans, the chain of island around Okinawa were a potential foothold for airbases and military camps to launch an attack on mainland Japan. Okinawa was a mainland Japan’s physical “shield” against American forces., thus they deployed their forces onto the island, conscripted its populace, and began what would be the most horrific period of Okinawa's existence.

"No other group involved in WWII contributed so little to development of war, but none suffered as much in lives, property and subservience to U.S. military occupation" (George H. Kerr). As a result of intensive bombing, a third of the island’s civilians were killed – more than the losses experienced by the entirety of the Japanese forces.  Ninety percent of infrastructure was destroyed -including priceless cultural artifacts, and tropical forests were reduced to mud flats. The oldest living Okinawans today are all veterans of war in some capacity. They've witnessed the atrocities of war, survived famine, and rebuilt their prefecture from the ashes. For more on WWII's impact on Okinawa read on to the sections below, and visit the "People of Okinawa page".

Historical Locations in Okinawa Prefecture

Nakijiin Castle

Nakijiin castle was built during the “Gusuku” (castle) period of Okinawa’s history, during which three kingdoms battled for control over the island: The Hokuzan of the North, the Nanzan of the south, and the Chuzan of the centre. Nakijiin castle doubled as military fortress and spiritual centre built the Hokuzan king. In 1416 the Hokuzan kingdom fell to the Chuzan.

Nakijiin took the brunt of the attack when the Satsuma forces of Japan took over the Ryukyu. The castle was burned down. Nakijiin castle is one of the few ruins that did not result from WWII. Despite its destruction, and the exchange of authority over time, Nakijiin remains a spiritual center for the people of Okinawa, and worshipers still come from all over the prefecture to pay their respects. 

Shurjio Castle

Shurjo castle was the central governing structure of the Ryukyu kingdom for approximately 500 years. It was entirely destroyed during WWII, and restored in 1992. Its located in Okinawa’s capital, Naha, and is easily the most visited location in the prefecture.

This particular structure is called the Seidan, and is considered the most important part of the castle.

Note that the tops of the castle are ornamented with dragons. Dragons which represented the King, were a symbol of power. 

Okinawa Peace Memorial Park

A gargantuous site. It is composed of 47 monuments made in remembrance of the lives lost by each prefecture during the Second World War. The names of soldiers who gave their lives are written here. Each year on memorial day, the president of Japan and families from all over the nation come here to pay their respects and remember their loved ones. Although I was not able to be at this site on that day, I was able to find a newspaper covering the event. The entirety of that paper was dedicated to stories of the affected families. Looking at the faces of those pictured it was  clear that the pain of war is still felt today. Mabuni “Suicide” peak is located at the end of the park. Japanese soldiers would choose to jump from here to avoid capture by U.S. soldiers. 

Himeyuri Peace Museum

A haunting destination that captures the suffering, waste and loss of innocence caused by the war. The HimeYuri Peace Museum is dedicated to the students of Okinawa’s Women’s high school. On the eve of war students were pulled from their education and trained in military service duties. They were lead to believe they would be working in safe, properly equipped facilities. However, they dumped into “hospital caves” instead. The caves were described as “cess-pools” where soldier were more often than not brought to die.  Students would have to old down wounded soldiers while others sawed off their rotting limbs. The workload made sleep impossible, and food and water were virtually non-existant. Wounded soldiers would constantly scream for water, often attacking students in their delirium as they passed by.

When the battle was on the verge of being lost, the students were disbanded with no instructions other than to commit suicide to avoid capture by the U.S. soldiers – a fate considered worse than death. A majority of the students survived the war itself, but after being disbanded, many chose to jump off cliffs, or took grenades from Japanese soldiers to blow themselves up. Other students that tried to find their homes either starved to death or were killed in crossfire. Many continued to hide even after the Japan officially surrendered, not knowing the war was over, and died hunger.

The mournful stories of these students are recorded in journals written by the students, these are on display in the museum. It’s an intense read. 

Cape Hedo

At the northernmost point in Okinawa you will find this stone. According to an Okinawan family I met, the stone is dedicated to rituals that occurred between Yuron (the southernmost point in Japan; visible from Hedo misaki) and Okinawa. Each year they would simultaneously light fires and look across to one another. Its represented Okinawa’s desire to return to Japan (from U.S. control). The stone celebrates  May 15th 1972 – the last day this ceremony was held before Okinawa was finally returned to Japan. Until that point after WWII, Okinawa was considered part of California, and Okinawans needed passports to visit mainland Japan.