A special exhibition “Heisei no fukugen” to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the opening of the Okinawa Prefectural Museum and Art Museum in Omoromachi, Naha, and the 25th anniversary of the restoration of Shuri Castle Park is scheduled to start in the Okinawa Prefectural Museum Thursday.

The display consists of some 240 pieces of relics from the past, including “Ihai”, the royal family memorial tablet and a handrail of Shuri Castle Seiden. The items were discovered in excavations at the Shuri Castle site, Nakagusuku Udun ruins, and Enkakuji Gate ruins. Admission is free and the exhibition runs through Oct. 15.

Nakagusuku Udun used to be the residence of the crown prince, the successor to the throne, during the Ryukyu Kindom era. Okinawa Prefectural Archaeological Center discovered “Ihai” excavating the Udun ruins. It’s made of wood covered with lacquer and gold leaf. Antei Uezu, the head of research with the Okinawa Churashima Foundation, says “Judging from the writing on the tablet that could be discerned using infrared rays, we concluded that the tablet belonged to a woman.”

At the exhibition, visitors can look at the Ihai tablets and handrails, and see tea sets from the 15th century that were excavated from the Shuri Castle site.

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