Kudaka lies off the eastern coast of Okinawa's main island.
Revered as the "Island of the Kami," Kudaka has long been a place where nature is honored and ancestors are venerated. Sacred prayer sites are found throughout the island, and the land itself is said to be imbued with holiness.
Although the number of residents has declined over time, and the scale of rituals, festivals, and daily life has inevitably changed, the island's awe-inspiring landscape remains. So too do the ceremonies and prayers that arise from a dialogue with that nature, as well as the simple yet serene way of life nurtured by its unique climate and traditions. Such a place has become exceedingly rare in contemporary Japan.
Over the course of several years of visiting the island, I gradually came to feel a desire to express the worldview of this singular place - Kudaka. I came to realize that the elements shaping it lie within nature, prayer, and everyday life.
As I continued photographing, I began to notice first the vitality of the natural world. At the same time, I sensed that what has likely been handed down through generations does not remain only in visible forms such as rituals or formal observances. It lingers instead in the atmosphere of the place, and lives on within the islanders - as a quiet disposition that surfaces unexpectedly in the rhythms of daily life. Perhaps they are born of ancestral wisdom, practices, and aspirations cultivated over long years of exposure to the severity of nature. It is this depth of wisdom and longing - born in harmony with nature - that forms the foundation of Kudaka's worldview.
Kazuya Okuda Profile
Kazuya Okuda is a photographer whose work explores nature and prayer in Okinawa, and horses in Hokkaido. In recent years, he has also undertaken projects centered on hair and Japanese culture. He is the author of REIROU (Gomokusha, 2019).
Kudaka lies off the eastern coast of Okinawa's main island.
Revered as the "Island of the Kami," Kudaka has long been a place where nature is honored and ancestors are venerated. Sacred prayer sites are found throughout the island, and the land itself is said to be imbued with holiness.
Although the number of residents has declined over time, and the scale of rituals, festivals, and daily life has inevitably changed, the island's awe-inspiring landscape remains. So too do the ceremonies and prayers that arise from a dialogue with that nature, as well as the simple yet serene way of life nurtured by its unique climate and traditions. Such a place has become exceedingly rare in contemporary Japan.
Over the course of several years of visiting the island, I gradually came to feel a desire to express the worldview of this singular place - Kudaka. I came to realize that the elements shaping it lie within nature, prayer, and everyday life.
As I continued photographing, I began to notice first the vitality of the natural world. At the same time, I sensed that what has likely been handed down through generations does not remain only in visible forms such as rituals or formal observances. It lingers instead in the atmosphere of the place, and lives on within the islanders - as a quiet disposition that surfaces unexpectedly in the rhythms of daily life. Perhaps they are born of ancestral wisdom, practices, and aspirations cultivated over long years of exposure to the severity of nature. It is this depth of wisdom and longing - born in harmony with nature - that forms the foundation of Kudaka's worldview.