Okinawa, dive into the unusual Japan
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February 25, 2017 - Okinawa, dive into the unusual Japan
Okinawa, the part of Japan which is not quite like Japan. Confused? The best way to understand how special the island is would be to discover it through Okinawans' eyes. One of their local matsuri, or festival, is called the Ryukyu Lanterns Festival. During the evening, the air is filled with kids' laughs, colorful lanterns and soft music. You'll even be able to witness the greatest adventures of an Okinawan warrior, gone to China to learn its treasures and culture and to bring it back on the island. What a great way to start the journey on Okinawa.
For your first night on the island, while it does have plenty of elegant and magnificent hotels, I'll recommend you the traditional and cheapest solution of the minshuku. The futon will soothe your aching back, and if you're lucky the owner will be an artist in disguise, in the mood to give you a free sanshin concert inside the wooden house.
There are not a lot of Minshuku on the island, so try to find one and book quickly to secure your spot, and never show up without reserving first as the small house might end up being entirely occupied.
Okinawa is renowned for its pretty beaches, and to miss them would be to miss most of what is making the island's identity. My fascination goes first to the most untamed beaches, the one which are still resisting the man hand. It feels like the visitor is lost in another world.
Okinawa does not possess a lot of transportation facilities, especially if you want to go outside the main cities so you might find out the best way to get around is to rent a car. Then all you have to do is follow the shore and spot any small path going down to the beach. This small expedition will be worth it when you discover a secret spot empty of divers or tourists.
The shrines in Okinawa are special, subtly different from the one found in the main islands of Japan for who can see the discreet signs. The architecture is mixed, materials are wildly used with little regard to custom. Here at the Futenma Shrine, the Chinese, Okinawa and Japanese traditions clearly meet and complete each other.
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2017/02/25 - Okinawa, dive into the unusual Japan |
