History
Pick Up Stories
Okinawa’s guardian shisa has its own day… [History Travel & Beach]
April 3rd is the “Day of Shisa” in Okinawa as four (April) is “shi” and three is “san” in Japanese. The day was established in 2002 to promo...Read More
Former Japanese Imperial Navy Undergroun… [History]
The Former Japanese Imperial Navy Underground Headquarters was built as a bombproof shelter for the Japanese Navy in 1944 towards the end of...Read More
Remembering Reversion and Driving on th… [History]
When Okinawa was returned to Japan on May 15th, 1972, part of the package was an entirely new set of challenges that needed to be met. For O...Read More
2015.09.21
Shurijo celebrates harvest with ‘Chushu-no-Utage’ [History]
Chushu-no-Utage (Mid-Autumn Harvest Celebration) is one of the seven banquets that during the Ryukyu Kingdom Era were organized to show hospitality to ‘sapposhi’ envoys of the empe...
2015.09.07
Weed has long history in Japan but now best avoided [History]
By David Higgins Although I am not an advocate or user of cannabis, especially since living in Japan for the past 10 years, I was quite intrigued with Japan’s history of marijuana ...
2015.08.16
Short history of traffic lanes and money on Okinawa [History]
By David Higgins Before WWII in Okinawa, everyone drove in the left lane of the road. During the Edo Period (1603-1867), the Samurai had typically drawn their swords with th...
2015.06.23
Search for “The Little Girl” is renewed [History]
By E. Heinrich-Sanchez This week, the search for Ray Gillespie’s “The Little Girl” has been renewed. Gillespie, a U.S. Marine from Toledo, Ohio, was a USMC 6th Di...
2015.06.22
Events commemorate 70th anniversary of end of Battle of Okinawa [History]
A number of exhibitions and events commemorating the 70th anniversary of the end of the World War ll are taking place around the island in the course of this year. An exhibition ab...
2015.06.19
Peace Tower Triangle to lit Okinawa sky Jun. 22 and 23 [History]
Vintage World War II searchlights will create a “Peace Tower Triangle” over the skies of Okinawa as an event related to the 70th anniversary of the end of the Battle on Okinawa. Th...
2015.06.02
When Okinawa was not so peaceful; Koza Riots 1970 [History]
By David Higgins Recently, you may have heard some of the ‘anti-base’ rhetoric that has made its way through Okinawa as people of this island stage peaceful rallies and protests ag...
2015.06.01
Uchikui Exhibition ~ wrappers of Okinawa [History]
Uchikui is a piece of cloth used in everyday life, and isn’t what people would expect to be the focus of an exhibition, but it really is, at the Okinawa Prefectural Museum and Art ...
2015.05.29
1960 movie shot on Okinawa being screened at Garaman Hall [History]
A special film screening in commemoration of the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II is coming to the Ginoza Culture Center’s Garaman Hall this Sunday. The film being scre...
2015.05.18
Light railroads have long history on Okinawa [History]
By David Higgins When we think of progress and the changing times we have traditionally considered that a successful system would develop along the “more, bigger, faster, better” p...
2015.03.25
Ryukyu Kingdom exhibition delves into the past [History]
The Ryuku Kingdom, the end of Japan’s Edo period and the Meiji Restoration are the focus of an Urasoe City Museum exhibition that runs through Sunday. The Urasoe City Museum is off...
WWII Japanese Army cave hospital adds new dimension to visits [History]
Haebaru Town Culture Center officials have made a visit to the WWII Japanese Okinawa Army Hospital cave a bit more realistic. Official at the Haebaru Town Culture Center that maint...
2015.01.19
Hanta Path is walk through history [History]
Hanta Path was once a part of the Ryukyu Kingdom’s main road connecting Katsuren Castle, now part of modern day Uruma City, with Shuri Castle, the seat of the government, through N...
2014.12.28
Shuri Castle celebrates heritage with New Year ceremonies [History]
The symbol of the Ryukyu Kingdom, the world heritage-listed site Shuri Castle Park will host many ceremonies to open the New Year. The ceremony ‘Ukejo’, which heralds opening the c...
Calligraphy by King Sho Ikuou of Ryukyu Kingdom discovered [History]
An original calligraphy of a Chinese poem written in 1838 by the 18th King of the Ryukyu Kingdom, Sho Iku, known as a chirographer was found in Kamakura, Kanagawa Prefecture. The c...
2014.06.08
WWII Japanese Okinawa Army Hospital remembered [History]
A Japanese Imperial Army hospital on Okinawa during World War II remains, serving as a reminder of “the disastrous experience of war.” The hospital is maintained by Haebaru Town, a...
2014.04.28
Royal Crown making single appearance this year [History]
One of Okinawa’s national treasures, the Royal Crown worn by 14 kings of the Ryukyu era, goes on display tomorrow at Naha City Museum on the 4th floor of Palette Kumoji. The Royal ...
2014.03.17
Higashi Museum focuses on nature, humans and history [History]
Higashi Museum is not your usual museum as it has a library where one can enjoy a book as if the in the calmness of a forest. It has Internet access and a study hall to hold exhibi...
2014.01.14
“Flowers of Edo period as seen in Ryukyu” exhibition [History]
Naha City Museum of History is having an exhibition focusing on Ukiyoe woodblock prints from the Edo and Meiji periods. In 1993, a donation of historical items from the Yokoyama fa...
2014.01.13
Ryukyu Kingdom era clothing exhibition now open [History]
Okinawa traditional clothing of the Ryukyu Kingdom era is now on display at the Naha City Museum of History. The exhibition focuses on traditional clothing with Japanese Symbols, s...
RYUKYU PRESS