Standing in front of Shureimon, a Chinese-style wooden gate guarding the entrance to the 600-year-old Shurijo Castle in Okinawa, our guide Ai Munakata spoke about the mindset that has helped Okinawans through difficult periods in the past. Yuimaru, Munakata explained, is the spirit of cooperating with others on this resource-strapped tropical island, connecting with not only people, but also the ocean, the forest, and the ancestors.
Shurijo Castle, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is one of Okinawa’s most iconic cultural monuments. The complex with numerous structures for government functions and royal family quarters was at the heart of the Ryukyu Dynasty, the 15th-century independent maritime kingdom that flourished on Okinawa and the surrounding islands for 450 years. In modern times, the castle went through devastating events: first, a near-total destruction during the Battle of Okinawa in World War II, then, a 2019 fire that razed it to the ground just months after the castle was finally reopened. A reconstruction effort is underway once more.
Stories of overcoming tragedy and hardship abound on the island. Located closer to China than to mainland Japan, Okinawa developed a distinct “islander” culture that, to this day, differs from other Japanese regions. Skilled seafarers and traders, Ryukyu sailors traveled as far as Indonesia and Malaysia, trading Chinese silk and ceramics for ivory and dyes. The kingdom was at peace with its neighbors, practicing expansive beliefs that honored the sea and viewed Ryukyu as a bridge between nations.
In 1879, Ryukyu Kingdom was annexed, becoming a prefecture of Japan. Six decades later, it endured one of the most brutal events in its history: the 1945 Battle of Okinawa. The World War II confrontation between the United States military and the Japanese Army lasted for 89 days and resulted in over 200,000 dead, more than half of which were Okinawan civilians.
This history and the resiliency of the local communities are not top of mind when we hear about Okinawa today. But on the recent AdventureWeek Okinawa trip, the spirit of yuimaru – which underpins the island’s cultural identity – shone through again and again.
“Yuimaru is the reason we were able to move on from the tragedy of the Battle of Okinawa,” Munakata told me. She founded Okinawa-based tour operator, Tour Designers, with a mission to revitalize local communities through tourism-based initiatives. Today, her company offers ways to engage with the Okinawan residents through experiences like this postwar reconstruction walking tour or this e-bike tour through sugar cane fields, a traditional crop of the island.
Perhaps what little is showcased about Okinawa in popular culture comes from the 2023 Netflix show, Live to 100: Secrets of the Blue Zones. Indeed, Okinawa joins four other areas worldwide – Icaria in Greece, Sardinia in Italy, Nicoya in Costa Rica, and Loma Linda in California – as one of the official Blue Zones where people tend to live the longest.
The Blue Zones project identifies nine key principles to living a long and healthy life. It includes “the usual suspects” we’ve come to associate with health-oriented outcomes: a plant-based diet, physical movement throughout the day, and practices to help manage stress. In Okinawa, there is another element: a strong sense of community, maintained through principles like the yuimaru and traditions like the moai, a regular community gathering to share food and drink and check in on each other.
The yuimaru spirit was evident in the mission of Kanucha Bay, a resort that serves as the gateway to exploring Yambaru National Park, a UNESCO Natural World Heritage Site on Okinawa’s northern end. The subtropical forests of Yambaru are home to many rare endemic species like the Okinawan rail, an elusive flightless bird that was only discovered to science in the 1980s. The 640-acre resort rents land from the local community and runs activities in the surrounding villages, including farming with the sole keeper of Indigenous plant varieties or playing gateball, a croquet-like game popular in the region. “It’s very important for us to provide income for the local community,” said Akihiro Shiraishi, the third-generation owner of Kanucha Bay, “while sharing its treasures with our guests.”
Being in community with people is not the only way to practice yuimaru. While on a village tour in the Yambaru region, our guide Takahiro Oshiro from the community-based operator Endemic Garden explained that Okinawans worship two things: nature and ancestors. “We live in nature. We are here because of it,” he mentioned. For Oshiro and Itsumi Nakamoto, Endemic Garden’s founder, this means coexisting with nature in small mountainside villages, where Endemic Garden runs experiences aimed at getting in touch with the natural world and the local community.
This focus on local communities was particularly appealing to Laura Ericson, founder of Laura Ericson Group Trips, a US boutique travel company that offers impact adventures around the globe. She told me that Okinawa resonated deeply with her clientele’s desire for genuine cultural immersion. “There’s a growing market of thoughtful travelers seeking destinations that offer more than just tourist attractions,” said Ericson. “Okinawa provided an intimate glimpse into a lifestyle that prioritizes health, community, and spiritual well-being,” she added.
Michelle Cheah from the UK-based KE Adventure Travel echoed that sentiment. “An itinerary in Okinawa would attract someone looking for a more off-the-beaten-track adventure,” she offered, mentioning that it was a privilege for her to gain insight into the strong sense of identity of the Okinawan people.
“I believe that family bonding is something that mainland Japan, as well as people living in large cities around the world, are lacking these days,” observed Ryoko Taniguchi, a Japan National Tourist Organization representative who joined us in Okinawa. “Okinawans remind us of the importance of family, ancestor worship, and spirituality,” she added.
On the last day on the island, we attended a cooking workshop by Yukie Miyaguni, a Ryukyu cuisine instructor who participated in the Netflix documentary and contributed recipes for the Blue Zones Kitchen cookbook. Miyaguni showcased several key ingredients that form the foundation of the Ryukyu cuisine. One by one, we prepared umibudo seaweed, a sea grape species packed with minerals and vitamins, firm island tofu known as Shima-dōfu, which has more proteins and healthy fats than other tofu types, blood-sugar-lowering goya bitter melon, and beni imo, the local purple sweet potato that carries more antioxidants than blueberries.
As we huddled together to arrange the colorful red and black lacquered plates of our freshly cooked Ryukyu Kingdom lunch, passing small bites of black kelp stir-fry, ujira tofu balls, and mozuku seaweed to each other, the spirit of yuimaru appeared once again. “There is no one ingredient that is best,” Miyaguni told us. In Okinawa, building strong bonds seems to be the real secret.