The modern Ryukyu glass artwork began with the use of the scraps of glass bottles which were brought to Okinawa by US armies. Recycled glass is usually impure and forms bubbles, but that is one of individual reasons Ryukyu glass is popular for.
Brightly-colored glass is Ryukyu glassware unique feature. These colors were originally made from Coca-Cola bottles for blue, Seven up bottles for green and beer bottles for brown.
Today, most of Ryukyu glass workshops use material glass, but there are still some workshops using scrap glass.
It is difficult to make bright coloration for red and in order to make a brilliant red for the glass platinum is added to it. That is the reason why red products are more expensive than the other colors ones.
Ryukyu glassware articles are all hand blown and made one by one. Consequently, every piece is unique.
Ryukyu glass is one of most popular Okinawa traditional arts. It is simple but nothing like industrial products and it makes people feel warm
The Beni Imo is a delicious purple sweet potato traditionally used in Okinawa.
Many kinds of food can be processed with such as cakes, ice cream, flour, sweets…
Yomitan, a village located on the main island, is specialised in the production of beni-imo with strong, purplish red flesh.
Okinawa, the Japanese name of the islands was first seen in the biography of Jianzhen, written in 779. The chinese name was Ryukyu.
During the 8th century, agricultural societies slowly developed until the 12th century. Later the Ryukyu Kingdom became a prosperous trading nation thanks to its location near China, Japan and Taiwan.
In the 15th century, the Ryukyu Kingdom became subordinate to the Chinese Empire and had to regularly pay a tribute.
In 1609 the Satsuma clan from what is now the Kagoshima Prefecture in Japan, took control of the Ryukyu Kingdom.
The Kingdom was forced to start a tributary relationship with them in addition to the one with China.
Whereas the Satsuma clan controlled a major part of the trades of the islands the political power was still under the Ryukyus Kingdom. By not invading the Kingdom, the Satsuma clan avoid any conflict with the Chinese Empire.
In 1872, four years after the Meiji Restoration, Japan annexed the kingdom and renamed it Ryukyu han. Ryukyu han became the Okinawa Prefecture of Japan in 1879.
Okinawa was a strategic place during the World War II.
After the war, the prefecture became under the United States administration for 27 years. During this years numerous US army bases were created.The islands were returned to Japan in 1972 but many army bases are still maintained.
Okinawa (沖縄県,Okinawa-ken in Japanese, Uchinā in Okinawan) is the most southern prefecture of Japan. It consists of hundreds of the Ryukyus Islands, a 1000 km long islands chain, which is divided between the Okinawa prefecture in South and the Kyushu prefecture in North.
The main island, Okinawa-honto is located half-way between the Kyūshū island (in Japan) and Taiwan.
The prefecture’s capital, Naha, is located in the south part of Okinawa Island.
Other main cities of the main island are Ginowan, Itoman, Nago, Okinawa City, Urasoe…
The main islands are the following (from North to South):
