Kankara Sanshin

A film about the Battle of Okinawa during the last days of World War II.

During the World War II island hopping campaign there was a fierce battle on Okinawa that devastated the population and ravaged the land and left a mark on the populace of the Okinawan people forever. After the war Okinawa was under the control of the United Stated Military. Without any goods and extreme scarcity of Natural resources the Okinawans were in a desperate day to day survival for the basic needs of life. The Okinawans however, despite their dire situation used song and dance to lighten their spirit and make the best of the situation. But with the loss of almost everything of value on island due to constant shelling bombing and fighting between the Japanese and American all the regular sanshin (an Okinawan musical instrument and precursor of the Japanese shamisen) had become very scarce and hard to find. The American were supplying the Okinawans with powdered milk among other items to help keep starvation low. And from those cans of food they would find a way to bring music back to the people again.