A Stopover in Naha, Okinawa, 6-11 and 12, 2013

I really wanted to go snorkeling in Okinawa.  I'd seen pictures of the crystal clear water and beautiful fish.  I had planned to do it in Dec. but found out too late that it's not warm all year round like Hawaii and people don't swim in the winter.
I had found a pension that I wanted to stay at but they were going to be closed on the 11 and 12.  So I stayed in Naha for 2 nights at the Toyoko Inn Asahibashi (business hotel) that Yoshie and I had stayed at in December.  We liked it then, great Okinawan breakfasts, nice location (I knew my way around right off the bat which was nice), not luxurious but everything one needs at a good price.

 

I found a very friendly place to eat.  I tried some Okinawan noodles and peanut tofu.  They also had me sample some awamori - the local liquor (very strong) and takowasa - frozen raw octopus and wasabi.

 



 

I had wanted to go to a garden but it was closed on Wednesdays.... so I decided to take a bus north to the Ryukyu Village.  These used to be the Ryukyu Islands and you can see how different it is from the rest of Japan.  Much more Chinese - colorful castle and clothes, the local dialect is very different than Japanese (although everyone now speaks proper Japanese), etc.  So the Ryukyu are considered to be the native people.

She's 96!  And it was around 95 degrees!

Hmm.  Who will get it, the duck or the fish?
My be is on those crazy fish.

A stop for an Okinawan specialty.  It's like a big donut hole
but not as sweet.  And some 30 herb tea, iced.  Nice.

Food storage.

spinning wheels

He is very good, he played a mixture of traditional and new.
Sort of Hawaiian sounding, like a ukulele song by
Isreal Kamikaweole

beautiful textiles

Yum yum yum.  Although this looks like 'yellow snow'
it is a utterly delicious and super refreshing shikuwasa kakigori
(shikuwasa being my favorite citrus along with yuzu). 
Sweet, tart, heavenly on a really hot day.
And I listened to the guys below while I was eating it.

 

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Savory pancakes with scallions and beni shoga
(pickeled ginger).

a pottery studio

The village had interesting aspects.  The dancing and singing were quite nice and the buildings and scenery.  Although I'm used to even minor sites in Japan having souvenier shops, this whole village is a souvenier shop.  Many of the historical buildings were selling things as well as the little 'village of stores and eateries at
the entrance/exit.  It was a little too much.

I was going to keep going north and perhaps go swimming at a beach but when I looked at the sky I decided to catch the bus back to Naha.  It did start raining just as I reached the main street.  I got off one stop too late and had to walk back to the
Makishi Market where I was planning to have dinner.

This is where I ate above the fish
market at Makishi.

The same delicious fish I had in Dec.,
fried, you eat the whole thing, bones as well.