滝本 匠 
June 10, 2022 Ryukyu Shimpo
By Sanemichi Kinjo
On June 9, a cleansing ceremony was held to wipe down the Okinawa Peace Memorial Statue located in the Okinawa Peace Memorial Hall in Mabuni, Itoman City. Dust was removed from the sculpture in preparation for Okinawa Memorial Day and the ceremony scheduled on June 22 (the eve of the Okinawa Memorial Service for the War Dead). Eight staffers of the Okinawa Foundation (chaired by Osamu Shimizu), which operates and manages the Hall, carefully wiped dust from the face and body of the statue using a tightly wrung damp white cloth.
The statue was constructed by the late Shinzan Yamada and was completed in 1978. It stands approximately 12 meters high and 8 meters wide and was created using the tsuikin technique of Ryukyu lacquerware. The cleansing ceremony began 44 years ago, a year after the completion of the statue; the statue gets wiped down twice every year (in June and December). On June 10, staffers climbed the stepladder with bare feet, removed dust from the statue, and checked for signs of deterioration.
The Okinawa Peace Memorial Hall will host a ceremony on the eve of the Okinawa Memorial Service for the War Dead, on June 22 at 3 pm. Fifteen participants will present flowers.
(English translation by T&CT and Monica Shingaki)
