Fearsome Palm Tree Japanese Folklore Dragon Gives Goosebumps In Okinawa
The Shimadakara (“Island Treasure”) Art Festival in Urama, Okinawa celebrates the people, culture, and nature of Japan’s southern islands. One aim of the festival is to showcase the talent of local artisans in handmade crafts, as well an appreciation for utilizing the limited natural resources they must rely on in life through art.
h/t: grapee
Japanese Twitter user Okinawa resident shiromadara (@oogomadara) may have stumbled upon the most impressive and imposing display of that art, with this massive wood and straw (from Chinese fan palm) dragon straight out of Japanese folklore.
The awesome dragon was created by Japanese artist and designer Ayako. The title of the piece is read as “Ryu Miyagi”, although it is written with the same kanji for Ryugu-jo, an undersea castle from Japanese folklore ruled by Ryujin, the dragon kami of the sea.
The dragon structure is situated on a hill overlooking the village next to a private residence, and when the wind blows, the island palm within the dragon moves and winds like a living creature.
