The minute I left my Japanese examination room, I was on vacation. I had been expecting this day for a long time because I was on my way for one of the most fascinating regions of Japan to me: Okinawa.
Okinawa is made up of 3 main islands, but actually comprises thousands of islands, most which have still not been explored. I decided to visit the main Okinawa island, comprising the capital and most population, Okinawa honto. From Osaka to Naha, the capital of Okinawa, it takes 2h. Okinawa is closer to Taiwan than mainland China and was part of a different kingdom (Ryuukyuu) before it became part of Japan. Ryuukyuu culture is still evident in Okinawa, but most physical traces have been wiped by invasion and war. Okinawa was also the site of the most intense battles, especially in the ending segments of the Second World War. It is also here that the famed Commodore Perry and the black ships arrived in Japan to challenge it to industrialize and sparking the Meiji Era.
My first view of Okinawa was the sea and coastal land. From my seat I could see the Chinese sea and the water was so blue it seemed like it was dyed. Once walking in downtown Naha, the first thing I noticed was how the temperature was different there. Hot and humid, almost tropical-like weather. The scenery is different as well: many nearby mountains and palm trees everywhere. Everything is so green; vegetation probably does not die during winter because it is warm enough.
That night I walked on Kokusai doori, the main strip in Naha with a mixture of restaurants and eclectic shops, ranging from collectibles to music instruments and liquor. Kokusai doori is indeed very animated with shops playing raggae music or traditional Okinawan music. Some locals improvise a stage in the street and perform their hearts out on their guitar. The stores are flashy and all have an element of Okinawan culture: some sell Shiisa, a legendary Okinawan figurine, others sell special sake that is brewed and sold with a Habu snake inside! and others sell the Shamisen, the main instrument used in Okinawan music.
After only a few hours in Okinawa, I realize that Okinawans are really apart from the rest of Japan and identify themselves more to Chinese culture than Japanese culture. Some habits that are given in mainland Japan are not seen here: when it rains, rarely can people using umbrellas be seen. (compared to people in the rest of Japan who seem to have a phobia for raindrops).
Before I left for Okinawa I learned a few words that I thought could be useful in having a discussion with an Okinawan: war, soldiers, army, weapons and military bases. Okinawa has been partly controlled by US forces since the end of the war and 20% of land in Okinawa is actually leased to US forces for military purposes. This has created much tension between Okinawa and both US and Japan governments, and to a certain extent, unfortunately, foreigners in general can be discriminated against although they might not be involved in the conflict at all. There are some bars that warn that foreigners are not involved, or can enter at certain conditions. Many incidents have happened in the past that has marred relations between Okinawans and foreigners. Construction of military bases means that there are dangerous areas around the bases and there have been incidents of crashing aircraft in residential areas. There is also the environmental problems surrounding military bases such as degradation of water condition in rivers and lakes and the erosion of live coral reef as well as the destruction of precious aquatic life. Activists have united and organized protests against the construction of bases and vindicate the eviction of US forces from Okinawa. The peak of anti-US forces movement was in the mid-90's when two American soldiers had kidnapped and raped a 14 year old Okinawan girl. A demonstration of 80,000 people and more around Japan made the Americans move one base and promised to close one of them. Still, today there is a lot of tension and I always tried to make it clear that I was not related to the military and Canadian.
After a long walk I returned to my hostel and went to bed dreaming of the paradise-like islands and beaches I would visit while in Okinawa.
** I did not take many pictures of Kokusai doori, so here is what a search on google photos turns up when you search for Kokusaidoori **
Google Photos
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