Ryukyu Mura

Before Sonia left for Hawaii the other day, we took a few hours to go visit Ryukyu Mura. To those familiar with Living History Farms in Iowa, Ryukyu Mura is similar, just Okinawa style. The purpose is to show life as it used to be - albeit, a cleaned up version of history some might say. That's okay.

This kimonoed lady is playing the traditional Okinawan musical instrument called a sanshin. Strings are plucked in a lute type fashion.

Sonia and I posed with these snake-skin covered sanshins at the request of the mamasan in charge.



Speaking of snake skins, at Ryukyu Mura there is a very popular exhibit and show of the infamous habu, a deadly venomous snake found here on Okinawa. Habus natural enemy is the mongoose which is not an uncommon site to see as it dashes across the roadways. Sonia and I visited the habu/mongoose show where we were verbally in the dark - all Japanese. But the sight of a habu on the stage only 5 or 6 feet away, repeatedly striking the shoe of the demonstrator was a bit unnerving. A glass partition, maybe 18 inches tall was all that separated the viewers and the viewed. The stakes were raised when a handler grabbed a habu and swung! the vipor above our heads! If the snake had somehow slipped from his grip pandemonium would have been the word of the day. At least from those who didn't collapse from the event instantly-ME. Another handler brought out a habu, held securely behind the head, and at the tail, and proceeded to let the audience members, all 20 or so of us, have a hands on 'touch' of the habu. This same handler had a bit of the sadistic inside him, as on a couple occasions, after letting us touch the body of the habu, he made a 'tossing of the habu' motion at audience members, me included. I guess he liked to hear us scream in fright!