May 12, 2016 • mccsokinawa.com
A
ccording to legend, Naha Port (then called Madanbashi) was once the site of numerous sea dragon attacks. One morning, the small fishing village was devastated by a sea dragon. Despite the villagers’ best efforts, Madanbashi was flattened and a number of its citizens were consumed by the sea beast. The king visited the village when he heard of these attacks. During his visit, the sea dragon returned. As the villagers scattered to salvage what remained of their homes, a local noro (priestess) recalled a dream she had— the king was to stand in front of the beast and raise his ceramic shîsâ (lion-dog) necklace towards the dragon. The noro passed these
inside
instructions on to a boy named Chiga who informed the king of what he had to do. As the king faced the monster with the small talisman, a gift from a Chinese emissary, the figurine cracked open and a real lion-dog of epic proportions sprang forth with a tremendous roar that shook the sands and seas for many miles around. Some legends state that the shîsâ battled with the serpent. Others insist that it was the initial roar of the shîsâ, which caused a boulder to fall onto the dragon, killing it. But all assert that the island still located in Naha Bay today—Ganna-mui—is all that remains of the evil sea creature. As the legend of the shîsâ spread throughout the kingdom, other villages made cari-
An Arabian Night | 3 Trikids, Minikids & Women’s Triathlons | 3 Culture Corner: Sayonara | 5 Japanese Phrase of the Week | 5
“Naha Port...was once the site of numerous sea dragon attacks.” catures of the charm and placed them at the entrances of their dwellings for protection. Since that fateful day Okinawans make effigies of the fierce lion-dogs in pairs and place them on or near their homes for protection from evil spirits.
Pick of the Week: Shîsâ Dog Park | 7 Save a Life While Reading a Book | 9 Off-Base Events | 11 Semper Fit Events | 11