“The sense of chimu gukuru has changed our lives”, reports a group of Okinawa-related visitors of the experience of their stay in Okinawa. (20oc25)

Splendor of Okinawa: Madagascar Periwinkle, roadside Uruma, 19oc25

During their stay in Okinawa, members of the Hawaiian United Okinawa Association (HUOA), chaired by Frances Kubo, visited Governor Denny Tamaki on 17 October. In order to experience Okinawa’s culture and history more broadly, each year the group comes on a tour around the time of the Naha Great Rope Pull. 


This year 61 members participated in the journey. To memorialize the emigration from Okinawa to Hawaii over the past 125 years and the 40th anniversary of the Sisterly Partnership between Okinawa and the US State of Hawaii, a series of events have been held. Chairperson Kubo reported that they had held a dance performance at Itoman’s Tower of Peace  and participated in Naha’s Great Rope Pull.  


Chairperson Kubo further stated, “Since our arrival, our members have experienced, in the flesh, the chimu gukuru  (Ryukyuan: deep heart) of Okinawa. I’ve stated that it has changed our lives. We feel a sense of pride in being Uchina-nchu (Ryukyuan: Okinawan). We have become aware of the importance of our roots!” She also thanked the Prefecture for its cooperation during their visit.


Governor Tamaki replied, “I’m welcoming you all here after my visit to Hawaii, grateful that we have made this connection. We’d like to continue creating many more such opportunities to link up in the future!”


Original Japanese article: Ryukyu Shimpo, published Sunday 19 October 2025 at 15:11.

https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/efca1d5e235330f475a1e7e7bc0ff52e762ec7c5


Denny in the News:

Denny Tamaki is the governor of Okinawa Prefecture in Japan. Although 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 the 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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