Begone Gaijin! Or Something Like That - Possibly

There's a new statue down at Cape Zanpa. A native Okinawan man pointing off to the distance. Has he spotted one of the trading ships returning from China? Maybe he is recounting his days as a fisherman on the Cape. Or maybe he is trying to tell me that my 3 months are up and it is time to head back to the good ol' USA.

And weather, and all other circumstances permitting, that's what I will be doing in about 12 more hours.

It has been an incredible adventure experiencing so many wonderful sights, and sounds and cultural exhibits, food, shopping, photos ops, etc. Ron has been a most generous and knowledgable host for these past months. Many, many thanks Ron.

Sayonara!! to Okinawa and Japan. Aloha, briefly to a 9 hour layover in Honolulu, and then Hello, Iowa!

Chatan Ferris Wheel

One of the last things we did today, Saturday, was to ride the Chatan Ferris Wheel. It has quite a view of the base, the Chatan 'American' area, and the ocean. The ferris wheel does not stop, but moves very slowly. 500 yen, or approximately $5 for one revolution which lasts approximately 15 minutes.

Icons of Yomitan

Driving by Yomitan Cultural Center, across the road from where the Yomitan Festival was held last weekend, I once again saw these images on the side of the YCC. Ron obligingly stopped so that I could get the photos. The first, of course, is the image of the trading ship we were witness to seeing at the Festival in all its resplendent glory.

The second photo is of one of the most well known objects on the island of Okinawa, the Shi-sa Dog, with the image of the Zanpa lighthouse in the background. The Zanpa lighthouse is within easy walking distance of Ron's home here in Yomitan.

The third photo shows the sanshin, the traditional musical instrument of Okinawa. It has 3 strings and the body of the sanshin is usually covered with snake skin, either python, or the native Habu. The wall behind the sanshins represent the many rock foundations of castles still to be seen on Okinawa. At the right are two forms of the bingata, or cloth specially produced on Okinawa.

Mr. President

34th Annual Yomitan Festival

Ron lives in the town of Yomitan here on Okinawa. It is known for its incredible pottery making. Each fall, in the beginning of November, Yomitan has a two day festival. The festival is dedicated to the fall harvest, mainly sweet potatoes and sugarcane. It is also dedicated to the health and well being of the Yomitan village.

There is music, competitions between groups of sanshin players, ( the traditional Okinawan music ) exhibits of bonsai, pottery, and sugarcane production. Food, drink, children's games such as fishing for goldfish. Flower exhibits and sales. The festival is culminated on Sunday night with a fireworks display and the launching, or towing, of the trading ship into the main arena of the festival grounds.

Lights, Action, Entertainment

There was a lot to see at the Yomitan Festival over the weekend. On Saturday there were several displays of wondrous juvenile talent. Dozens of children racing, and marching, and waving flags, scarves, and artistically decorated pop bottles. Their enthusiasm for their sports was boundless.

Yeah, Treats

Absolutely no reason to go home hungry from a Festival.





What's a festival without treats? The first little fellow was eating what appeared to be squid--which was disappearing at a phenomenal rate. Washed down with some good old Kool-aid perhaps.

Ron and I on the other hand sampled Okinawa's version of corndogs, a sort of tortilla covered hotdog, and shown here, a deep fried spam and cheese sandwich and potato chips-on-a-stick. Does the Iowa State Fair know about chips-on-a-stick?

Up Close - The Ship and her Royalty

In the afternoon the Yomitan trading ship sat in the parking lot for all to admire and enjoy. And for photo ops of course. I am perched in the bow of the ship . I am grateful to know that I will not actually be setting sail for China in the hopes of advancing trade as well as exchanging customs and culture as the Okinawas of past centuries were known to do.

The three gentlemen shown with me are the representatives who stood in the bow of the boat for the procession.

Stick Walkers

For lack of the appropriate name of this band of young men, we called them the 'stick walkers'. They were only one troupe of the extraordinary companions to accompany the great trading ship into the arena.

Yomitan's Glorious Past and Present

Now imagine this boat, at dusk, imperial leaders standing tall in the bow, torches lit to show the way, men and women in traditional costumes waving from each side. Men in costume are used to tow the boat into the main arena in a royal procession and with an air of celebration.

