I’m not saying they are Yamato (trough genetically they have lots of Yamato), what I’m saying is that culturally the differ from mainlanders a bit, but not a great degree.
Okinawa has been a part of Japan for over four centuries, so they’re pretty much integrated and there isn’t much daylight.
Try saying that in a bar in Okinawa and see how well it goes over.
> a different flavor like Kanto is different from Kansai.
It’s not uncommon to hear people from Tokyo describe people from Osaka as “not being Japanese.”