Aloha from the Hawaii of Japan! This post is most definitely long overdue considering I went to Okinawa all the way back in March, but let's just overlook that minuscule slight on my part and get to good stuff shall we?
Springtime is an interesting transition period in Japan. Unlike Canada, Japan's school year ends at the beginning of March and begins again during April which explains why cherry blossoms are so symbolically attached to the idea of new beginnings, but I digress. With spring break upon me and with my school being super chill about taking vacation days when the students are away, I decided it would be a perfect time for the Ortibus clan to visit me and see a little bit of Japan.
While I would have loved to show them Tokyo, I really wanted an escape from the metropolis myself, so we made the consensus to spend our two week vacation in Naha, Okinawa.
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| You can't say no to a place that looks as gorgeous as Okinawa does! |
The only downer of visiting Okinawa during this time is that it's not exactly beach weather quite yet. Don't get me wrong, it was nice enough to romp around in a light jacket, but it would have been pretty cool to get to experience Okinawa in it's prime summer months. I say this, but then my fickle mind also reminds me that travelling during Golden Week to Okinawa would probably be a nightmare as all of the major attractions would be strangled with hoards of people... You win some you lose some no matter what I suppose.
Another kind of concern of mine pre-Okinawa was that some of the locals might have a bad attitude towards foreigners. With the giant slew of American army bases still stationed there I didn't really know what kind of attitudes they would have towards travelers, but I was so incredibly wrong to worry about anything. All of the people that I chatted with were super nice and I was even shocked to hear more English spoken there than in Tokyo! Way to go Okinawa! Putting Tokyo's English level to shame! This English-Sensei approves!
Since Okinawa turned out to be such a wonderful vacation spot, I thought I'd post some of my favourite memories from the trip and give you some recommendations for your very own trip to Japan's southern paradise ~!
Churaumi Aquarium
It's hard to talk about Okinawa and NOT mention the Churaumi Aquarium! I've heard mention that the Churaumi Aquarium is second in quality and overall spectacular-ness only to the the Georgia Aquarium in the States! I don't have a hard time believing that because everything about this place was fantastic. They layout of the aquarium in itself is super cool. You start up on the fourth floor and you make your way down from the coral reef into the depths of the deep sea.
Here you can see the crown jewel of the aquarium which is the giant whale shark tank.
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| How cute are those whale sharks?!?! |
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| There is something so therapeutic about watching jellyfish sploosh around |
This massive tank is around 7,500 cubic meters and affords a great view from any area. I could have watched the whale sharks and manta rays swim around all day long!
There were also some outdoor exhibits featuring dolphins, sea turtles, and manatees which were quite interesting to see.
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| I made a friend in Okinawa. Just more proof that I was a mermaid in a past life. |
If you go to Okinawa, I strongly recommend you visit this aquarium. If you are in Naha as we were, it's a bit of a pain in the butt to get there. Unlike Tokyo, Okinawa isn't blessed with the ever-so-convenient railway system. It has one monorail line but that won't take you anywhere close to where you need to be. My suggestion is to either book a spot on a tour bus (you can do that on the main tourist strip in Naha or with your hotel), rent a car, or negotiate a price with a taxi driver. Some Japanese will be required if you want to try the taxi route, but you can get a really fair deal for getting there and coming back. You can also tell them how long you will be unlike a tour bus so I think it's a better route.
Tropical Dream Center
We visited the Tropical Dream Center sort of accidentally after we were done with the aquarium. It's located in the same area (Ocean Expo Park) and we happened to stumble across it when we were searching for the taxi stand. I'm really glad we did find it because it most definitely excited the nerdy botanist inside of me.
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| The entrance to the Tropical Dream Center |
If you aren't a huge fan of flowers, or specifically orchids, this isn't the place for you. But if you are excited by the idea of prancing around thirteen different floral themed areas while being bombared by every type of orchid on the planet, this is DEFINITELY your kind of place. My favourite area was definitely the tropical fruits greenhouse just because it was kind of wild to see so many foreign fruits like jackfruit and durian growing right in front of me.
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| Orchids on orchids on orchids. |
It even has a stamp rally and who in there right mind says no to a stamp rally?!
Shuri Castle
What kind of sensei would I be if I didn't delve into a little lesson now and then? Pay attention kiddies, here comes some very unexpected history factoids!
