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Shisa (Japanese: シーサー, Hepburn: shīsā, Okinawan: シーサー, romanized: shiisaa) is a traditional Ryukyuan cultural artifact and decoration derived from Chinese guardian lions, often seen in similar pairs, resembling a cross between a lion and a dog, from Okinawan mythology. Shisa are wards, believed to protect from some evils.
During the Battle of Okinawa in World War II, most of the Gusuku used by the Japanese military, especially Shuri Castle, were damaged or destroyed. Shuri Castle was rebuilt during the 1990s, and in 2000 it and a number of gusuku and other related sites were added to the UNESCO World Heritage Site list.
The Komainu strongly resemble Chinese guardian lions and in fact originate from Tang dynasty China. [9] The Chinese guardian lions are believed to have been influenced by Asiatic lion pelts and lion depictions introduced through trade from either the Middle East or India, countries where the lion existed and was a symbol of strength. [10]
Harimizu utaki (Harimizu Shrine), a Ryukyuan shrine in Miyakojima, Okinawa Prefecture.. The Ryukyuan religion (琉球信仰), Ryūkyū Shintō (琉球神道), Nirai Kanai Shinkō (ニライカナイ信仰), or Utaki Shinkō (御嶽信仰) is the indigenous belief system of the Ryukyu Islands.
"Ryukyu" is an other name from the Chinese side, and "Okinawa" is a Japanese cognate of Okinawa's indigenous name "Uchinaa", originating from the residents of the main island referring to the main island against the surrounding islands, Miyako and Yaeyama. [27] Mainland Japanese adapted Okinawa as the way to call these people. [citation needed]
Okinawa Prefecture (Japanese: 沖縄県, Hepburn: Okinawa-ken) is the southernmost and westernmost prefecture of Japan. [2] It has a population of 1,457,162 (as of 2 February 2020) and a geographic area of 2,281 km 2 (880 sq mi). Naha is the capital and largest city, with other major cities including Okinawa, Uruma, and Urasoe. [3]
Yasuo Higa (比嘉 康雄, Higa Yasuo, 1938-2000) was an Okinawan photographer, ethnologist and anthropologist. He served ten years as a police officer near a US military base before becoming a photographer, with much of his early work centered on life in postwar Okinawa.
There are numerous cultural organizations for the Okinawans in Hawaii, the largest one being the Hawaii United Okinawa Association. As of 2020, it enrolls over 40,000 people across 50 different member clubs, each pertaining to a specific region in Okinawa. [8] Since the 1970s, the HUOA has held an annual Okinawan Cultural Festival.