Festivals--Japan;Okinawa-ken (Japan)--Social life and customs;

An assembly walking to the school grounds in Shioya, Okinawa, for the Festival for the Sea God (Umigami). Description provided by photographer Roy Simonson reads: "The festival flag and a part of the crew moving from the assembly area near our quonset (the tarpaulin fence to right surrounds the hut) to the school grounds for the dances."

Performers walking to the school grounds in Shioya, Okinawa, for the Festival for the Sea God (Umigami). Description provided by photographer Roy Simonson reads: "The shanen gaka, unmarried girls between ages 16 and 22, in costume as they march toward the school grounds."

Description provided by photographer Roy Simonson reads: "The street running east and west along the quonset hut in which we lived in Shioya with nearby flag raised for Umigami, Festival for the Sea God. The tile roof at the end of the street marks the "jimusho," city hall. The fences came from quonset frames."

Description provided by photographer Roy Simonson reads: "Nearer view of the white silk flag used by the one section of the village of Shioya (Kaneku) for the festival. The nearby mountains mark the horizon below the flag. The rampant figure is supposed to be a dragon, with ideas from the giraffe, goat, and horse. It stands between stalks of rice below a bright orange sun. The streamer is supposed to symbolize the tail, whereas the 'horns' are from the old Samurai headdresses for war."