A key shaped Yomitan Township, which is projecting over the East China Sea, is located on the west coast of the central district of Okinawa Island, and has a population of approximately 39,000.
Yomitan Township is known for its natural beauty and rich tradition and culture. The township is surrounded by woods or mountains in the east, the East China Sea in the west, Hija River in the south, and Zanpa Point with its scenic beauty in the north.
The record states that a young man from Yomitan Township, Taiki, was ordered to visit China (known as Min in those days) by the King of the Ryukyu Kingdom, and left his homeland in 1372 on a tribute trade ship. According to the record, he visited to China four times for trade (called tribute trade) and opened the way to the great trade era of the kingdom. Nagahama Port was prosperous in those days as the gateway to Okinawa. People of Yomitan were willing to import foreign culture and were influential to the future of the Ryukyu Kingdom. The assimilated culture, which was passed on to the following generations, resulted in traditional crafts including Yuntanja Hnaui (woven textile of bright colors and unique patterns) and pottery, and the performing arts of various parts of the village.
The shrine of Akainko, the father of an Okinawan musical instrument, called the Sanshin, was constructed in the village in his memory. Yomitan is a place remembered as his hometown, and the people of the village, regardless of their age, enjoy Ryukyu classical music as well as popular music of Okinawa using the Sanshin.
All the people of Yomitan Township love their own village very much, and treasure the nature, climate, history, and culture of the village since they are the sources of the confidence, courage, dreams and pride of the people in olden times as well as today. This can be clearly seen in the policies of the village that have been implemented.
People of Yomitan believe in "permanent peace," "sovereign independence," and "lasting cohabitation" which are considered the basic principles of the township. The township implements the policies based on the doctrine to independently and creatively promote the realization of the communities whose characteristics are described in the following Ryukyu poem: The harmony between the rich nature and good hearted people will cause the culture to shine in all its glory and guide us the right direction into the future.

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