IRABŪ of the Kudaka Island, Okinawa

2025 Edition / Runtime: 102 minutes
Available formats: 4K DCP, 2K DCP, 4K MP4, 2K MP4, Blu-ray, DVD　

Planning, production and copyright:
Society for the Studies of Audio Visual Documentation for Cultural Properties / TokyoCinema Inc.,

This film presents a newly composed documentary, centred on the ritual practices of Kudaka Island, Okinawa.

It brings together high-resolution digital scans of original 16mm negatives filmed during an extended stay on
the island in the autumn and early winter of 1978, when the sacred Izaihō ceremony was being held. During this
time, the harvesting and smoking of sea snakes (IRABŪ), along with the preparation of materials for smoking,
were documented in detail. The film also incorporates footage of the “Opening of the Straw Bale” ritual from the
September Hanjanashi in 1979, as well as scenes from the same festival in 1977.

New material, shot in 4K 24P digital video during the autumn of 2023, forms a central element of the updated
composition. The documentary thus spans nearly half a century, allowing for a reflection on how the understanding
of Izaihō and its relationship to notions of kingship has shifted dramatically between the 1970s and the 2020s —
a transformation that is also reflected in changing perceptions of the IRABŪ itself.

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