Okinawa and the Taira Connection

The warring period (also called the Gusuku period) in Okinawa extended from the late 1100’s until the Ryukyu kingdom was finally unified under a single ruler in 1422.  Historians draw a significant connection to the year 1185 when many defeated Taira warriors fled Japan to take refuge in the Ryukyu Islands.

So, what is the story behind this Taira clan, and how could they have made a difference on Okinawan development?  For these answers, we need to look at some Japanese history.

Early Japanese History

While China has a recorded history going back to 800 B.C., Japan did not become a single country until 500 to 700 AD.   Coincidentally this was also just after or about the same time that the Japanese and Okinawan languages split apart.

The Japanese had much contact and exchange with China then.  In 645 A.D. Japan entered the Taika era (Taika means “great change”).   A centralized imperial state was created based on the Chinese Confucian idea that this was necessary to maintain balance and harmony in society.

The Nara and Heian periods – A Cultural High Point in Japan

The Nara and Heian periods that followed (710 to 1185) were a golden age for Japan. The Japanese imperial family borrowed many things from the Chinese and adapted them to Japan culture.  Buddhist religion and Chinese writing (Kanji) were introduced.  Buddhism began to replace the indigenous Shinto religion.  Music, literature, art, and architecture flourished.  Children were taught in Confucian style schools.

Toward the latter part of the Heian period the Japanese emperor’s central control weakened.  Regional groups ruled by warlords (daimyo) gained in strength.

Two powerful families emerged, namely the Taira and Minamoto clans.  As early as the 10th century, these two clans fought each other for domination over the empire.

Taira becomes first military leader of japan

In 1156 a dispute erupted over who should be emperor.  Taira and Minamoto battled in an episode called the Hogen Insurrection.  The Taira side won.   The Minamoto family made another attempt in 1159 to take power.  This one was named the Heiji Uprising.  Taira Kiyomori, leader of the Taira clan, crushed Minamoto and became the first undisputed national military leader. 

However, going against the advice of his advisors, he spared the life of the Minamoto's youngest son. This is a decision he would come to regret.

The Taira Reign

Taira did much for Japan. He built up a profitable trade with China in the western part of Japan.  He was noted for his strong skills in shipbuilding and seafaring.  He did much to improve ports and navigation for his country.  Experienced in the ways of the Kyoto imperial court, he was no doubt skilled in diplomacy and court intrigue.  His military skills and the loyalty of his warriors kept him in power.

Minamoto Returns – The Gempei War

20 years later, the young Minamoto son whose life had been spared grew to manhood.  Seeking revenge, a plot was hatched in 1180 to overthrow Taira's rule. 

In 1181 war broke out between the Tairas and Minamotos, called the Gempei War.  It was to be a crossroads in Japanese history.  The name Gempei comes from the Chinese reading of the kanji for the respective clan names.  Gen is another pronunciation for Minamoto, and Hei for Taira.  When the two characters are put together in Japanese they are pronounced Gempei.

Minamoto had his forces in the east and north. Taira's strength was in the west and south.  Taira was also stronger at sea.

In 1183 Taira’s superior army was defeated in a battle at Mount Tonami.  Minamoto then captured the capital city Kyoto, and forced Taira forces to retreat west.  One year later Taira lost another major battle called Ichi-no-tani. 

Finally, a famous sea battle in 1185 called Dannoura in western Japan sealed Taira’s fate.  Despite his superior naval skills Taira forces suffered a final major defeat.  This ended the Taira rule over Japan. 

Minamoto became supreme leader of Japan and moved the capital to Kamakura.  He and his descendants would rule for the next 700 years.  The Minamoto takeover also signaled a change from the aesthetic, scholarly culture that had developed in Kyoto to the warrior samurai culture or “bushido” code.  Military dictators, or Shoguns, would rule Japan until 1868, when the Meiji Restoration gave power back to the emperor. 

