Agari no Utaki on Hamahiga Island Where the Gods Live

The eastern side of Okinawa Island near Uruma is dotted with islands called Tosho region. Currently, there are bridges to several of the islands and you can easily visit them by car and become familiar with isolated islands.  

On the left hand side of the Mid-sea Road there is the Hamahiga Bridge which extends to Hamahiga Island. According to Ryukyu folk tales it is known as the island where the gods live and on the left side of the island after crossing the bridge there the hamlet “Hama Chiku” where the Agari no Utaki (the eastern shrine) is. They say the god that protects the island is enshrined there and even divine works take place.

There is a small billboard for Agari no Utaki is near the beach wharf and soon after walking through the hamlet you will be able to see it. On the 28th day of the 6th and 8th month of the lunisolar calendar fishermen pray for protection against stormy weather and the Shinugu Festival takes places so it is also called “Shinugu Hall”.

 The light pouring through the branches of the dense banyan trees create a fantastical scene. There gods enshrined in utaki all over Okinawa but Hamahiga Island is known for its pronounced use of the lunisolar calendar and nature worship.

If you want visited to see ancient customs and culture in Okinawa it is a must.

 Hamahiga Island Agari no Utaki

Place: Katsuren Hama, Uruma-shi, Okinawa
(Billboard near wharf)
Go 20 minutes north towards Katsuren from Okinawa North Interchange on the Okinawa Expressway. Cross the Mid-Sea Road (Prefectural Highway 10) turn left at the north end to Hamahiga Bridge, go down Prefectural Highway 238 and continue to Hamahiga Wharf and turn left.

Okinawa Clip Photowriter monobox