Jan 1, 2014 - 1 min read

Oku Yanbaru No Sato Museum

Exhibiting northern Okinawa's agricultural way of life

By Michael Flemming

Community writer

A traditional sabani on display in the passage way just outside of the main exhibit hall is shown with many of the tools used by uminchu - the Uchina Guchi (Okinawan language) word for fishermen or people of the sea

Traditional wood and weaved items used in Yanbaru; Yanbaru is the Okinawan term for northern Okinawa, also know administratively as the Kunigami District

All kinds of agricultural tools and farming necessities are on display

Some of the finer items that might be found for use or display in traditional Okinawan homes

Urns and lower jawbones and baskets and shoes

Agricultural machinery of an era gone by; I suspect this device was related to the sugar cane harvest

There's just a little bit of everything in the Oku Yanbaru no Sato exhibition hall, to include depictions of traditional attire

Thank goodness for the clever display; the tool in the foreground was used in the harvesting of the beloved Okinawan sweet potato

Wild pig skulls and jawbones seem to be a beloved part of the displays

The exhibition hall is located inside Oku Yanbaru no Sato recreation area which is one of the first building's on the right once entering Oku from southern Okinawa

Walk around the main building and the local vicinity to see for sabanis and other interesting items

There's an awesome little museum in Oku Village showcasing the traditional way of life in northern Okinawa. Farming and fishing were primary industries in this area and it remains so today. The museum shows how this agricultural dependence was accomplished in years past. The exhibition hall is located inside the Oku Yanbaru no Sato recreation area building on the right in the river valley once entering Oku on Route 58 from Southern Okinawa. Entrance is 200 yen for adults and 100 yen for children through 15. The museum is open daily from 08:00 ~ 18:00. There's also a small restaurant in the building, restroom facilities, and brochures covering points of interest in the local area.