Eisa! Nothing is more exciting than this "ghost dancing" parade that takes place in midsummer. The eisa festivities are one of the many Japanese ways to keep family members and friends who have passed away alive in the heart. The drums, the music, and the dancing are a welcome back rite for the loved ones we have lost--and a vigorous "get out of here" warning to whatever evil spirits might be lurking.
Okinawa culture is riding an unprecedented wave of popularity, especially among people who were not born there but visited the island and fell in love with it. It is even popular among those who have never, ever been there.
Culture is said to be the crystallization of human wisdom, knowledge of the secret workings of the heart made visible. That may explain Okinawan culture's power of attraction.
Okinawa Looks Like This
Peaceful: a beautiful place for a walk
自己紹介
- Chura
- Born and raised in the USA (NJ), I’ve spent most of my adult life in Japan. One of my favorite places in Japan is Okinawa. To me, Okinawa is a land of stories and an island of music, magic and mystery. The music is shima-uta, songs sung to the rhythm of a three-stringed lute called a sanshin. The magic is in the colors of land, sea and sky. The mystery? Mystery begins where the line between legend and verifiable human memories begins to blur. I am a member of the Archaeological Institute of America, chapter chief of a sanshin study society, and a founding member of the Marine Culture Research Association of Okinawa.