Changes

*''Japanese'': 久高島 ''(Kudaka jima)''

*''Japanese'': 久高島 ''(Kudaka jima)''

Kudakajima is a sacred island located a short distance to the east of [[Okinawa Island]]. According to the ''[[Omoro soshi|Omoro sôshi]]'' and other songs and legends of the [[Ryukyuan religion]], Kudaka was where the creation goddess [[Amamikyo]] first came down to earth, before crossing over to Okinawa Island at [[Sefa utaki]]. Prayers and rites for the protection of the kingdom, and with other meanings, were historically performed regularly on the island, or facing the island at sites such as Sefa utaki; [[Urasoe gusuku]], [[Shuri castle|Sui gusuku]], and [[Nakagusuku gusuku]] also had sacred spaces from which priestesses and others could face east ([[Okinawan language|Okinawan]]: ''agari'') towards Kudaka, the sea (''[[nirai kanai]]''), and the rising sun, as they performed prayers or rituals.<ref>Gregory Smits, ''Maritime Ryukyu'', University of Hawaii Press (2019), 128-129.</ref>

Kudakajima is a sacred island located a short distance to the east of [[Okinawa Island]]. According to the ''[[Omoro soshi|Omoro sôshi]]'' and other songs and legends of the [[Ryukyuan religion]], Kudaka was where the creation goddess [[Amamikyo]] first came down to earth, originating the [[Ryukyuan people]] and the cultivation of [[wheat]] and [[millet]] there before crossing over to Okinawa Island at [[Sefa utaki]] and initiating the cultivation of [[rice]] there.<ref>Yamazato Eikichi, "Shinwa to densetsu ni miru Okinawa no rekishi," Tabi 旅 46 (1972/6), 108.</ref> Prayers and rites for the protection of the kingdom, and with other meanings, were historically performed regularly on the island, or facing the island at sites such as Sefa utaki; [[Urasoe gusuku]], [[Shuri castle|Sui gusuku]], and [[Nakagusuku gusuku]] also had sacred spaces from which priestesses and others could face east ([[Okinawan language|Okinawan]]: ''agari'') towards Kudaka, the sea (''[[nirai kanai]]''), and the rising sun, as they performed prayers or rituals.<ref>Gregory Smits, ''Maritime Ryukyu'', University of Hawaii Press (2019), 128-129.</ref>

Much of Kudaka was restricted in the premodern period to the ''[[noro]]'' priestesses associated with the royal court, and though a number of people live on the island today (men and women both), and local government encourages tourism, many areas remain off-limits to the public today, due to their sacredness. The king was one of the only men permitted to enter many of these sacred spaces historically, and even then did so only accompanied by priestesses who provided him spiritual protection. One such site is [[Kuba nu utaki]], also known as Kubô utaki, one of the most sacred spaces on the island and closed entirely today to outsiders.

Much of Kudaka was restricted in the premodern period to the ''[[noro]]'' priestesses associated with the royal court, and though a number of people live on the island today (men and women both), and local government encourages tourism, many areas remain off-limits to the public today, due to their sacredness. The king was one of the only men permitted to enter many of these sacred spaces historically, and even then did so only accompanied by priestesses who provided him spiritual protection. One such site is [[Kuba nu utaki]], also known as Kubô utaki, one of the most sacred spaces on the island and closed entirely today to outsiders.