Back in the 1300's, Shuri Castle was built for the Ryukyu Kings to use as an administration center as well as a place of residence. It was seen as the heart of the Ryukyu's culture and foreign trade. It was once a great and prosperous palace, but was destroyed multiple times during World War II and the Battle of Okinawa. Unfortunately, the buildings we see there today are reconstructions, but I don't think this takes anything away from its grandeur and magnificence. All in all, there are three world heritage sites within the grounds; the Tamaudun which was a resting place for the kings and their families, the Sonohyan-utaki Stone gate which was a place where kings would pray for a safe journey, and the Shuri Castle itself.
Now you may be thinking, "Wow, I didn't know you were clever enough to know all of that!" Well, good sir, I'm not. I just did a bit of research on the Shuri Castle's website which you can do too!
Educate yo'self!
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| Here is the famous Shurijo in all of its red glory |
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| Tamaudun - The burial site of kings and their royal families |
Another great thing about Shuri Castle is that all of their inscriptions are in both English and Japanese! I think they had pamphlets in other languages too if I remember correctly
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| Map of the grounds... Bring your walking shoes |
Apart from the fun of learning history.. THERE IS ALSO A STAMP RALLY!! Mainly, I think it's to keep kids entertained while their parents enjoy reading about the various sites... but I am a rare human, I enjoy history and stamps! Along the way, if you get enough stamps, you earn an even BIGGER congratulatory stamp to go on your map. It's fun for the whole family I tell ya.
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| View from a high point of the Castle |
As for my recommendations, be sure to go on a nice day, wear good walking shoes, and bring sun protection! It's definitely a bit of a hike around the area. Actually, we were crazy enough to walk to the castle not really knowing how hilly the jaunt would be... When we told the workers where we had walked from to get there she didn't believe us at first, and when she did, she called us the craziest foreigners she had ever met haha!
Okinawa World
Ever wanted to go spleunking, drink sake made from a venemous snake, and make traditional Japanese crafts all in the same day? Well you're in luck you crazy go-getter you! Okinawa World has all of it and more!
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| Entrance to Okinawa World! Let the fun begin |
My absolute favourite part about Okinawa World was the cave exploration. Gyokusendo cave is about 5000 meters long and was formed almost 300,000 years ago. The walk is 890 meters long and it took us 30 minutes to get through. What's amazing about this cave is that some of the stalagmite and stalactite have actually warped through some of the walking paths creating a very Indiana Jones experience. The walk itself is narrow but very straight. The only precaution I have to offer is that if you have a hard time breathing in humid places, it might not be the best idea for you. You should also wear very slip-proof footwear and maybe a rain jacket because you will get a bit wet with all of the condensation. I also recommend not going to the cave when it's lined up outside because if it's busy, you are told not to hold up the line by stopping to take photos.
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| Very cool sights, sadly, no treasure... |
So after you start building up your Indian Jones persona with a classic cave exploration, what better to do than to take on a tank of venomous snakes? However, instead of batting them off with a torch or a whip, Okinawans like to take a simpler approach. Drinking them! While I wish I was joking about this, Okinawa is actually known for its Habu Sake (Habushu) which is made from a snake whose bite can cause nausea, vomiting, hypotesion, and death... Sound appealing yet? No? Well let me give you a little info about how they make this stuff. First they take some awamori sake (made from a special kind of rice) and they mix in some herbs and some honey. So far so good! Then comes the fun as a live Habu snake is inserted into the vat and is left to drown in the mixture...
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| A little dunk tank full of snakes |
Dear heavens above, call Fear Factor! If this isn't the most stereotypical man drink, I don't know what is. At least now I know where El Macho got his shot recipe from!
On a less extreme note, some of the craft tables at Okinawa World are really fun to try out! They had a booth where you could make leather crafts, try on traditional Okinawa garments, and make paper crafts. I decided to go for the bookmark making table because a book addict like me can't turn down a good opportunity to get my grubby ink-stained mitts on another bookmark!
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| The world's most adorable bookmark maker |
I made a sakura bookmark and a whale shark bookmark with the help of the adorable woman shown in the picture above. She was honestly the most cheerful person I've ever met. She's even ironing out my bookmark with a smile! AND she gave me a hibiscus to wear in my hair when we were done. Stop it with your incessant cuteness! Also, in the picture on the bottom right, you can see the tools needed to make the bookmarks. It's basically a wooden block with three divisions and a little sieve at the bottom so that the glue can run through the paper as it's being shaken out. All of the crafts there are quite easy so it's another family friendly option!
