Cultural Research Committee reports on Noboru Yahata and the Ryukyu Roofing Tile Craft Preservation Group for the preservation of the cultural heritage of Ryukyu tile skills. (20jy24)

Splendor of Okinawa: Treasure Flower, roadside Futenma, 28jn24


The Cultural Research Committee handles the maintenance of skills crucial for the preservation and repair of cultural assets. The Nation assists its selected skill-holders and preservation groups.  


On 19 July, the Cultural Research Committee reported to the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology that, from Okinawa, it had nominated for assistance Yonaguni Town resident Noboru Yahata (74) for “Ryukyu Tile Roof-tile Making” and “ and the Ryukyu Roofing Tile Expertise Preservation Group (representative: Tadashi Tabata)  in Yaesu Town for  “Roof-tile  shingling with Ryukyu Tiles”. Certification is expected to follow the nomination.


The Prefectural Red Tile Enterprise Cooperative employs Mr. Yahata and is the parent company of the Preservation Group. It is currently handling the reconstruction of the Palace Hall of Shuri Castle, which burned down in a conflagration in 2019.


The unique point of Ryukyu red tiles is that they are produced by hand. However, there are few craftsmen or even buildings using  roof-tiling in Okinawa these days. As succession in the craft has been interrupted, plans are afoot to swiftly safeguard the craft.


In any event, as a unique craft to be passed down from the Ryukyu culture, Craftsman Yahata and the Preservation Group, each in their own way, have expertise in the craft. There is value in putting earnest effort in their leadership and education going forward.


Governor Denny Tamaki issued this comment, “The uniqueness of Okinawa’s traditional culture is invaluable. It gives our prefecture’s people great pride and self esteem. It is also a huge springboard for the reconstruction of Shuri Castle.”


This is the first certification for a Craft Selected for Preservation for the prefecture since “Kumiudui (Ryukyuan: group dance) Costume Creation and Upkeep” in 2009. Excluding those mentioned above, 2 people and 4 groups have also been nominated for certification this time.


Original Japanese article: Okinawa Times, published Friday 19 July 2024 at 17:03.   https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/c1bce35ff6e877446a6df84ff3ae2206b5a0f182


Denny in the News:

Denny Tamaki is the governor of Okinawa Prefecture in Japan. Although Okinawa is important as an international tourist destination and a key element in strategic US Military Forces, its governor receives very little coverage in the Japanese press and almost none in the English language media. 


This blog hopes to  translate one news article a day on the governor.  It is unsponsored and unauthorized. The translator simply hopes to improve his skills and perhaps give the governor an English speaking audience. 


Any suggestion on improving my translation will be gratefully accepted. However, please leave political comments for another forum.


Where they occur, words and phrases in Ryukyuan (the Okinawan language) are rendered in italics and translated in parentheses. Names  whose readings are uncertain are rendered as Name (=Kanji?) as in Nagayuki (=長行?). Any corrections in such instances would be gratefully appreciated.

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