, or , is the creation goddess of the

Ryukyu Islands The , also known as the or the , are a chain of Japanese islands that stretch southwest from Kyushu to Geography of Taiwan, Taiwan: the Ryukyu Islands are divided into the Satsunan Islands (Ōsumi Islands, Ōsumi, Tokara Islands, Tokara and A ...

in the

Ryukyuan religion Ryukyu may refer to: * Ryukyu Islands, a volcanic arc archipelago * Ryukyuan languages * Ryukyuan people * Kingdom of Ryukyu (1429–1879) * Ryukyu (My Hero Academia), Ryuko Tatsuma, a character in the animanga series ''My Hero Academia'' See als ...

Name

Amamikyu's name comes from the reading of the

Chinese characters Chinese characters are logographs used Written Chinese, to write the Chinese languages and others from regions historically influenced by Chinese culture. Of the four independently invented writing systems accepted by scholars, they represe ...

阿摩美久 or 阿摩彌姑, which were most likely written

ad hoc ''Ad hoc'' is a List of Latin phrases, Latin phrase meaning literally for this. In English language, English, it typically signifies a solution designed for a specific purpose, problem, or task rather than a Generalization, generalized solution ...

for the Okinawan pronunciation. It is likely related to the name of the

Amami Islands The The name ''Amami-guntō'' was standardized on February 15, 2010. Prior to that, another name, ''Amami shotō'' (奄美諸島), was also used. is a Japanese archipelago in the Satsunan Islands, which is part of the Ryukyu Islands, and is sout ...

. There are also kanji spellings of 天御子 and 天美子. Readings can vary widely from Amamikyu, Amamikyo, Amamikiyo, Amamiko, Amamiku, Amamigu, Amamichuu, and Amanchuu. "Amamikyu" was used by George H. Kerr in his ''Ryukyu: Kingdom and Province Before 1945'' in 1953.

Creation myth

The beginning of '' Chūzan Seikan'' details the creation of the Ryukyu Islands. The Heavenly Emperor (天帝), who lived in the Heavenly

Gusuku often refers to castles or fortresses in the Ryukyu Islands that feature stone walls. However, the origin and essence of ''gusuku'' remain controversial. In the archaeology of Okinawa Prefecture, the ''Gusuku period'' refers to an archaeological ...

(天城), looked down on the world and saw that there were no islands, so he ordered Amamikyu (阿摩美久) to create the Ryukyu Islands. She asked for materials to build the islands, so the Heavenly Emperor sent Shinerikyu to bring her grasses, trees, and stones. She descended to Earth on Kudaka Island, and then made landfall on

Okinawa Island , officially , is the largest of the Okinawa Islands and the Ryukyu Islands, Ryukyu (''Nansei'') Islands of Japan in the Kyushu region. It is the smallest and least populated of the five Japanese archipelago, main islands of Japan. The island is ...

on the spot of Sefa-utaki, and later built Tamagusuku Castle and Chinen Castle and a number of communities. She asked the Heavenly Emperor for materials to make people, but the other gods would not go down to Earth. Without sexual intercourse, she became pregnant by Shinerikyu (志仁禮久, ''shinirichuu'') and populated the islands. Some generations later, a "heavenly grandchild" named Tentei was born, who split Ryukyuan society into five classes with his three sons and two daughters: the first son was Tenson, who became the first King of Ryukyu; the second son became the first feudal lord ( Aji); the third son became the first farmer; the first daughter became the first royal noro priestess; and the second daughter became the first village noro priestess. Her final home was located at Minton Castle in Tamagusuku, Okinawa.

Historical legacy

Amamikyu's tomb is located on Hamahiga Island in Uruma, Okinawa. Sefa-utaki is the holiest utaki site in the Ryukyuan religion. During the

Ryukyu Kingdom The Ryukyu Kingdom was a kingdom in the Ryukyu Islands from 1429 to 1879. It was ruled as a Tributary system of China, tributary state of Ming dynasty, imperial Ming China by the King of Ryukyu, Ryukyuan monarchy, who unified Okinawa Island t ...

era, the king and

kikoe-ōgimi is the title worn by the highest priestess of the Ryukyuan religion, ryūkyūan religion. Although the title is mentioned in sources dealing with periods older than the Ryūkyū Kingdom, the current characteristics of the function have been fixed ...

made an annual

pilgrimage A pilgrimage is a travel, journey to a holy place, which can lead to a personal transformation, after which the pilgrim returns to their daily life. A pilgrim (from the Latin ''peregrinus'') is a traveler (literally one who has come from afar) w ...

to the site from

Shuri Castle is a Ryukyu Islands, Ryukyuan ''gusuku'' castle in Shuri, Okinawa, Shuri, Okinawa Prefecture, Japan. Between 1429 and 1879, it was the palace of the Ryukyu Kingdom, before becoming largely neglected. In 1945, during the Battle of Okinawa, it was ...

to worship Amamikyu, facing Kudaka Island.

References

{{Jmyth navbox long Ethnic religions Religion in the Ryukyu Islands Ryukyuan culture Shamanism in Japan Creator goddesses

Name

Creation myth

Historical legacy

See also

References