Koshiki Gyoretsu held at Shurijo Castle Park

Koshiki Gyoretsu held at Shurijo Castle Park

 

On November 3, at Shurijo Castle Park and on a nearby road in Naha, the 46th Ryukyu Kingdom Festival was held by Shuri Promotion Association.

 

Many people turned out to see this year’s Koshiki Gyoretsu (Traditional Procession).

 

The Koshiki Gyoretsu revived the parade for the King of the Ryukyu Dynasty visiting three temples in the New Year, to pray a good harvest and the peace and security of the Ryukyu Kingdom.

 

Commencing with the king and queen, followed by the sanshikan (the council of three ministers) and jokan (ladies of the court), who were the Kingdom officials in charge of national policy, a total of 300 people started from the Shurei-mon (gate), passed through the Ryutan Street and headed towards the Torihori intersection.

 

Twenty-nine year-old Naha resident Yuko Sugino, who goes to see the Koshiki Gyoretsu every year, said with a smile, “The costumes were very beautiful. I somehow felt that I had gone back in time, and that was a lot fun.”

 

(English Translation by T&CT, Lima Tokumori and Mark Ealey)

 

(Ryukyu Shimpo, 4 Friday November 2011 The Roman)