Kudaka, Okinawa Sawako Obara

Located off the coast of the former Chinen Village in Okinawa, Kudaka Island is a slender strip of land approximately eight kilometers in circumference. It is revered as the sacred birthplace of the Ryukyu Kingdom, where the creator deity Amamikiyo is said to have first descended.

Often called the "Island of Gods," Kudaka is dotted with Utaki—sacred sites where gods and ancestors are believed to visit from Niraikanai, the mythical utopia across the sea. The deities that manifest across the island have perhaps quietly watched over the lives and deaths of its people since ancient times.

Though the shapes of their daily lives have transformed with the passing of time, the prayers and traditions of the islanders continue unbroken. This book captures the profound, tranquil essence of an island where gods and humans coexist.