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[[Buddhism]], [[Shinto]], [[Confucianism]], and Chinese folk religion (e.g. [[Tenpi]] worship) were all introduced into the [[Ryukyu Islands|Ryûkyû Islands]] in the premodern period, and had considerable impacts upon local religious beliefs and practices, particularly among the [[scholar-aristocracy of Ryukyu|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.

[[Buddhism]], [[Shinto]], [[Confucianism]], and Chinese folk religion (e.g. [[Tenpi]] worship) were all introduced into the [[Ryukyu Islands|Ryûkyû Islands]] in the premodern period, and had considerable impacts upon local religious beliefs and practices, particularly among the [[scholar-aristocracy of Ryukyu|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 ''[[Ryukyu Shinto ki|Ryûkyû Shintô ki]]'' ("Record of the Ways of the Gods in Ryûkyû") written by the Buddhist monk [[Taichu|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 "[[sexagenary cycle|ten stems and twelve branches]]," was given to the people by Heaven.<ref>The term used for "Heaven" or "Heavenly Beings" here is 天人, which in certain contexts could also refer to the Chinese people, or the Chinese emperor. See, for example, the [[Tenshikan]], a hall for hosting envoys from the Chinese emperor, or, literally "Heavenly envoys." Such an interpretation would also align with the [[Sinocentric]] notion of the Chinese emperor as the source from whom civilized culture emanates.</ref><ref>Yokoyama Manabu 横山学, ''Ryûkyû koku shisetsu torai no kenkyû'' 琉球国使節渡来の研究, Tokyo: Yoshikawa kôbunkan (1987), 52-53.</ref>

The ''[[Ryukyu Shinto ki|Ryûkyû Shintô ki]]'' ("Record of the Ways of the Gods in Ryûkyû") written by the Buddhist monk [[Taichu|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 "[[sexagenary cycle|ten stems and twelve branches]]," was given to the people by Heaven.<ref>The term used for "Heaven" or "Heavenly Beings" here is 天人, which in certain contexts could also refer to the Chinese people, or the Chinese emperor. See, for example, the [[Tenshikan]], a hall for hosting envoys from the Chinese emperor, or, literally "Heavenly envoys." Such an interpretation would also align with the [[Sinocentric]] notion of the Chinese emperor as the source from whom civilized culture emanates.</ref><ref>Yokoyama Manabu 横山学, ''Ryûkyû koku shisetsu torai no kenkyû'' 琉球国使節渡来の研究, Tokyo: Yoshikawa kôbunkan (1987), 52-53.</ref>

==Sacred Spaces==

==Sacred Spaces==