What Taira people would have brought to Okinawa

Many Taira loyalists went south to the Ryukyu Islands.  They would have brought advanced knowledge of ships, sailing and navigation. Their experience in the royal Japanese court would have provided political expertise.  They would have carried knowledge of economic relations with China, with whom they had traded extensively.  And of course they would also have knowledge of military strategies and tactics.  All these skills would have been valued by the Okinawan local lords, called aji.

What it meant for Okinawa

The next 200 years in the Ryukyu Islands saw a proliferation of the aji, inter-village rivalries, and the construction of numerous castles (gusuku) all over the Ryukyu Islands.  Better navigation skills helped to increase trade with China and other countries, thus ushering in a period of wealth such as Okinawa had never before seen.

Today, the name “Taira” is one of the 10 most common Okinawan surnames. 

From Villages to Castles and the Feudal Period

The first villages in Okinawa, called makyo, began as a one-family affair.  Over time, the population grew and branches of the clan developed. Other families also moved in.  In this way larger communities called mura formed.   The mura had two or more blood groups or clans in the same village. 

The Family Village and the Sacred Grove

Families coming to settle in the islands would first look for a suitable place.  This was typically on a hilltop or mountainside where there was good sun for crop growing, high enough to be away from the storm surges of typhoons and floods, and easy to defend from other villages.  A source of fresh water such as a stream or spring was also important.

The sacred grove or otake formed the center of the family village.  The site for the otake was a heavy clump of trees and bushes with a small clearing.  A large rock or vessel for burning incense stood in the center.  The otake represented the place where the protective kami (god) of the family would present himself from time to time.

A nice article from “Of Andagi and Sanshin” by Wesley Uenten explains how the spirits of deceased ancestors transform to kami (gods) over time if cared for properly.  As memories of the ancestor fade among those still living, the ancestor moves from a spirit to a kami.

Village Government and the Creation Myth

The village was the earliest form of organization.  It was led by the house of the founding family, or the Neya – the root house.  Governance mirrored the religious beliefs about creation.

Several versions of the Okinawan creation myth exist.  According to Sakihara, the most basic one says that the Sun God created a man/woman figure called Amamikyo/Shinereikyo, and this figure gave birth to people – lords, priestesses, and commoners.  Village society reflected this creation myth by having the male head of the root house as “lord”.   The female head of the root house was priestess. The rest of the villagers were followers of these rulers.

The male head of the family controlled the political and business affairs of the village. The head female, typically a sister, controlled all religious and ceremonial activities.  The commoners were the basis for economic production.

Early Village Economy

Up to the end of the 12th century, Okinawa was at a primitive stage of development.  Survival depended on both farming and fishing to ensure enough food.  Rice was a very vulnerable crop and could easily be damaged by floods or drought. Fishing was restricted to areas close to shore, due to the crude level of boat building and navigation. 

Okinawa was chiefly connected externally with Japan in the north.  It was relatively easy to navigate to Kyushu along the island chain.   Travel to the south was risky and dangerous due to the large open stretch of ocean and many typhoons. 

The Feudal Period Begins

Okinawan population continued to increase. Small family villages merged with other clans to become larger multi-clan towns.  The once isolated villages started to find themselves competing among each other for resources. 

As competition for space and resources grew, communities developed local chieftains or lords, called aji.  These aji were looking for ways to expand their power and care for their people.

In 1185 the powerful Taira clan in Japan lost a major war with the Minamoto clan for control over that country.  Many defeated Taira warriors fled to the southern islands of Okinawa for refuge, bringing their knowledge and skills with them.  This would have included military strategy and advanced maritime skills, for which the Taira family was especially noted.

No doubt the Okinawan aji welcomed this influx of new information.  New technology would help them in their power struggles and their fight for resources.  Castle fortresses or gusuku were built by the aji as bases to conduct their campaigns.  The word for gusuku in Japanese is shiro or jo. 

 

Today, many Okinawans have “shiro” as part of their name.