Home from the Bullfights?

In the Uruma area on Saturday we passed this pair headed down the lane toward home. This area is known for Okinawa bullfights. Now Okinawa bullfighting is not at all like the bullfighting of Spain and Mexico. In Okinawa bulls fight bulls. It is a test of strength. Bulls are not killed. Blood is rare. If a bull is accidentally gored, the match is over. Bulls lock horns and try to push each other out of the ring in the manner of sumo wrestlers. The bulls are loudly and boisterously encouraged by their respective owners with all manner of shouting and stomping of feet. Matches are over if a bull is pushed out of the ring or one of the opponents simply becomes too tired and turns tail and romps or walks away. The bulls have very special relationships with their trainers and are known to be given loving facial massages after bouts to help quiet them down again. This pair may or may not have been involved in the centuries old sport. Fighters or not, they appears to be winners to me.

Dragons as Roadside Distractions

This is one very good reason that I really prefer to be in the passenger seat - - I might miss out on the incredible sights to be seen along the way!

Rice Harvest in Oki

One of the things one thinks to find most frequently in Japan are the rice patties. And they can be found but are much fewer and more far between than Americans think. But it is now harvest time for the rice and they are more visible. And that is because tied bundles of rice are to seen sitting on railings drying in the sun along the roadways.

The 'Elephant's Crapper'

One of the easiest landmarks to remember is actually a walkway around a hub.

A little bit of Paradise

We have a gorgeous ocean right out the window of Ron's house. 100 feet or so down. It's on the west side of the peninsula. But I decided I wanted to hike to the other side of the Zanpa peninsula and see the beach there. After about an hour or so of hiking through pockets of residential area, and larger pockets of sugarcane fields, I found a lovely, almost deserted beach area. For over an hour I explored the tidal pools, rocks, a couple of caves, and sorted through about a bazillion pieces of coral and shells. I did see 2 scuba divers just as I was leaving and I got a really lively 'doggie fix' from a young Japanese woman who was treating her companion to a romp on the beach.

The dog's name sounded something like 'Dusty' so that's what I called him. Bless her heart, the young lady was most disturbed when Dusty jumped up on my leg and left a few grains of sand! By the time I left them the grains of sand had thankfully been multiplied many times over. Good dog, Dusty!

Lost - but not in Paradise

It got hot here in Okinawa yesterday. 90 degrees. Humid. Huge billowy clouds that offered no rain and no respite from the heat. After enjoying the beach area so much I had decided it was time to head back home. I had a rough idea which direction home was. Now the thing about Okinawa, and other places I am well aware, is that there are no straight roads. No street signs. Not even in Japanese unless it is one of the major roads - like a highway. I first headed into residential areas that seem to meander in circles. Then I got onto this little, maybe 6 foot wide, paved lane. This led into a maze of sugarcane fields. And almost led me to heat stroke!

But the good thing about Okinawa is that you can't go too awfully far without getting to an ocean. You can get lost. And I did. But you will eventually find a landmark, or ocean, to help you get back on track again.

Pig's Feet Puzzle

I was hot, tired, dehydrated and foot sore when I rounded the corner of the little lane I had wandered into, when what should I come upon - - ? I don't know. Pig's feet. Rows and rows of pig's feet. Some were apparently barbecued to an unhealthy black. The rest merely posed in the hot sun. Bloated. I moved right along.

Dandy Directional Dragon

Turn left at the 'dragon'. . . Yeah, that's easy to spot.

Dramatic Dragon Duo

On Sunday, after a swim meet for Ron, marathon shopping at Jusco for me, and a meal at Marino's Pizzeria for both of us we headed home. In an instant Ron veered off the roadway to apprehend photos of this lurking dragon and his twin. He fearlessly closed in for a tight, personal shot of this mythological beast. Being born in the Chinese year of the dragon, Ron knows I love all things dragonish. Well, most things.

