The three Toyomiya tombs on Miyako Island

20the Toyomiya tombs (Toyomiya-baka) are three structures located at a gravesite in the north-west of Miyako Island facing Hirara Bay. They are the tombs of the Chūdō-clan, which was established by Nakasone Toyomiya. Designated as important cultural properties of Japan, the three tombs are:

  1. The Tomb of Nakasone Toyomiya
  2. The tomb of Chirimara Toyomiya
  3. The tomb of Atonma
  • Location: Okinawa-ken Hirara-shi Nishi-Nakasone 3-4

Nakasone was a chief (shūchō) on Miyako Island during end of the 15th to the early 16th centuries. Chirimara was his third son. At the Atonma tomb only the second wifes of the Chūdō-clan are enshrined.

  • In local dialect, Toyomiya is pronounced Tūimyā or Tuyumya.

 1. The Tomb of Nakasone Toyomiya

Nakasone Toyomiya was the chief (shūchō) of Miyako during the late 15th to the early 16th century. He was the originator of the Chūdō-clan.

The Jiganemaru, one of thee thre treasured swords of the royal family of Ryukyu.

The Jiganemaru, one of the three treasured swords of the royal family of Ryukyu.

Nakasone helped King Shō Shin crush the uprising of Oyake “devil-tiger” Akahachi in Yaeyama in 1500. Shortly afterwards, three-thousand troops from Shuri invaded Miyako. Nakasone surrendered to save the lives of the inhabitants and was made island chief. Nakasone presented the famous sword Jiganemaru to King Shō Shin (see Karate 1.0: pp. 17, 36, 362, 363)

Summary

  • Name of structure: Nakasone Toyomiya no Haka
  • Number of structures: 1
  • AD: 1751-1829
  • Construction and form etc.: Tomb chamber, a cave fountain (urigā), surrounded by stone walls
  • Specification number: 02285
  • National asset classification: Important Cultural Property
  • Date of classification as a national asset: 1993/04/20

Photo

Nakasone Toyomiya's tomb. Photo courtesy of Paul Vermehren.

Nakasone Toyomiya’s tomb. Photo courtesy of Paul Vermehren.

2. The tomb of Chirimara Toyomiya

This honors Chirimara Toyomiya, the third son of Nakasone Toyomiya. He was of the Miyagane-clan. The tomb is said to have been built around 1750 by Miyagane Kanfū, who served as the village head (kashira) of Hirara.

Summary

  • Name of structure: Chirimara Toyomiya no Haka
  • Number of structures: 1
  • AD: 1751-1829
  • Construction and form etc.: Tomb chamber, tsunpun, surrounded by stone walls
  • Specification number: 02285
  • National asset classification: Important Cultural Property
  • Date of classification as a national asset: 1993/04/20

Photo

Chirimara Toyomiya's tomb. Photo courtesy of Paul Vermehren.

Chirimara Toyomiya’s tomb. Photo courtesy of Paul Vermehren.

3. The tomb of Atonma

At the Atonma tomb only the second wifes of the Chūdō-clan had been enshrined: Atonma is dialect for the term Keishitsu 継室, i.e. second wife. Constructed around the late 18th century to the first half of the 19 century. It is an enclosed tomb made by carvings of the wall of rock and hewn stone.

Summary

  • Name of structure: Atonma Haka
  • Number of structures: 1
  • AD: 1830-1867
  • Construction and form etc.: Tomb chamber; surrounded by stone walls; wooden tags attached to elevated places on the inside of buildings, such as ridgepoles, beams (munafuda); Indian ink drawings (bakusho).
  • Specification number: 02285
  • National asset classification: Important Cultural Property
  • Date of classification as a national asset: 1993/04/20

Photo

Atonma haka. Photo courtesy of Paul Vermehren.

Atonma haka. Photo courtesy of Paul Vermehren.

The characteristics of the structures

The tombs of Nakasone and Chirimara are huge stone-built tombs built during the middle of the eighteenth century and highly valued as representing the unique stone-building architecture of Miyako Island.

View video of the Nakasone Toyomiya tomb

The Atonma Haka is an early nineteenth century construction of masonry techniques utilizing the bedrock.

These tombs have very specific characteristics. At the front entrance of the tomb is a tsunpun: A stone masonry wall provided between the entrance gate and the house blocking the view from the outside. It is also considered to deflect the “southerly winds” and thus prevent evil spirits from entering. The masonry walls were accompanied by wooden boards and hedges.

Watch video of Chirimara Toyomiya tomb

On the outside-top of the tomb chamber are lined seven short stone pillars. Each pillar has a cavity at the top. On occasion of religious rituals wooden girders and beams were placed in those cavities to create a covered area in front of the tomb.

Watch video of the Atonma tomb

These unique structures are found nowhere else in Okinawa.

Photo credit

The photos posted here are courtesy of Paul Vermehren from Scotland. Paul resides in Okinawa and is busy as a high school teacher, singer/songwriter, island camper and expert field-researcher of Ryūkyūan history, and last but not least, internationally recognized master-level beer sommelier.

© 2015, Andreas Quast. All rights reserved.

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