CULTURE
It is said that the women who wove this unique high quality cloth for the first time at the end of the 16th century
was called Inaishi. Since textiles became subject to tax in 1637 so they
had to fulfill high quality standards. The traditional manufacturing
process of the Ramie-cloth was preserved until today and gives Miyako-Jōfu its distinctive character. Along with Echigo Jōfu (Prefecture of Niigata) Miyako Jōfu is one of the finest textiles in Japan.
(Guided tours: Weaving Association Miyako, Hirara, Nishizato 3, Mon.-Sat. 9am-6pm, Phone: 0980-72-8022).
The German Culture Village features the `Museum of Philanthropy`wich is housed in a replica of the German Castle `Marksburg`. There is also the `Kinderhaus` (childrens house), witch exhibits two original parts of the Berlin wall and materials to the fairy tales of the Grimm brothers, as well as German toys. For further Information on the German Culture Village in Ueno: http//www.hakuaiueno.com.
Harimizu Utaki holy site and stonewall
The
Uipyāyama-ruins are located south of the hamlet of Sunagawa atop a 40m
high hill made of Ryukyu limestone . They date back to the 14th to
15th century and, together with the southern part of the
Sunagawa-Motojima-ruins, they form the remains of a spacious village. Miyako- and Yaeyama-style stonecrafted items and celadon-porcelain as well as ceramics from Okinawa and south-east Asia, were found in the ruins.
To
explain the extraordinary big find of celadon-porcelain, different
theories were established: In mediaeval times the site was a
pirate camp, a harbortown which flourished through overseas trade, or a
site for handling goods for overseas trade.
On the area itself, there are more than ten holy sites. Three of them are well-preserved stone buildings (mutu) which were once thatched with reed and used for ceremonial purposes.
The Harimizu Utaki is of interest in research on the origin of Miyako`s native people and the creation myth of Miyako. According to the chronicles of the Chudō-clan, Nakasone Tumiyā (the first emperor of Miyako) built the wall to the south of the Utaki to remember the insurrection in Yaeyama islands which was led by Oyake Akahachi in 1500. Nakasone had promised to dedicate himself to the construction of the Utaki if his mission to stop the insurrection would succeed with the help of the gods. The stonewall is an important source for the research on stonebuilding techniques of that time.
Formerly
the holy stone `tamaishi` could be seen close to the summit on the northwestern side
of the Nobarudake-hill, but nowadays it is situated on its foot on the
southern side. The cylindrical Tamaishi stone is made of Ryūkyū-limestone. It has a diameter of 110cm and a height of 135cm.
According
to legend, the Tamaishi was crafted about 600 years ago to ward off
evil for the feudal lord Aji Ufunushi. It was placed close to the
summit
of the Nobarudarake. The locals of Miyako still worship the stone
today,
and call it `Tamazara Utaki`. It is a valuable artifact for
research on the religions of the Okinawa of old.