The period of battling chieftains in Okinawa is also called, the Gusuku period, named after the large number of such structures built.  Today there are 200 to 300 remains of gusuku found throughout the Ryukyu Islands. 

This warring period lasted for over 200 years.

Karate Then and Now - Lecture by Charles Goodin and Sensei Pat Nakata

The karate that we see and learn today is much different than the original martial art developed in old Okinawa. 

Charles Goodin of the Hawaii Karate Museum and Sensei Pat Nakata of the Okinawan Shorin-Ryu Karate Association presented an enlightening review of the Karate’s history.  Their lecture "Karate in the Ryukyu Kingdom, Okinawa Prefecture, and Hawaii:  How is Okinawan Culture Spread through Karate” was part of the Center for Okinawan Studies Lecture Series.  It was held February 9, 2012 at the University of Hawaii, Manoa Campus.

Karate Development in the Ryukyu Kingdom

 

Ryukyu became a tribute state to China in the 1370's. Strong trade relations existed then between Ryukyu and China's Ming dynasty.  As part of a cultural exchange between the two countries, the Chinese sent the famous "36 families" to Okinawa to live and share their crafts and skills.  Martial artists were among them.  They taught the Ryukyuans their Chinese techniques. 

Over time the imported Chinese fighting style combined with native Okinawan techniques to become “Karate.”  In those days the name was Tu ti, meaning “Chinese hand” or “foreign hand.”

Karate Practitioners in Old Ryukyu

 

Legend says that peasants learned karate in secret to rise up against evil Samurai warriors. While romantic, it isn’t true.  Peasants were too busy trying to survive the harsh island life to have energy or time to devote to learning martial arts. 

Mr. Goodin presented evidence that only the gentry classes of Okinawa practiced Karate.  About one third of the population then was gentry class. They had assigned duties and were paid to perform them.  Learning martial arts would have been part of these duties.

Different Karate Styles for Shuri, Naha, and Tomari

 

Different schools arose in Okinawa based on the areas where they were practiced. 

Shuri castle was the home of royalty, with many foreign visitors.  The Shuri-te style was therefore more refined.  Practitioners could not show their calloused hands to visitors.  Shuri-te named their katas, or formalized practice routines, after the names of the people who created them. 

Naha, the port city, was where the bulk of the 36 Chinese families settled.  So the Naha-te style more closely aligned to Chinese methods.  Typical of the Chinese system at the time, Naha-te katas were named by numbers. 

People in the port city of Tomari had great exposure to sailors from other lands, and many diverse travelers and fighting methods.  The Tomari-te style was a mix of Shuri-te and Naha-te styles. 

Karate Training Then and Now

 

Old karate did not use gi's or belt systems.  These came later after Okinawa became a prefecture of Japan.  Before that people practiced in their street clothes. The belts or sashes they wore reflected their gentry rank, not karate rank.  Karate had no ranking systems. 

Unlike today, classes were small.  A sensei taught only a handful of students.

Training in Secret

 

Sensei Nakata indicated that ‘death’ matches were common at that time.  So people tried to keep their karate knowledge a secret to avoid being challenged to a duel.  They did not train in secret to avoid detection by Japanese samurai.

Karate in Okinawa Prefecture

 

In 1879, Japan abolished the Ryukyu kingdom and the gentry classes, and started to force more conformity to Japan ways in Okinawa.  There were consequences for Karate.

 The gentry class now needed to find work to support themselves.  Because of this, many karate teachers and other artisans had to perform for commoners and others to earn money.  The result was that karate and other Okinawan arts became widely available to the public.

Japan also did not like the fact that Karate used the characters for "Chinese hand."  So the name was changed to mean "Empty hand" to remove the Chinese reference. “Empty hand” also suggested a mysterious Zen-like quality that was more Japanese than Okinawan.

