Ancient Legends Muhyama

On and Kantsukasa (People who communicate with God) In Taketomi Island, people call "On" (Utaki=Sanctuary), "yama" (mountain). This "yama" doesn't mean "a place of high altitude," but it means "a place with many trees." Therefore, all the "on" are in the woods. "Muhyama" (six mountains) means six important sanctuaries, and it is said that they are the first villages in Taketomi Island. "Ryukyu-koku Yuraiki" (The Origin of Ryukyu Dynasty) (1713) explains about its origin. Once upon a time, there were six chiefs, Nehara Kandhu, Arashihanakasanari, Koumoto Fushigahra, Kumahara Hatsu, Takanetono, and Shiokawa Tono in Taketomi Island. Though they lived happily together, they didn't have any gods of guardian and rich harvest so they wished those gods to come to the island, and the following gods arrived: 1 The god from Yaku Island= Hazama Utaki (Under the care of Nehara Kamitono) 2 The god from Okinawa mainland=Nakasuji Utaki (Under the care of Arashihanakasanari) 3 The god from Kume Island=Koumoto Utaki (Under the care of Koumoto Fushikawara) 4 The god from Okinawa mainland=Kumahara Utaki (Under the care of Kumahara Hatsu) 5 The god from Okinawa mainland=Hanashiro Utaki (Under the care of Takanetono) 6 The god from Tokunoshima Island= Hariwa Utaki (Under the care of Shiokawa Tono) 　 Kumahra-On, one of the Muhyama Shinzatomura Relics They each deified those gods in this way. Today, they have become the gods of Utaki, and according to the oral tradition, six chiefs had come from each islands. In addition, there's a story of how six chiefs divided the island for their territories. Taketomi Island was very small and there wasn't enough land to cultivate. In order to avoid any territorial conflicts, six chiefs discussed earnestly. As the result of their discussion, they concluded as following; (1) Takanetono of Hanashiro Village wished to own much ocean than land so that he owned from eastern sea to southern sea. (2) Nehara Kamitono of Hazama Village owned the land around Mishashi and he put much effort to produce millet. Later he became "The god of millet." He also owned the sea near the big rock in northern Mishashi. (3) Koumoto Fushikawara of Koumoto Village owned the land around Fuhjanukumi in the western side of Taketomi Island, and grew beans. Later he became "The god of beans." He also owned western sea of Taketomi Island. (4) Arashihana Kasanari of Nakasuji Village owned the land in the center of the island, and put so much effort to produce wheat that he later became "The god of wheat." He also owned the north western sea of Taketomi Island. (5) Kumahara Hatsu of Kumahara Village owned several lands such as Hishahru, kumui, Kaiji, but the land was not good for cultivation so he tried to plant trees. Later he became "The god of mountain." He also owned the south western sea of Taketomi Island. (6) Shiokawa Tono of Hariwa Village wasn't a greedy man at all, so he only owned the small land in the corner of Niizato Village and north western sea of Taketomi Island. He was the youngest of six so he became "The god of rain" in order to pray for growth of crops for other chiefs. As it has been explained above, the story of Muhyama has a solid theme of trusting, collaborating, avoiding conflicts, and trying to solve everything peacefully. That way of thinking is called "Utsugumi Mind" in Taketomi Island, and it had already started from Muhyama's period.