The cultural heritage that once adorned the Ryukyu Kingdom (1429-1879) has endured devastating tragedies in the modern era.

The historical records belonging to the royal Sho family, which founded the kingdom, were confiscated by the Meiji government, which abolished the kingdom and incorporated the Ryukyu islands into Japan.

They were later consumed by the flames of the 1923 Great Kanto Earthquake.

Artworks that remained in Okinawa and escaped the disaster were reduced to ashes during the 1945 Battle of Okinawa in the closing days of World War II.

The extensive documentation left by researcher Yoshitaro Kamakura (1898-1983) provided invaluable clues in the post-war effort to restore these treasures.

He traveled to Okinawa before the war, capturing images of royal Shuri Castle, the kingdom’s symbol, crafts, and the “Ogoe”--portraits of successive kings.

Regrettably, the photographs were in black and white.

What were the colors of the royal attire worn by the depicted kings?

Were the jewels in their crowns the deep blue of the sea or the radiant color of the sun?

The Okinawa Churashima Foundation, drawing on pigment analysis from paintings of the same era and employing the latest technology, has undertaken the reconstruction of these paintings through color restoration.

Unexpectedly, a chance to verify the work’s results emerged out of the blue, something none of the people involved in the project could have possibly dreamed of.

Royal portraits such as that of the 18th King Sho Iku and other artifacts from the Ryukyu Kingdom’s era were recently discovered in the United States.

They seem to have been spoils of war and were found in the attic of a deceased U.S. war veteran’s home.

The king was clad in a garment of striking crimson with gold embroidery.

“It gave me goosebumps,” said Atsushi Koki, manager of the Ryukyu History and Culture Research Laboratory of the foundation’s Research Institute. “I was relieved to see that the colors matched the results of our reconstruction almost exactly.”

It took 79 years for these items to make their way back to Okinawa.

Wars have robbed people of treasures they have long cherished.

The Buddhas in Afghanistan and the ruins of ancient towns in Syria are among the cultural and historical heritages that have fallen victim to conflict.

Ukraine and Gaza likely share similar fates.

Humanity still does not know how to halt such foolish acts.

--The Asahi Shimbun, March 24

* *

Vox Populi, Vox Dei is a popular daily column that takes up a wide range of topics, including culture, arts and social trends and developments. Written by veteran Asahi Shimbun writers, the column provides useful perspectives on and insights into contemporary Japan and its culture.