Photo By Senior Airman Luis E. Rios Calderon | A family performs a Shimi ceremony at Kadena Air Base, Japan, April 13, 2025. For...... read more read more
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KADENA AIR BASE, Japan– Each year in Spring, Okinawan families observe Shimi, a deeply rooted cultural tradition centered around honoring their ancestors. During this time, families come together to clean ancestral tombs, offer food and gifts, and gather in front of these sacred spaces. This custom is one of the most significant and meaningful practices in Okinawan culture.
The tombs themselves are treated with profound respect, passed down through generations, and house the remains of relatives from the father's lineage, including fathers, spouses, grandparents, and other ancestors. The remains are placed in ceremonial urns within a spacious interior, reflecting the importance of honoring the family as a unit rather than focusing on individuals.
Once a year, families are granted entry to Kadena to visit their ancestral tombs. During this five-hour period, they clean, make offerings, and pray. This time is solemn and celebratory as families reconnect with their heritage and pay their respects.
However, clearing a year’s worth of overgrowth and jungle vegetation around the tombs can be physically demanding for elderly family members. In a gesture of community solidarity, several 18th Wing Airmen volunteered their time to assist the families.
U.S. Air Force Airman 1st Class Michael Haines, 18th Munitions Squadron precision guided munitions crew chief, said that families usually have to spend their limited time cleaning instead of honoring their loved ones. The 18th Wing Airmen volunteers take care of the challenging cleanup work in advance so they can focus on paying their respects.
Many of these tombs, particularly those in the 18th MUNS area, date back to before 1945. Most belong to families from the nearby village of Kina in Yomitan, further emphasizing their historical and cultural significance.
“I’ve found it connecting, with these being ancestral sites that have been here for generations coming out here to help them out has felt rewarding,” said U.S. Air Force Airman 1st Class Cadence Grooms, 18th MUNS combat plans and mobility technician. “They are kind enough to allow us to be stationed out here, and this is one of the ways we can help them out and give back to them.”
Through efforts like these, Shimi continues to serve not only as a time of remembrance, but also as a bridge between generations, cultures, and communities.
| Date Taken: | 04.13.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 04.16.2025 04:49 |
| Story ID: | 495402 |
| Location: | KADENA AIR BASE, OKINAWA, JP |
| Web Views: | 85 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Honoring Ancestors: Tradition of Shimi in Okinawa, by SrA Luis E. Rios Calderon, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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