Aki yasumi pt. 10 - Okinawa-ken (Autumn Vacation part 10 - Okinawa-ken)Okinawa. Beautiful, tropical, peaceful, natural, tribal, Southeast Asian style Japan.
Okinawa is a very special and unique experience all its own-- so much so that it's almost difficult for visitors to believe we're still in Japan! While Honshu (本州, the main island of Japan) and the smaller, nearby islands are very much a part of Northeast Asia, Okinawa fits in much more with the style of tropical Southeast Asia. Previously known as the separate country of Ryukyu Kingdom, a tributary state of the Chinese Ming Dynasty, the region became incorporated into Japan as Okinawa-ken in 1879. The rich Ryukyu history and influence from China blended with Japanese heritage to create a unique culture that Okinawans can proudly call their own.
Okinawa's warm, moist climate yields an abundance of fresh tropical fruits and vegetables such as sugar cane, pineapple, guava, passionfruit, banana, papaya and mango, as well as a something that is exclusive only to Okinawa-- the benimo (紅いも), which is a dark-purple sweet potato with a firm-yet-smooth, creamy texture. The benimo is prized as a local product so much so that it is not even permitted to be shipped to the rest of Japan, let alone any other place in the world. They are truly a joy to eat and are consumed by themselves and also used as ingredients in a wide variety of sweet and savory foods. Gorgeous and colourful tropical and sub-tropical trees, plants and flowers also flourish here and come together to create Okinawa-ken's breath-taking scenery.As one might expect, there is also a wonderful and very delicious array of special Okinawan cuisine that arises from the prefecture's unique culture and topography. The local ingredients available here have been used for a *very* long time in the region and have been infused into a very exclusive type of cookery that combines the tropical-tribal history of the Ryukyu Kingdom with the tastes and traditions of Japan. I had the pleasure of enjoying an Okinawa Kaiseki -- a course meal featuring dishes and ingredients unique to Okinawa. This was an unforgettable experience that challenged and thrilled my tastebuds in a new and exciting way; I certainly hope it won't be the last time.
Okinawa's rich and distinct cultural climate offers a *lot* of beautiful handmade crafts. Many of these are exclusive only to Okinawa and as such new apprentices cannot be trained in these arts anywhere else. Japanese people from all over the country relocate to Okinawa so that they can become a part of these creative communities. Especially well-known are Okinawan textile producers who use local materials to create traditionally and beautifully-dyed all-natural thread, and Okinawan weavers who use the thread to produce very beautiful kimono and fine fabric goods of all kinds. There are also Ryukyu Glass-blowers who use vast store-houses of glass bottles 
carelessly discarded by the U.S. Military forces and recycle them into beautiful handmade glassware. Communities of pottery-makers are also numerous and well-known for their beautiful and high-quality goods produced, coloured and glazed using local materials. The preservation of these traditional crafts is held very dear in Okinawa and they are kept here on these islands in order to maintain the rare Okinawan/Ryukyu culture.
Okinawa has many, many things to offer her visitors, of course, but one attraction that I highly recommend is the Churaumi Aquarium. It's certainly not the first Aquarium I've visited, but it's definitely the best! The Aquarium grounds are enormous and have a LOT to see. The layout of the space is well-designed, as well, maximising each visitor's experience. Whale Sharks, Sea Turtles, Rays, Manatees, Anemones, starfish you can touch, fish that glow, fish that sting.... Churaumi has *everything*; it's incredible!
If there's anything I didn't really enjoy thoroughly in Okinawa, it was the timing of our trip. Unfortunately, it became cloudy on the day that we arrived, and then was cloudy, cool and raining for several days afterward. Finally, the skies cleared and the sun came out to make everything feel warm; too bad that was the morning that we had to leave! Ugh! Rinko and I definitely made the most of it, though, and we had a truly wonderful, memorable time-- we simply didn't experience the hot, summery weather we had anticipated. Additionally, it seems that at least one fifth of the main island is dominated by the huge U.S. Military bases. I don't care much for the U.S. military presence in Japan-- I personally think those bases should be shut down. It's not too difficult to get away from them, though, so it's fine. I know we are definitely going to go back again sometime; it's a very wonderful place.
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