Taketomi Island - Hazama Utaki -
Early reservations are recommended as they fill up quickly.
◆Tuk-tuks and electric trikes are also popular!
What is Haza-ma Utaki (U-ryaon)?
Uryaon was enshrined as the god of millet and the founder of Haza Village because Nehara Kando, who had come from Yakushima, devoted himself to cultivating millet.
They owned land near Misaki, north of the island, and held sovereignty over the waters surrounding large rocks such as Ainu-soi and Iruno-soi.
How to Get to Hazama Utaki
Haza-ma Utaki is located about a 14-minute walk or a 3-minute drive from Taketomi Port.
Head straight from Taketomi Port toward the village. When you see Taketomi Island Bike Rental on your right, turn right at the intersection just past the T-junction. Continue along the road for a short while, and you’ll find it on your left.
How to Enjoy Hazama Utaki
In addition to the Utaki sites such as Yumuchi-utaki and Machi-utaki, there are also historical sites like Machi-utaki in the vicinity of Hazama-utaki, so you can take a stroll around the area. Since it’s right near the village, you can also grab a meal or take a water buffalo cart ride to explore the island.
Details on Hazama Utaki
Hazama Utaki is a sacred site dedicated to Nehara Kinden, one of the six kings known as the founding ancestors of Taketomi Island. Nehara Kinden is known to have come from Yakushima and is enshrined as the founder of Hazama Village. He is also revered as the god of millet because of his dedication to cultivating the crop.
Haza-ma Utaki is said to have been the most powerful and virtuous of the Six Mountains. It is believed to have unified the Seed-Harvesting Festivals, which had previously been held separately in each village. Furthermore, the Seed-Harvesting Festival—the island’s largest Shinto ceremony—is held here.
Recommended Sightseeing Spots Near Hazama Utaki
Morikazu Ogi (Kusukumui)
Kusukumui was a fire watchman who monitored tribute ships and foreign vessels around the island and raised smoke signals to alert the Kuramoto, the administrative office on Ishigaki Island. The fire watchmen stationed on the surrounding islands are collectively known as the “Sakishima Islands Fire Watchmen” and have been designated as National Cultural Properties.
Location: Taketomi, Taketomi Town, Yaeyama County, Okinawa Prefecture
Access: 6 minutes by car from Taketomi Port
Parking: None
Meals (nearby): Available
Toilet: None
Yumochi Utaki (Yumochi Ontake)
Yumuchi-utaki is a sacred site located within the village where ceremonies honoring the gods of fire and agriculture are held. Many of the island’s major public ceremonies—including the April Grand Prayer, the Nishitō Festival, the Conclusion Ceremony, the September Grand Prayer, and the Seed-Harvesting Festival—are held at Yumuchi-utaki.
Location: Taketomi, Taketomi Town, Yaeyama County, Okinawa Prefecture
Access: 12 min. walk from Taketomi Port
Parking: None
Meals (nearby): None
Toilet: Yes
Machio-no-Takayama (Marchion)
While most of the village utaki on Taketomi Island are managed by the Taketomi Community Center, Machi Utaki (Machi-on) is an utaki managed by a private individual. It is said that the highly spiritually gifted siblings, Matu and Fuzon, once saved the life of a high-ranking Yaeyama resident official (a permanent official dispatched from the Shuri Royal Court); they are revered, and their graves have become this Utaki. Various rituals are held at this Utaki, including the April Festival and the October Festival, during which prayers are offered for protection against fire and drowning.
Location: Taketomi, Taketomi Town, Yaeyama County, Okinawa Prefecture
Directions: 15-minute walk from Taketomi Port; about a 3-minute drive
Parking: None
Meals (nearby): None
Toilet: Yes
Details on Haza-ma Utaki (U-ryaon)
| Location | Taketomi, Taketomi Town, Yaeyama County, Okinawa Prefecture |
| Access | A 15-minute walk from Taketomi Port, or about a 3-minute drive |
| parking lot | nashi (Pyrus pyrifolia, esp. var. culta) |
| toilet | ant |
| Business Hours | - |
