Some phaeses of Shinto-shrine and Utaki in Miyako and Yaeyama islands

Abstract

In the Ryukyu Islands, there are unique religious institutions called utaki. These are similar in form to Shinto shrines, especially to the local deity of production or village deity. The villages have only Utaki, and shrines are almost nonexistent. However, there are some shrines that were exceptionally built under the phase of nationalism. In this article, I will examine the differences between Yaeyama Shrine, which was established for the purpose of county promotion in conjunction with the 2600th year of the Emperor's reign (Utaki was read as Utaki), and Miyako Shrine, which was built as a shrine from the beginning.