Utaki officially recognized by the Ryukyu Kingdom
This Utaki has been worshipped since before the founding of the Ryukyu Kingdom (1429), and is the setting of many myths and legends unique to Miyako Island, including the myth of the creation of Miyako Island.
A rare Utaki that anyone can visit
Utaki were places of worship located throughout the Ryukyu region in the past, and like village shrines on the mainland, each region or village had its own Utaki, where various rituals were performed as guardian deities.
Many Utaki are still maintained by the local people and are off-limits to visitors, but the Utsumizu Utaki is open to visitors and is visited by many locals and tourists alike.
Dedicated stone wall
The stone walls surrounding the Utaki are said to have been dedicated by Toyomichika Nakasone, the first chief of Miyako, to commemorate his victory in the Oyake-Akabachi War of 1500.
Utsumizu Stone Tatami Path and Miyako Shrine
Immediately adjacent to the site is a stone-paved slope called "Juchimizuishitamido," designated as a historical site by Miyako City, which leads to the Miyako Shrine.
It is difficult to access by car as there is no dedicated parking lot, but Hirara Port and the City Hall are nearby, and coin-operated parking is available.
Creation Myth
After the creation of Miyako Island, a god named Koikaku (恋角) and a goddess named Gueyotama (恋玉) descended from the heavens to Utsumizu with many gods in tow.
After creating mankind and all things in heaven and earth, they returned to heaven. They then built a Utaki (a sacred mountain) on this site, and the people of the island flourished and prospered.
Legend of the Human-Snake Wedding
An aristocratic couple living in Hirara could not have children. So they prayed to the gods, and a beautiful daughter was born.
When her parents questioned her about being pregnant despite her youth, the daughter told them that there was a young man who visited her bedroom every night.
When her father found out who the man was, he discovered that he was a giant snake that lived in a cave in the center of Juchimizu's Ibe (the center of the Utaki).
That night, the serpent appeared in the daughter's dream. The serpent called himself Koyikaku, the deity of Shimadate, and said he had come to see the daughter to create a guardian deity for the island.
She told him that she would give birth to three daughters and that he should take them to the Utaki when they were three years old.
The daughter gave birth to three daughters just as the serpent had said. When the children turned three years old, she took them to the Utaki. However, the mother was afraid of the serpent and ran away.
The children were not afraid of the serpent, but embraced it by the neck, body, and tail, respectively. The serpent shed tears of joy and disappeared into the Utaki, turning the children into the island's guardian deities. Finally, the serpent (koyi kaku) ascended to the sky with a radiant radiance.