Ryukyu King and Queen for a Day!

A couple from California was touring Okinawa, “The Hawaii of Japan” and enjoying its beautiful beaches and culture vastly unique from the main islands of Japan to the north.

We’ll wow them in California!

A tropical chain of 120 coral islands resting in the emerald waters of the Pacific, Okinawa was first mentioned in the annals of its neighbor China in 605 AD. Then it was known as the Ryukyus.

Not until 1437 AD did all the islands become unified under a single ruler. That first Ryukyu king was named Sho Hashi and his reign is today still regarded as the kingdom’s most glorious ever.

In the course of the California couple’s stay there was an occasion when the wife needed to visit a beauty salon before she was to attend an important event.

The owners and staff of the Bridal Palace, a renowned beauty salon in the island capital of Naha were able to fulfill her every desire. That included dressing her in formal kimono for her appointment with none other than the Emperor and Empress of Japan who were also in Naha on an Imperial visit.

Looking more queenly

The day following the audience with the Imperial family, the California couple received a telephone call from the beauty salon executive Mrs. Hideko Yagi, inviting them to join her again at her salon that also has a banquet hall.

Robed king ready to meet his queen

Instead of joining Mrs. Yagi and her son Satoshi, the general manager of the salon for lunch, the California couple was hustled off to wardrobe rooms and attired as King Sho Tai, the last of Ryukyuan monarchy whose reign ended in 1872 along with his devoted queen.

And after a session in the salon’s elaborate photo studio, the couple had an album of photographs they could take back home to enjoy for a lifetime.