IRABŪ of the Kudaka Island, Okinawa directed by Kazuo OKADA, Yuki SUZUKI

Kudaka Island lies just five kilometres off the Pacific coast, directly east of Shuri, the former capital of the Ryukyu Kingdom. For centuries, it has been revered as the Island of the Gods, a sacred place where faith and ritual permeate everyday life. Today, the island is home to little more than 200 inhabitants, yet it safeguards a cultural legacy of remarkable depth and continuity. At its heart stood the grand Izaihō ritual, held once every twelve years for more than six centuries, and the production of Irabū – smoked sea kraits, regarded as divine gifts from the gods and once presented at the banquets of distinguished guests of the Ryukyu court. The ritual and the craft were inseparable, entrusted to priestesses and community leaders responsible for nearly thirty annual religious ceremonies.

In the late 1980s, the passing of the highest-ranking priestesses brought both Izaihō and Irabū making to a halt. This documentary seeks to revive and preserve that heritage. It digitally restores never-before-seen 16mm footage of the final 1978 Izaihō and pairs it with newly filmed 4K testimonies from surviving practitioners – the very individuals captured on film over four decades ago. Their words offer a living bridge across generations, linking past devotion with present memory.

The film explores traditional craftsmanship in detail, from ritual practice to the most refined culinary methods, while also considering new challenges for Okinawa’s food culture and the enduring role of faith in sustaining community life. In doing so, it highlights the vital importance of cultural transmission between generations.

IRABŪ of Kudaka Island, Okinawa is both a record and a journey – a profound encounter with one of the most revered cultural heritages of the Ryukyus, and essential viewing for anyone interested in the spiritual and historical heart of Okinawa.