Sefa-utaki is on the Chinen Peninsula, and has been recognized as a sacred place since the earliest period of Ryukyuan history. According to the
Chūzan Seikan, this was the spot where
Amamikyu, goddess of creation, made landfall on Okinawa. The shrine area itself comprises a number of caves and overhanging ledges opening to the east and south among towering rock formations of a high promontory over the sea. All buildings have been destroyed, but the outer and inner precincts can still be traced. It is believed to have been constructed from the 15th to 16th century during the reign of King
Shō Shin of the
Second Shō Dynasty of the
Ryūkyū Kingdom. "" means "highest rank," and "" means "the greatest utaki," The grounds contain several places of worship with the same names as the facilities within
Shuri Castle. In Sangui, the innermost area where three places of worship are concentrated, is the most prestigious place. From Sangui, it is possible to offer remote worship to Kudaka Island, considered the most sacred site associated with the founding of the kingdom, but this is not mentioned in historical records. This is due to the collapse of a corner of Sangui's rock walls in the early modern period; Sangui was originally an open space surrounded by rock walls on three sides. Since the interior of Sangui is now off-limits, the Kudaka Island worship site is also currently closed to the public. During the Ryūkyū Kingdom, this was the kingdom's most sacred spot and was managed by
Kikoe-ōgimi (), the highest priest of the state. In the past, all
utaki in the Ryūkyū Kingdom were off-limits to men, and at Sefa-utaki, commoners were not permitted to enter beyond the Ujoguchi entrance. Even the king had to change his sleeves to conform to women's clothing in order to enter beyond the Ujoguchi entrance. Later as a part of assimilation of Okinawa by Japan, it was shifted to serve as a
Shinto shrine.
Celadon from
Longquan kiln in China, and gold, jade, and glass
magatama beads and ancient coins excavated within the site have been collectively designated as
Important Cultural Properties (archaeological materials) under the title "Okinawa Prefecture Sefa Utaki Excavated Artifacts." ==See also==