Modern Karate

 

Karate had always been considered a deadly art to be used only for self-defense.  In 1900 Sensei Itosu introduced Karate into the school system as a way to train Okinawan boys to become better soldiers for the Japanese army.  Over time, the Judo system of wearing gi's and using colored belts for ranks was adopted. Sparring tournaments were also added, something that old karate never engaged in.

Karate’s History in Hawaii

 

Many famous Karate men visited Hawaii over the years and the speakers reviewed a long list of names, too many to cover here.  They showed many old photos of these great masters and their travels to Hawaii.

Karate Philosophy and Okinawan Spirit

 

The goal of karate is to save your opponent, not to kill him.  Ryukyu, a small kingdom living under the shadow of both Japan and China, did not have the option to attack first.

Sensei Nakata and Charles Goodin spoke of how true karate expresses the Okinawan spirit.  The five principles of karate are:

·         have humility and respect for others
·        develop one's mind through training
·        always try your best
·        develop awareness so that you can avoid unnecessary conflict
·        develop the essence of martial character - bravery, honesty, justice, etc. 

Starting postures in traditional Karate kata embody these principles. The left hand always covers the right hand.   The right hand symbolizes power and the left hand passivity.  By covering the right with the left, you are expressing that you do not want to fight.

A story by Sensei Nakata summed it up.  Sensei was counseling a child who was getting into fights all the time. The child asked, “Sensei, when is it ok to fight?"  Sensei answered, “When you are ready to die.”

 

The First Okinawans

Prehistoric Okinawa

Who were the first humans to arrive in the Ryukyu Islands? How did they get there?  What was life like?  How did they survive?  When did they become “Okinawans”?  

The word “prehistoric” refers to the time from when humans first appeared until written records started.  The significance of this is that we must search for clues left behind (human remains, tools, and other artifacts) to figure out the answers to these questions.  For Okinawa, prehistory is thought to extend from about 7,000 B.C. to 1200 A.D.

The First Arrivals

 

The earliest human remains dating to 30,000 B.C. were found in Naha.  Another set of remains found in Minatogawa goes back to 18,000 B.C.  But continuous human activity in the Ryukyu Islands can only be traced back to 3,000 B.C. 

Research about these early days still continues.  By knowing how people travelled, and by comparing archaeological findings, the following picture emerges as one possibility.  This summary is based mainly on the writings of Pearson and Sakihara.

Ocean travel in Dugout Canoes

 

To get to the Ryukyu Islands you needed to cross the sea.  The earliest boats were simple dugout canoes.  They were powered by a sail or by oars.  Straying too far from shore was risky business.  Travelers would want to keep land in sight at all times.

From Kyushu to Okinawa Island lies a string of small islands close enough together that land was always in sight.  Likewise, Yaeyama and Miyako are linked to Taiwan by another series of islands. People from Japan in the north could work their way to Okinawa by canoe. Travelers from Southeast Asia and China in the south could reach Yaeyama and Miyako. 

Between Miyako and Okinawa lies 175 miles of nothing but ocean.  The long distance, combined with typhoons in that region, made the journey between the north and south Ryukyu Islands tough and risky.  These travel restrictions led to separate developments in the two island groups.  See my post "Okinawa - Location is Destiny" for more on geography.

Northern Islands and Okinawa Settlements came from Japan

 

Tools and pottery found in ancient sites in Okinawa are similar to those discovered in Kyushu. The islands nearest to Kyushu saw human activity as early as 3,000 B.C.  Descendants of those people moved south to Amami Oshima and then Okinawa some 500 to 1,000 years later, between 2,500 B.C. and 2,000 B.C.  This culture lasted until about 200 A.D. 

Northern Island Lifestyle

 

These early islanders were hunter-gathers, living off the sea and the land.  They caught fish and shellfish. They hunted and trapped wild pigs. And they ate vegetables that grew naturally around them.  They brought domesticated dogs with them.

Homes were built from large coral rock, away from the sea.  Houses were generally rectangle-shaped.  Each had a small hearth and pit for cooking. 

