Before the 19th century, Okinawa was not called Okinawa; it was known as Ryukyu. Ryukyu was an independent country with its own distinct culture.
Since the Ryukyu Kingdom had significant trade relations with China at the time, many of its traditions and festivals closely resemble those of Chinese culture.
The Ena Sea God Festival is quite similar to the Dragon Boat Festival celebrated in Hong Kong and China. During the festival, they pay homage to the sea god, and people participate in dragon boat races, though zongzi (sticky rice dumplings) seem to be absent—perhaps I just didn’t see them.
More travel information: DreamTravelworld & SKY Photography
