The Many Ways of Being Human

5.8

Ryukyu

On a roof in northern Okinawa sit two lions of leftover mortar, one with its mouth open, one shut. Across the street, a turtle-shaped family tomb hosts a picnic every April. Nothing in this picture began on the islands, and that is the point. The chapter follows the Ryukyu kingdom between China and Japan, its conquest, and the islands' reputation for long life.