Tools for cutting and hammering were made of stone. Bones were used to make pins and needles. Pottery jars had simple designs.  Shells were crafted into ornaments.

Southern Island Settlements came from Southeast Asia and Taiwan

 

Just as island-hopping linked Japan all the way to Okinawa island, in the same way were the southern islands connected to Taiwan and Southeast Asia.

Differences between North and South Cultures

 

Artifacts found on the southern islands are similar to those seen in Taiwan, Philippines and other Southeast Asian cultures.  The pottery is much different from Amami and Okinawa.  The discovery of hoes in the South points to a strong farming society.  Different groups may have co-existed on the southern islands up until 1,000 A.D. 

Contacts with the Outside World

 

The early settlers were isolated and had little interaction with the outsiders.  Wayward boats or shipwrecked survivors would have washed ashore as the Black Current or typhoons swept them from the south toward the islands. 

Sporadic trade with China started around 200 B.C. 

Contact between the north and south islands began around 200 A.D.  Trade with China and Korea also increased and became more regular. 

Village Society Develops

 

Small permanent villages emerged sometime after 200 A.D.  Advances in farming methods needed an organized community effort to plant, grow and harvest crops.  Shallow sea fishing also continued.  The village culture continued until the end of the prehistoric period.

The Okinawan Language Appears

 

The Okinawan and Japanese languages were once the same. But they split apart sometime between 0 A.D. and 500 A.D.  Today they are completely separate languages and a person who speaks one cannot understand the other.  In fact, Amami, Okinawa, Miyako, and Yaeyama each developed their own dialects.

Okinawa is “Born”

 

Starting around 600 A.D. Chinese and Japanese documents began to refer to the islands as a distinct location.  Documents from the Chinese Sui Dynasty (589 to 618 A.D.) talk about “Liu-Chiu” (Ryukyu).  Japan records mention “Okinawa” around 616 A.D.   

And the Rest, as They Say, is History

 

Advances in technology and culture continued. Prehistory ended when written language was introduced in 1187 A.D.    A united Ryukyu Kingdom came into being some 200 years later.  That kingdom became a vibrant international trading center for the Asian region for many years to follow.

“Nuchi du takara” – Life is a Treasure: Peace Lecture by Hiroyuki Kunugi on the Battle of Okinawa

I recently attended a special lecture given by Hiroyuki Kunugi, Curator of the Okinawa Prefecture Peace Memorial Museum in Mubuni, Okinawa.  He was visiting Hawaii as part of the “Exhibition of Peace”.  It is a collection of peace messages, essays and poetry created by the children of Okinawa.  The goal is to demonstrate the children’s understanding of the horrors of war and to promote peace throughout the world.

Mr. Kunugi’s talk was “Peace Lecture – What we have Learned through the Battle of Okinawa.”  He summarized what happened in that battle.  More importantly he showed how it affected the people of Okinawa.  He gave the lecture at Hawaii Okinawa Center on Oahu. 

I knew that this battle had been fierce and bloody.  But Mr. Kunugi brought the experience to life using actual war photos and film footage.   It was a very moving experience.

The Battle of Okinawa

 

The Americans landed troops on Okinawa Island on April 1, 1945. By the end of May the Americans had the Japanese headquarters at Shuri surrounded.  If the Japanese had surrendered then, over half of the civilian deaths would not have happened.  But they didn’t.  Instead they retreated south and continued to resist. The battle lasted almost three months. It ended only after the Japanese commander committed suicide.  The fighting stopped on June 23, 1945.

The Japanese knew they would lose the battle from the very beginning.  They were outnumbered 5 to 1.  But their mission was to drag the battle out as long as possible to give Japan time to prepare for the “final battle” to protect the Japan Mainland.

The prolonged battle was devastating  to Okinawa. By the time the fighting ended, Okinawa had lost nearly 100,000 of its people.  (I have learned from other sources that this was nearly one third – 33% - of Okinawa’s entire population at that time.) 

