Ryukyuan religion

Buddhism, Shinto, Confucianism, and Chinese folk religion (e.g. Tenpi worship) were all introduced into the Ryûkyû Islands in the premodern period, and had considerable impacts upon local religious beliefs and practices, particularly among the elites, and particularly in the central region of Okinawa Island. However, Ryûkyû is also home to its own native/indigenous religion, a set of animist beliefs and practices likely growing out of similar or shared origins with Japanese Shinto.

The Ryûkyû Shintô ki ("Record of the Ways of the Gods in Ryûkyû") written by the Buddhist monk Taichû in 1605 indicates that Ryûkyû's native religion takes two deities, Shinerikyo and Amamikyo as the creator deities. They created the lords, noro (priestesses), and common people, as well as the new storm gods Kisomamon. Writing, specifically the "ten stems and twelve branches," was given to the people by Heaven.

Sacred Spaces

Like mainland Japanese Shinto, the native Ryukyuan religion is centered in large part around naturally sacred spaces. In Ryûkyû, these are called utaki, and most often take the form of sacred groves of trees, rock outcroppings, or clearings amongst the trees. While some are marked off by stone walls and gates, others simply feature small stone markers at the center of the site. Sefa utaki in southern Okinawa is considered the most sacred on the island, though Sonohyan utaki on the site of Shuri castle, being associated with the king, is also a highly sacred site. Certain islands and peaks are also sacred, Kudaka Island being perhaps one of the most important. Finally, as in many Pacific Islander religions, there is a belief in a land of the gods somewhere across the sea, from which sacredness emanates. In Ryûkyû, this land is called nirai kanai. Miruku, a Ryukyuan form of the Buddha Maitreya (J: Miroku), is said to come from nirai kanai bringing yugafû (good fortune); this is reenacted in numerous island festivals, with a villager often dressing as Miruku and paddling to shore from the sea.

Religious Hierarchy

Women were traditionally believed to be more spiritually powerful than men, and men more spiritually vulnerable. As a result, the most prominent and significant religious figures in the kingdom were priestesses. Though organized somewhat more loosely in earlier times, in the late 15th century, King Shô Shin formalized the priestesses into a kingdom-wide hierarchy, linking them more closely to the royal court; though still quite powerful, the religious establishment thus represented somewhat less of a political threat.

This new hierarchy was headed by the kikoe-ôgimi, typically the king's sister, who was responsible for providing spiritual protection for the king and kingdom, and overseeing some of the most important royal rituals. She also oversaw the entire hierarchy of priestesses, and along with the king was in charge of appointing women to become priestesses within the hierarchy. Directly below the kikoe-ôgimi were the Oamushirare, three high priestesses who each oversaw one-third of the utaki, and one-third of the noro (priestesses) of the kingdom. Beneath them, then, were the noro, each of whom oversaw the utaki and spiritual affairs of a village or magiri (district); each village or magiri typically had several noro. Shamanesses called yuta were significantly less powerful, but were also not strictly overseen within the hierarchy.

Deities

In addition to the creator deities Shinerikyo and Amamikyo, the sun (O: tiida) was also of great significance, and the king was considered "the son of the sun" (太陽子, tedako). A sacred hearth deity was also maintained, at Shuri castle by the kikoe-ôgimi for the whole kingdom, for each individual village by the local noro, and in each individual home as well.

A great diversity of deities or spirits are worshipped additionally in many Ryukyuan communities, in ceremonies, rituals, and festivals which differ, sometimes quite considerably, from place to place. "Visiting spirits," known as raihôjin (来訪神) in Japanese, form a particularly prominent portion of these celebrations and ceremonies. Miruku, discussed above, is perhaps the most widely-known and widely-worshipped of these "visiting" deities. Others include:

• the ashibigami spirits of mountain and sea which visit communities in Yanbaru and nearby islands
• ancestral uyagan spirits welcomed in the Miyako Islands