Sacred sites of Kudaka Island
久高島の御嶽と拝所26°10′ N 127°54′ EUtakiPartly openRyukyu Kingdom to the present; the kings visited every second year until the 17th century
Kudaka Island off Nanjo is revered in Ryukyuan belief as the island where the goddess Amamikyu first came down, and its utaki and prayer sites remain in active use. The holiest grove of Fubo-utaki is closed to everyone all year, and visitors may swim only at Meegi beach and must take nothing from the island.
Ryukyuan tradition says the creator goddess Amamikyu came down from heaven and made Kudaka first, and that a jar holding the seeds of five grains washed up on Ishiki beach, which makes the island the source of farming in Ryukyu. Habyaan at Kabeeru Cape marks the place where she descended or came ashore, and its plant community is a national natural monument. The kings of Ryukyu came here every second year until the 17th century. They landed at Chimintumai, which was kept for the king and the Kikoe-okimi, and entered the village by the Ufuchinguchi path.
The village keeps its sacred places close together. Udunmyaa, where the Kudaka royal hall once stood, is the ground for the island's main yearly rites, and for the Izaiho rite that was held every twelve years in the year of the horse. The Izaiho was last held in 1978 and has lapsed since for lack of successors. Hanchaatai means the field of the gods. It is said to be the centre of the island, and a stone on its corner joins heaven and earth. The Ufuratu house keeps legends of the five grains and of Sho Toku, last king of the first Sho dynasty. Fubo-utaki, written Kubo-utaki in some sources, is the holiest grove of all. It was once closed to men, and the island now keeps it closed to everyone throughout the year.
Kudaka land belongs to the community. When a resort plan for about two-thirds of the island came up, the islanders wrote that system into the Kudaka Island Land Charter in 1988. Kudaka keeps few tourist facilities, and the island asks guests to slow down, talk with the older residents and learn why each rule exists.
Visiting with care
Kudaka people describe their utaki and prayer sites as places they have protected as the heart of their community. The island asks visitors to come with the attitude of a guest and to learn the reason behind each rule.
- The island's holiest grove of Fubo-utaki is closed to everyone throughout the year
- Other utaki and prayer sites (uganju) are closed at certain times of year; check the island's map before you walk
- Swim only at Meegi beach just north of the port; every other beach is an object of worship, and the sea around Yaguru-gaa is also off limits
- Take nothing away: stones, sand, coral fragments, plants and animals all stay on the island
- Don't catch coconut crabs, which are endangered and which islanders do not eat
- Keep out of fields and private land, and don't walk through the village in a swimsuit or shirtless
- Ride bicycles slowly; many roads are unpaved, and the lanes in the village are narrow with blind corners
- Greet the people you meet; the island asks that visitors say hello first
- Treat empty-looking places as sacred too; the island says that places where there seems to be nothing all carry meaning
- Stay back from rites in progress, and don't photograph priestesses or worshippers
- Cover up in the village, and keep beachwear for Meegi beach
- Take part in a guided walk by the Kudaka branch of the Amamikiyo Roman no Kai to learn the meaning of what you see
Worth knowing
- Plan around the lunar calendar; Hachigatsu-mati closed roads in and around the village from 20 to 22 September 2026, though the eastern road to Kabeeru Cape stayed open.
- The island has no ATM or convenience store and two small shops in the village, so bring cash from the main island.
- Rental bikes take about two hours to circle the island, and the island asks riders to keep their speed down.
- The stairs down to Yaguru-gaa are closed for repairs, according to the island's site.
- Meegi beach has no lifeguards or jellyfish nets, so you swim there at your own risk.
FAQ
Quick answers about Sacred sites of Kudaka Islandよくある質問
Can you visit Fubo-utaki on Kudaka Island?
No. Fubo-utaki on Kudaka Island is closed to everyone throughout the year. It is the island's holiest grove, and other prayer sites on Kudaka also close at certain times.
Can you swim on Kudaka Island?
Only at Meegi beach. Kudaka Island allows swimming at Meegi beach just north of the port, because every other beach is an object of worship. Meegi has no lifeguards or nets.
Can you take shells or stones from Kudaka Island?
No. Kudaka Island asks visitors to leave every natural thing where it is, from beach stones and sand to coral fragments and plants. The islanders treat all of them as the island's property.
Can you visit Sacred sites of Kudaka Island?
Partly open. The island's holiest grove of Fubo-utaki is closed to everyone throughout the year. Other utaki and prayer sites (uganju) are closed at certain times of year; check the island's map before you walk. Swim only at Meegi beach just north of the port; every other beach is an object of worship, and the sea around Yaguru-gaa is also off limits. Take nothing away: stones, sand, coral fragments, plants and animals all stay on the island. Don't catch coconut crabs, which are endangered and which islanders do not eat. Keep out of fields and private land, and don't walk through the village in a swimsuit or shirtless. Ride bicycles slowly; many roads are unpaved, and the lanes in the village are narrow with blind corners.
How should you behave at Sacred sites of Kudaka Island?
At Sacred sites of Kudaka Island: Greet the people you meet; the island asks that visitors say hello first. Treat empty-looking places as sacred too; the island says that places where there seems to be nothing all carry meaning. Stay back from rites in progress, and don't photograph priestesses or worshippers. Cover up in the village, and keep beachwear for Meegi beach. Take part in a guided walk by the Kudaka branch of the Amamikiyo Roman no Kai to learn the meaning of what you see.
Book it
Line up the trip around Sacred sites of Kudaka Island
Some of these links pay us a commission. It costs you nothing and keeps the guide independent.