Okinawa Island is the largest of the more than 150 Okinawa islands that make up the prefecture in the East China Sea between Taiwan and the Japanese mainland. The islands are known for their tropical climate, white beaches and coral reefs, though many will also be aware of the Battle of Okinawa, a major battle in the Pacific War.
Our arrival at Naha airport on the main island of Okinawa was particularly unceremonious. We flew from Fukuoka on the low-cost-carrier Peach. That in itself was perfectly fine, though it should be noted that legroom on a Japanese low-cost airline is almost non-existent for anyone approaching 6 feet tall. No, the really special part of this journey was arriving at Naha airport’s dedicated low-cost-carrier terminal! Walking from the plane into the building, behold the baggage reclaim area:
The dust-covered suitcases you see here were just for show to get people’s attention, because it’s a certainty that passengers on their way to collect their baggage are likely to miss the signs and walk straight through this small room on their search for something that actually looks more like an airport baggage reclaim area. Those who happened to stop here were giving confused looks to one another as if to give the impression they were taking it in their stride but, deep down they suspected this was some sort of joke and there were hidden cameras trained on them. When the suitcases started arriving, each item personally carried by a member of airport staff, minds were put to rest. Bags in tow, it was then through the doors to the main part of the terminal:
Two check-in counters, several benches and something resembling a bizarre 100 Yen store: this is the place to pass the time while waiting to board your outbound flight. It’s not somewhere you’d willingly spend more than a few minutes. Fortunately for us though, we were on our way out. But first, EVERY passenger had to wait for the one small shuttle bus to ferry everyone (plus their luggage) to the main terminal. This bus is compulsory as it’s the only way to get through the secure airport area to reach the outside world.
The moral of this story is: flying low cost carriers isn’t an issue. Getting to and from their aircraft is where the problem lies. Fortunately we would be leaving the island on the more traditional Japan Airlines and boarding through the remarkably modern, practical and aesthetically pleasing regular terminal that was more than just a cow shed.
Back on the civilised side of the airport, we took the monorail to downtown Naha city and our hotel, the Hilton Doubletree. Anyone who’s stayed at a Doubletree will know about their signature chocolate chip cookies. And what happens when you combine these cookies with Japan’s obsession with yuru-kyara mascots? Well, this happens…
Fresh, warm cookies in hand, we found our way to our room for the next four nights.
Shuri-jo Castle
Before becoming part of Japan, Okinawa was the capital of the independent Ryukyu Kingdom that thrived for more than 200 years as the centre point of maritime trade between mainland China, Japan, Korea and Vietnam among others. At the time China did not have diplomatic relations with Japan so direct trade between them was prohibited and the services of an independent intermediary flourished. This melting pot of influences gave rise to an interesting hybrid of historical cultures in the Ryukyu Kingdom.
Shuri Castle was the palace of the kingdom from 1429 until 1879. During the Battle of Okinawa in 1945 it was almost completely destroyed, but it was reconstructed and restored in the 1990’s to its original grandeur based on historical records and photographs and is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Kokusai-dori
This mile-long street in central Naha is lined with restaurants and shops selling all manner of local wares and souvenirs. Street vendors selling hand-made local crafts appear and disappear throughout the day to supplement the permanent stores.
The Shisa resembles a cross between a lion and a dog, and is a traditional Ryukyu decoration. Traditionally seen in pairs, people place them flanking doorways to ward off bad spirits and keep good spirits within. It’s the most ubiquitous symbol of the Okinawa islands and souvenir versions are sold virtually everywhere.
This husband and wife make and sell hand-painted sea shells that they collect on the island. Each design is carefully considered to factor the unique shapes, contours and imperfections of every shell into the picture being painted, using any ridges, holes and broken edges in each shell as a natural part of the painted design. It’s very cleverly done, and they were so friendly we felt compelled to buy one.
The Naha Giant Tug-of-War has its origins in the Ryukyu period when it pitted the communities of the East against those from the west. It was revived in 1971 to celebrate the recovery from the Battle of Okinawa, and in 1995 it received recognition by the Guinness Book of Records as the largest rope in the world. The East and West Teams still battle each year for dominance. The rope weighs 40 tonnes and is 1.5 metres in diameter. Long ropes extend from the main rope and thousands of participants pull on these to move the main rope. The event lasts up to 30 minutes after which the team that has pulled the other the furthest wins.
Eating Out
As a comparison against the low cost carrier terminal we arrived at, the main departure terminal at the airport when we were leaving couldn’t have been more different. The extensive selection of shops even included this, for any last-minute edible souvenir shopping!
Links
Naha Kokusai-dori Shopping Street – naha-kokusaidori.okinawa/en/
Doubletree by Hilton Hotel Naha – link (There are two different Doubletrees in Naha)
Jan & Warren's Spot 