Oyama Mayagama (Futenma Cat Cave)

Took the in-laws to a quick stop-off on our way to Kakazu Tadakai Park.  Oyama Mayagama is just outside of Futenma Gate 1 on 58.  If you're into local folklore, it's worth the ten minutes it takes to look around.

As all of the signs were in Japanese, I took the following info off of Okinawa Hai.

The legend of the Mayagama: 

“Maya” means “cat” in the Okinawan dialect. There is a legend that an evil spirit used to live in this cave a long, long time ago. It transformed into a cat and hid the local children. Local people beat the cat and it ran into a pot that was inside the cave. The people tied up the pot with rope so it could never escape, and they never saw it again.

In the same area, there are plaques showing the people that have lived here throughout history. The oldest picture is of the Azamabarujin people who lived about 600 to 6,000 years ago.

The men hunted wild boar while the women and children collected fruit. They caught fish, sea turtles, dugong and shells. They ate those sea animals by either boiling, cooking or just eating them raw. They commonly wore jewelry made from shells.





The picture of the village is a recreation of the same people. The food and tools were all from nature, such as, animals, dirt, stones and bones. The dwellings were 13×29 feet wide and were surrounded by stone or tree walls.

Please note that this is amidst family tombs, which are very sacred (no photos) and are private property. You will not be disturbing anyone as long as you stay around the cave ruin site.

Directions: From Foster’s commissary gate, turn left to drive south on 58 towards Futenma. There will be a stone sign for MCAS Futenma at the light, turn left and follow the road as it winds up the hill. When round the curve and you see the gate for Futenma, pull over and park on the side of the road.  You will see a picture of a cat next to some stairs on the left hand side of the road (when facing the gate).