OOkinawa

Washing the bones doc (2018)

  • October 13, 2025


I was just telling this visitor fom Nagoya here on Kumejima about this this practice, and I found this doc:

https://www.tokyoweekender.com/art_and_culture/history/a-new-film-by-gori-explores-the-okinawan-ritual-of-washing-the-bones-of-deceased-family-members/

by EmmaGoldmanSF

3 comments

  2. While it is not a “doc” per se, it was created by Okinawan comedian and filmmaker, Gori (Teruya Toshiyuki), originally as a short film, which was then green lit to release as a full length film.

    You can still find the Fūsōbaka caves all around Okinawa. YouTube has footage of actual Okinawan families following the senkotsu rituals, but the practice is mostly gone at this point, due to hygienic and logistical reasons.

  3. I stumbled across some bones loose in a cave near the beach once. They looked very bleached from time. I was about to call the police but decided against it.

    Asked an Okinawan friend and he said it’s probably something like this and it’s best to leave it alone.

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