Okinawans, who are big on event-driven consumption, are passionate about Father's Day too!

 

 

Differences in Consumption Behavior Associated with Events

Comparing Okinawa and Tokyo, Okinawa shows higher (or comparable) purchase rates for nearly all events.

Considering both the continued practice of Okinawa's unique customs and events, and the high consumption rate for nationwide events like Christmas and birthdays, it can be said that Okinawans grow up immersed in numerous event-related consumption experiences—both traditional and new—and the human connections formed through them, long before they become adults.

Here are some unique Okinawan events not typically seen in Tokyo.

● Seimei Festival (Seimei): An ancestral memorial event originating from China, considered one of Okinawa's three major festivals alongside Obon and New Year. Held around mid-April, corresponding to the third month of the lunar calendar. Family and relatives gather at ancestral graves, clean the grave grounds, prepare offerings, and after the memorial service, share the prepared meal.

● Mochi (Mūchī): Held on the 8th day of the 12th lunar month, people eat mochi steamed in shell ginger leaves to pray for health and strength to endure the cold. It also serves as a charm against evil spirits. Families welcoming their first Mūchī after a baby's birth often distribute it to relatives and neighbors.

●Birth Year Celebration (Tushibi): Held from the 2nd to the 13th day of the first lunar month. People pray for health and safety in the year corresponding to their zodiac sign. Relatives gather to enjoy a feast and exchange gifts.

● Ugwanbutuchi (Prayer Release): Held on the 24th day of the 12th lunar month. This day marks the return of the Fire God, a deity close to daily life, to heaven to report the year's events to the heavenly gods.
Homes are purified, incense is burned, and prayers are offered. Cleaning tools, incense sticks, and cooked rice are prepared.

● Beach Purification (Hamauri): Held on the 3rd day of the 3rd month of the lunar calendar. Also known as the "Women's Festival," women purify themselves at the sea. They bring layered boxed meals featuring mountain and sea delicacies and sweets. Nowadays, as it coincides with the start of the swimming season, it seems to have become more of a leisure activity for children.

●Tankayue: A traditional birthday ceremony for children turning one year old. Awamori, raw rice, and dishes are offered to the fire deity and family altar, praying for the child's healthy growth. It is common to receive monetary gifts and congratulations from relatives, neighbors, and friends.

●Thirteenth Birthday Celebration: Held on the first zodiac day after the Lunar New Year, this marks a child's thirteenth year of age (by traditional counting). Celebrating this milestone into adulthood, it is especially grand for girls. Celebrations vary by family, including commemorative photos and feasts with relatives.

Many of these traditional events are based on the lunar calendar and the twenty-four solar terms. This is said to stem not only from Okinawa's strong influence from Chinese culture but also from the unique way these traditions developed and became rooted in daily life, shaped by the island's geographical isolation surrounded by sea and its challenging climate, including intense heat and typhoons.

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Survey Overview
・Survey Method: Internet survey
・Survey Period: February 20–27, 2017
・Survey Areas: Okinawa Prefecture / Tokyo Metropolis
・Survey Participants: 200 men and women aged 18–69 in each region (400 total)
・Survey Company: Neo Marketing