Ogami Island
大神島Ugamujima24°55′ N 125°18′ EUtakiRestricted accessThe Uyagan ancestral rites continue today
Ogami Island off northern Miyako is a 0.24 km² island held sacred by the few people who live there, and most of it outside the village is closed to visitors. It keeps the secret Uyagan ancestral rites, and the only way over is the Ogami Kaiun boat from Shimajiri.
Ogami rises as a cone about 3.5 km off the Karimata coast of Miyako, and its old name in the local language is Ugamujima. The village sits on the southern slope above the harbour, and the rest of the island is treated as sacred ground. The Hirara city history records that the summit is called Tumbara because it guides the gods who sail in from the land of plenty beyond the sea that Okinawans call Nirai-Kanai.
The island is known for the Uyagan, an ancestral rite that is secret and closed to men. Outsiders may not go into the sacred areas, and at times the islanders themselves stay out too. The Tomidai lookout at the top became a national historic site in 2014, and the islanders worship the great boulder there.
A ring road around the island was begun and never finished, and it stops short in the east and in the north. Islanders put that down to a curse: even after a shaman prayed and work resumed, misfortunes kept striking the construction crews. The new boat Ukan Kariyusu began running from Shimajiri in March 2022.
Visiting with care
Ogami's people hold the island's forests and rites as sacred, and the restrictions protect worship that outsiders are not meant to see.
- Most of the island outside the village is sacred, and entry is forbidden to anyone who does not live there, and at times to residents too
- Stay in the village and on its public paths
- The Uyagan rites are secret and closed to men; keep away from any rite you come across
- Ogami Kaiun's boat from Shimajiri fishing port on Miyako is the only way over; it ran four round trips a day at last report
- Don't wander off the village paths into the woods or along the coast beyond the village
- Ask before photographing islanders, and never photograph a rite
- Islanders worship the boulder at the summit called Tumbara; treat it as an altar
- Take your rubbish back to Miyako with you
Worth knowing
- Check the Ogami Kaiun timetable before you set out; the boat makes only a few crossings a day.
- Keep a spare day in a Miyako plan in case the sea cancels the crossing.
FAQ
Quick answers about Ogami Islandよくある質問
Can tourists visit Ogami Island?
Yes, within limits. Visitors can take the Ogami Kaiun boat from Shimajiri on Miyako and walk in the village. Most of Ogami Island outside the village is sacred and closed to outsiders.
Why is Ogami Island called the island of the gods?
Ogami Island is held sacred by its residents, who keep the secret Uyagan ancestral rites and treat most of the island as holy ground. The summit is called Tumbara and is said to guide the gods who come from Nirai-Kanai beyond the sea.
Can you visit Ogami Island?
Restricted access. Most of the island outside the village is sacred, and entry is forbidden to anyone who does not live there, and at times to residents too. Stay in the village and on its public paths. The Uyagan rites are secret and closed to men; keep away from any rite you come across. Ogami Kaiun's boat from Shimajiri fishing port on Miyako is the only way over; it ran four round trips a day at last report.
How should you behave at Ogami Island?
At Ogami Island: Don't wander off the village paths into the woods or along the coast beyond the village. Ask before photographing islanders, and never photograph a rite. Islanders worship the boulder at the summit called Tumbara; treat it as an altar. Take your rubbish back to Miyako with you.
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