Starting late March through April, you would see banners and flags with the word “清明祭” at local supermarkets on the island. Displayed alongside the banners are foods such as tempura, simmered pork ribs, mochi rice cake and more.

Shiimii, or seimeisai, is a tradition where Okinawans visit their family tombs. It is supposed to take place during seimei period of nijyuu-shisekki, a calendar system that divides a year into 24 seasons. Seimei’s season starts around April 5 and ends around April 20, which marks the beginning of the next season, kokuu. In the case of 2025, however, the period begins on April 4.

Along with obon, a tradition to commemorate ancestors in late summer, shiimii is a big event for local families on the island.

In a sense, shiimii is like higan, a Japanese tomb-visiting season (on the mainland) around the spring equinox day in March. Locals visit tombs with food and items to offer to their deceased family members for both traditions. For shiimii, families in Okinawa often throw a picnic blanket in front of a tomb and enjoy the food there.

Some locals have their family tombs on military facilities such as Torii Station, White Beach, and Kadena Air Base. You may see them have a “picnic” at such on-base tombs.

If you have local Okinawans in your family, you may have a chance to join shiimii. If you do, please note that it is also an opportunity to clean family tombs. Before enjoying food, you would sweep the floor, cut grass, and rinse vases with water to put in new flowers and dedicate them to the ancestors. Flowers for shiimii are sold at local supermarkets during the period.

You may expect a tomb visit to be a serious ceremony. But shiimii is more of a relaxed event. Although the mood will be relatively quiet, you will have fun chatting with your family enjoying food and sharing the moment with your ancestors.