Shamanistic village rituals in Okinawa are mostly related to agriculture, although there are also those related to fishing and hunting. Examples of rituals include rituals to pray for the health of children and future generations, the unjyami ritual to welcome the gods of the ocean and pray for safety and success in fishing, and the puri to pray for a good harvest. Unjyami and puri are still being held in many villages.

During the puri, dances are performed on a makeshift stage constructed in the yard of the hall. A variety of dances are performed to musical accompaniment by instruments such as taiko . The songs and dances about farming and labor differed fundamentally from those of Korea, giving me the feeling that I was indeed in a southern land. Once the performance was over and the villagers were gone, the shamans began a musical dance ritual called yukui. They sang a song called “Agaribushi” and danced, making welcoming motions with both arms towards the sky.

The lyrics were about ships carrying rice and millet coming in from sea. This ritual is conducted to pray for prosperity by performing a magical dance that summons the spirit of rice and millet from Nirasku, a fantastical kingdom of prosperity, life, and regeneration that lies across the eastern sea. The men sing and play the gong and drums while female shamans sing and dance fervently.

During the ritual, a mistake was made in the accompanying music. This greatly angered the female shaman Tsukasa, who was astounded to see such carelessness in offering music to the gods. They had to start the ritual over from the beginning. When the yukui is over, the shaman stay up all night in the hall, burning incense.