Ocean Expo Park and the Churaumi Aquarium

Monday was a Japanese holiday. Health and Sports holiday. It was also an American holiday here and we decided to visit the famed Churaumi Aquarium and Expo Park. The main attraction at the Expo Park is the Aquarium. This Aquarium houses 3 fantastic whalesharks that is worth the price of admission, alone, as far as I am concerned. But those three whalesharks share their environment with a variety of rays, tuna, turtles, mackelel, parrotfish, wrasse, and grouper among others. But as a bonus there are acres of other exhibits and shows most of a marine theme. We visited a manatee aquarium. We saw a dolphin show, a traditional Okinawan village, incredible landscaping some of which used flowers to develop into the shapes of animals, and the Tropical Dream Center.
The two clips here are both from the main Aquarium.

Morays And More

In the past I have called these little guys 'soda straws' or 'soda straw eels'. But I have now been educated. These are 'garden eels'. Some are 'Orange-barred' and some are 'Spotted'. Cute little suckers, behind glass anyway. Another interesting specimen was Moray eels. Another creature all together. The things nightmares are made of. I had hoped to see a 'zebra moray eel' like the two I saw in the Sea of Cortez last summer, but they must not make it that far east.

Mantas and More Rays

One of the most highly visible of the ocean creatures at the Churaumi Aquarium is the ray. Cow-nose Rays, Spotted Eagle Rays, and the magnificent Manta Rays are plentiful and very visible. Gracefully gliding and banking the length and depth of the Aquarium, these Rays are not to be missed. Seeming to stick closer to the bottom but still highly visible are the Coach Whip Ray ( with sort of a leopard's spotting noticeable on its body ), the Pink Whip Ray and the larger White Spotted Shovel Nose Ray.

Sea Turtle Smorgasborg

One of the most interesting parts of the Ocean Expo to me was the exhibit for the sea turtles. It was not as exciting as being in the ocean with these magnificent creatures but the next best thing. So graceful, so elegant!

Maybe it wasn't as peaceful a situation as it may have first appeared. The second video clip shows what looks like a slap in the head delivered by one these behemoths. Yow! Bam! Boom!

Tropical Dream Garden - - A Delight for the Eyes and the Nose!

Our last stop at Expo Park was the Tropical Dream Center. What a photographer's delight. A sensory delight as well for anyone with a half decent sense of sight and smell.

Ryukyu Flying Foxes - - Okinawan Bats

One of the night critters common to Okinawa is the bat, also known as Ryuku Flying Foxes. (They are also known as Zorro Volador de Ryukyu.) And these critters are not the cute little guys we are familiar with in Iowa. Nope. These bats average about 10 inches tall and have wingspans of over 40 inches. They look like overly large birds swooping around - - except that it is nighttime and any self respecting bird is home in his nest. These two bats I photographed at Okinawan Fruits Land a couple of weeks ago.


A few nights ago I mentioned to Ron about the huge birds flying in front of the windows of the living room. They seemed a bit odd to me. I mean, it was night time. What were those birds doing out so late? That's when Ron introduced me, and my imagination, to the Okinawa flying fox.

It is so named because of its fox like facial features. They almost certainly look cute in the photos, but I prefer to keep some distance between us. Like bats most places they eat insects and fruit. Homo sapiens are not on their menu.
















I just didn't like the way this one was looking at me. And yes, I am quite well aware that they are anatomically correct. After all, they are real, and alive.

Fish Fry

Ron and I have been watching these everchanging pools of darkness in the very shallow water created during low tide. It appears we have a fish nursery right under the balcony. The East China Sea could use some replenishing in a BIG way.

Kokeshi doll

Now I have never been one of those girly-girls playing with dolls as a child. Not on your life. I wanted to ride bikes and build forts and play ball, and read. Barbies were popular when I was of the age to have them. But I had absolutely no use for them.

So, it is rather surprising that this charming little kokeshi doll has entered my collection, small that it is, of 'stuff'. She is all of about 6 inches tall. Kokeshi dolls have been created in Japan for over 200 years. They are made of wood, such as dogwood, and painted with traditional costumes or even landscapes, or images of various kinds. Some artists of these dolls become very famous and their dolls commend high prices throughout the world.

I have not rebounded to childhood, but I do find her rather delightful. She will find a choice spot carefully packed in my suitcase for the trip back to the States.