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| I know what you're going to say and NO I didn't take a forbidden photo... Pictures were allowed after the show |
During your visit you can also see some traditional performances. These events only happen at certain times during the day so be sure to schedule your time there properly! The dance they preform is called Eisa which is a very energetic dance using drums, sanshin, and elaborate costumes. The kind of movements and flips these people can do while playing the drums is absolutely breathtaking! They also have a bit of a comedy act during the middle which involves bringing up people from the audience, but I won't spoil what happens. You'll just have to go and see for yourself!
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| Mom having her feet attacked by hungry little fishies |
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| Glass blowing studio |
Apart from those events, Okinawa World has such a hodgepodge of randomly awesome things to do. You can try your hand at traditional glass blowing, and you can even have a fish pedicure! You could most definitely spend an entire day at this place.
Sand's Diner
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| You know you're in paradise when you see this sign! |
Many of my coworkers (being Japanese and in love with food) ask me about my favourite restaurant that I went to in Okinawa... I feel almost ashamed to admit that my number one was a burger joint called Sand's Diner. I was expecting to be chastised but most of the responses I got were pretty positive like, "Ahhh, yes, the American foods there are good" and "It's very unusual to get good American food! That's nice." So there, I have Japanese people backing me up and now I don't feel so bad! #sorrynotsorry
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| Here's a shot of what the restaurant looks like on the inside |
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| Good cheese AND jalapeneos?! Are you sure we're still in Japan? |
My mom's favourite was the Taco Rice which is a bit of a specialty in Okinawa. My dad and I, the pigs that we are, enjoyed their fatest, most juciest bacon and cheese hamburgers. After being in Tokyo for so long, it was nice to satisfy my burger craving. This is extremely embarrasing to admit, but we went there so many times, the entire staff knew us very well by the end of our vacation. All I can say is that Sand's diner has cool vibes, delicious food, strong drinks, and an awesome staff to top it all off!
In Conclusion...
If you are looking to stay in Naha, the Hyatt Resort is a beautiful place to stay but a bit of a wallet gobbler... If you don't want to pay a lot for your stay, I recommend looking at these
Top 20 Vacation Rentals in Naha, Okinawa on Airbnb, A lot of my friends have stayed in some of these places for their trip and they have nothing but good things to say about them. Also, before I forget to mention it! Go get some sokiramen (pork rib ramen) when you are there! It is another specialty and you will not be disappointed! Oh, oh! Salt cookies and some beni imo tarts make for a fabulous after dinner treat too! Great... now I'm hungry for food that's miles and miles away... Darn you Okinawa!!
So I guess my final question is... what are you doing not packing for Okinawa?! Summer is coming and you need to get yourself there!!
My goodness, it feels like I arrived at Narita, plane sick and covered in sweat only mere weeks ago. Actually scratch that moment. Not really a nice nostalgic place to bring everyone back to... Let's try this again.. Goodness gracious, it feels like I stepped into this magical land of "gacha gacha" machines and "kira kira"lights only a few mere weeks ago. There! Now that's better. This is a much better way to start up my nostalgia train!
Another reason is because of the grandeur of the fireworks. USA boasts that its fireworks are the best, but oh my sweet blinded eyes, you haven't seen fireworks until you come to Tokyo. They are the biggest, most colourful, and most creative fireworks I've ever seen! They even have one called "Niagara Falls" which is basically a line of fireworks that spew silver lights and mimic a waterfall!!! So cool!
I am probably the only person in the world to ever plan a birthday party in a bathhouse haha! When you think about it logically, it seems very, very strange to ask your close friends to come bathe with you to celebrate the day of your birth... but you know what?! In Japan there are no rules (except.. you know, the Japanese ones). I had such a blast hanging out (literally lolol) with my closest friends. I was so happy to see that everyone was having a great time wearing their yukata and enjoying the spa. It was really memorable for me because it reminded me just how lucky I am to have such good friends who are willing and eager to celebrate my birthday with me. It was also memorable because of that AMAZING body scrub and back massage that I got. I'll definitely never forget that euphoria haha!
Of course while there have been many awesome things that I've experienced this year, there have been some not-so-awesome things as well. An obvious and inevitable part of life I suppose. Luckily, this list isn't very long, but I wanted to include it because while my time in Japan has been a lot of rainbows and sunshine, there has naturally been a cloud or two along the way.
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