June 23 is now Peace Memorial Day in Okinawa. 

Human Tragedy

 

Mr. Kunugi told heartbreaking accounts about people hiding in the natural caves on the island, called gama, for protection.  Retreating Japanese soldiers and Okinawan civilians often ended up together in the same caves.  Americans advanced on the caves one by one with grenades and flamethrowers. The civilians were trapped.

He spoke about mothers forced to kill their crying babies to avoid being detected in the hiding places.  And sometimes the Japanese soldiers would evict defenseless civilians from a cave altogether so they could use it to save themselves.  Some Japanese medics would give their own wounded soldiers a mixture of cyanide in milk to kill them, rather than allow them to surrender or be taken prisoner.

He told about how the Japanese soldiers did not want the civilians to surrender. They told the Okinawans that Americans would torture and kill anyone who surrendered.  They encouraged people to commit suicide instead.   Unfortunately, many did.  In reality the stories about American torture were not true.

Peace Memorial and Message

 

The heaviest casualties occurred at Mabuni in south Okinawa.  That is where the The Cornerstone of Peace monument stands, erected in 1995. It commemorates the lives lost in the “typhoon of steel” that took so many lives.   Inscribed there are the names of all fallen souls from that battle, some 240,000 names in all, including those of Americans and Allied forces.

Mr. Kunugi ended by expressing his sincere desire to hand down and spread the “Heart of Okinawa”, the “Heart of Peace” through the creation of these children’s’ works. He captured it in the Okinawan expression “Nuchi du takara”.  Life is a precious treasure.

Bringing it Home

 

After the lecture, one gentleman in the audience raised his hand.  His wife had been sitting quietly beside him throughout the lecture.  He volunteered to share his wife’s experience in that battle.

Here is her story:  When the battle started, she was 3 years old and living in Okinawa.  She was one of those who managed to survive the ordeal by living in the caves.  When American soldiers finally found her, she was suffering from diphtheria.  An American medic cut a hole in her throat so she could breathe, and saved her life.  She still has the scar today.

Life is truly precious.  Nuchi du takara.

Okinawa - Location is Destiny

Okinawa has always been important in the Asian region, both economically and strategically.  Why? Its location and its people have made it so.

 “Okinawa” defined

 

First, what does the term “Okinawa” mean? Actually, it can refer to:

• The island of Okinawa itself
• The prefecture of Japan called Okinawa
• The entire Ryukyuan island chain (the old Ryukyu Kingdom)

Ryukyu Islands and Okinawa

 

The Ryukyu archipelago is a chain of over 150 islands. They stretch 700 miles from Taiwan to Kyushu, Japan, the westernmost island of Mainland Japan.  They separate the East China Sea from the northern Pacific Ocean.  The total land area is about 1,800 square miles. That is a little larger than Long Island (1,401 square miles).


Source: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration/U.S. Dept. of Commerce

The Ryukyu Islands are split into four groups.  The Amami islands are closest to Japan’s mainland.  Today, they are part of Kagoshima Prefecture.  The remaining three groups, Okinawa, Miyako and Yaeyama, make up what is now Okinawa Prefecture.  Miyako and Yaeyama are closest to Taiwan. 

Source: Wikipedia Ryukyu Island Map

Many of the Ryukyu Islands are too small to support life. Okinawa Island is the largest, and the main island where most of the population lives.  Even so, its land area is 454 square miles.  That is about the size of Los Angeles, which is 469 square miles.

Compared to Japan, Okinawa is less than 1% of Japan’s total land mass with a population of 1.4 million. Japan’s total population is 130 million.  The Okinawan climate is subtropical. It has clear blue skies, green vegetation, white beaches, and is surrounded by clear ocean waters.  Typhoons are frequent visitors.  It has rugged mountains and miles of shoreline with many good harbors.

Okinawa’s Importance

 

So why is Okinawa important to the Asia Pacific region, both in the past and today?

