A historical procession featuring the king and queen of the Ryukyu Kingdom has been reenacted in the southern prefecture of Okinawa. The kingdom was centered in present-day Okinawa for about 450 years from the 15th century.
The event on Tuesday was a reenactment of a traditional New Year’s pilgrimage undertaken by Ryukyu kings to three temples near Shuri Castle in Naha City.
Escorts arrived at the Hoshinmon Gate near the castle’s main hall, which was destroyed in a fire 7 years ago. Two individuals portraying the king and queen appeared and walked slowly through Shurijo Castle Park.
They rode in a palanquin called “Uchu,” and paraded through the old castle town with their attendants, accompanied by the sound of gongs and flutes.
The costume worn by the king was recreated after it was burned in the massive fire at Shuri Castle in 2019. Its color was changed from red to brown, based on new research of fabrics from the Ryukyu Kingdom era.
The completion ceremony of the castle’s main hall, known as the Seiden, is scheduled for November 22.
A local spectator said it was her first time to see the royal procession and she found it interesting.
She said she was very sad that Shuri Castle burned down when she was in high school, and that she is glad it will finally be rebuilt.
AloJapan.com