Sacred sites of Hamahiga

Ryukyu's founding myths begin with the goddess Amamikyu and the god Shinerikyu, who are also known as Amamichu and Shirumichu. The story says Amamikyu came across the sea using Kuba Island off Kaneku as her landmark and lived with Shinerikyu in a limestone cave, where their children were born. That cave is Shirumichu, in the woods south-southeast of Higa village. A torii stands at the bottom of 108 steps that climb to the cave mouth. Inside, a small tiled shrine said to date from the Taisho era holds two mirrors. Uruma City lists it as a tangible folk cultural property, and couples come here to pray for a child.

Amamichu, east of Higa, is the tomb where the two deities are enshrined. It sits on a reef islet with a cave called Amanji, and the Ryukyu Koku Yuraiki records it as Amamizo-take. A small causeway appears only around low tide, so a visit depends on the sea. Uruma City has designated it a historic site, and people pray there for health and for their descendants.

Shinugu-do, also called Higashi-no-utaki, stands on the east side of Hama village. Its legend tells of the Chuzan general Pingara Tadaomi, who hid on Hamahiga in the Sanzan period. On the 28th day of the eighth lunar month the forces of Hokuzan and Nanzan came to kill him, and after he prayed to Amamikyu and Shinerikyu a storm sank their ships.