Its central location in the East China Sea makes it very accessible.  Okinawa is 400 to 500 miles from China, Taiwan, Korea and Japan.  That is roughly the distance from San Francisco to San Diego.

The islands also lie in the path of an ocean current called the” Black Current”, or Kuroshio.  The name comes from its deeper blue color than the surrounding water.  The Black Current flows from the Philippines north to Taiwan, then along the Ryukyu’s, and up to Japan.  Trading ships from Southeast Asia and other countries could easily reach Okinawa in this way. 

The Okinawan people’s gentle nature and welcoming attitude also has contributed to their central role in the area.  Historical reports repeatedly speak of visitors who landed on Okinawan shores being struck by the generous hospitality and kindness of the Okinawans.

Okinawa - A Bridge between Nations

 

From earliest times Okinawa has been a mixing pot of technology, arts and crafts.  For most of its long history, the Ryukyu kingdom was a separate country from Japan. 

Okinawa has embraced new ideas and developed its own unique culture. This is a result of the intermixing of many different influences - not just from Japan - but from countries throughout Asia.

The Okinawan people’s gentle nature and welcoming attitude have fostered a truly unique culture that sets them apart.  As was true in the past, Okinawa today is still the gateway to the Asia Pacific area, and continues to foster the spirit of being a “bridge between nations” for the world.

This sentiment was perhaps first expressed by an inscription written over 500 years ago on the “Bridge of Nations” Bell, which hung at Shuri castle:

“The Kingdom of Ryūkyū is a splendid place in the South Seas, with close intimate relations with the Three Nations of China, Korea, and Japan, between which it is located, and which express much admiration for these islands. Journeying to various countries by ship, the Kingdom forms a bridge between all the nations, filling its land with the precious goods and products of foreign lands; in addition, the hearts of its people emulate the virtuous civilization of Japan and China.”

(Translation based on Japanese summary given at Governor's Room; Okinawa Prefecture Official Site.  Accessed 5 September 2009. Source: Wikipedia)

Greetings and Hai Sai!

Welcome to Okinawanatheart.com, my blog about Okinawan culture, history and people.  I hope you'll enjoy it. 

My name is Mike Schoonover.  The first questions you are probably asking are: who am I and why am I writing this blog?

 

Who am I: My Story

I grew up on a small farm in upstate New York. I lived a typical rural life filled with long summer vacations, ice cream socials, and county fairs.    I knew very little about Okinawa then, or most other places in the world for that matter.  My small town was the only world I knew. That all changed for me one day when I went off to college.

I met a third-generation Okinawan-American girl who became my wife a few years later. Through her, I have become more and more captivated with the Okinawan people, their rich history, and unique culture.  But most striking of all has been to see and feel the true “Okinawan Heart.”

I recently retired from my career as a research scientist and am now a part-time consultant and writer. My wife and I live in Hawaii, which is home to one of the largest Okinawan populations outside of Okinawa itself. 

We are active in local Okinawan clubs, events, and fundraisers. At our family get-togethers we have celebrated the arrival into this world of two generations of nieces and nephews. We have also mourned the passing of older family members.  We have made many good friends and had many good times. 

And through all of this I came to realize that this wonderful knowledge about Okinawa is in danger of being lost to the younger generations as time marches on.

So - why am I writing this blog?

Many people have written about Okinawa.  Books, articles, websites are all around us.  But some can be very long reading.  Others may be out of print, or hard to find. For today’s busy person pressed for time, this can make it harder to learn about Okinawa. 

I created this blog with that busy person in mind. 

My goal is to do what I can to find information about Okinawa and share it with you in digestible bite-size chunks.  For those who want to dig deeper into a particular subject, I will also share references and sources when I can.

It is one small thing I can to do to give something back to this community that has given me so much.

This blog is for all of you who are curious to learn more about Okinawa and for everyone who is “Okinawan at Heart.”

I would love to hear from you.  You can contact me at: Mike@Okinawanatheart.com.