I've been back from Japan for almost a month, so I think it's about time to update that amazing trip onto my blog :) We started out in Okinawa, and stayed in Ishigaki (smaller island in Okinawa) and stayed at the Fusaki Beach Resort. It was such a cute, and tropical resort, with shisa EVERYWHERE, I absolutely loved it. (Click the link if you want to read a lil bit about shisa, they're pretty awesome.)
In Okinawa, we did so many great things that are probably once-in-a-lifetime opportunities for me.
Also, I learned you cannot do your hair or makeup in Okinawa...it's just way too humid. Don't even try to look good.
06/08 - Before leaving to Okinawa, my family and I rode trains to the Hadena Airport, and took a 3-hour plane ride to the mainland Okinawa, and then a 50-minute plane ride to Ishigaki Island. After our arrival, we got all settled down at our hotel, then looked inside a lil cave there. I have always been amazed by caves with the way they are made, settled, and how long it takes for them to look the way they do. There was even a stalagmite that looked like Totoro!! After exploring the cave, we had dinner at the souvenir shop of the cave. Then, bedtime. This whole trip in Okinawa was so wearing, and we did a lot every day, so we usually fell asleep by 7:00 or 8:00 PM! Which is insane, because I usually go to bed around 2:00 or 3:00 AM!
Welcome to Ishigaki, Okinawa, Japan :)
The cave we explored ;)
The stalagmite that looks like Totoro!
06/09 - We went to a Chinese graveyard in Okinawa, the Toujin Grave Memorial. (Click on that link to read more about it.) It's for Chinese workers that, were coming to California on a British/American ship that crashed near this island, were killed or died on their way. After this, we went to the Ishigaki Pottery Studio, and got to meet/talk with Haruhiko Kaneko, the man who is head of this pottery studio, and got to see (and even buy...if you're rich enough) his amazing pottery. His pottery is influenced by Ishigaki's coral reef, and the blue/emerald green sea. He has been very successful! His pottery is known throughout Japan, and his pottery dinnerware is used in high-class hotels in Japan and France! And he speaks English, too! It was an awesome experience. After going to this pottery studio, we went to a beach with glass-bottomed boats, so that we could see the coral, fish, and other sea-life in our boat! It was beautiful! After this, we went back to our hotel, and walked to the beach, and got to play in the ocean and go snorkeling. Poor Mama got bit by a fish, hahaha... For dinner, we had shabu-shabu, SO DELICIOUS. I wish I could eat it more often.
Mom and me, while walking to breakfast!
Toujin Grave Memorial
Ishigaki Pottery Studio :)
The beach where we rode the glass-bottom boats, and the view from the boat :)
The beach in Okinawa that we swam and snorkeled at. Isn't it beautiful? The water is so clean here :)
06/10 - We went on several boat rides today to other small islands in Okinawa. We went to three different islands: Iriomote, Yubujima, and Taketomi. We got to ride water buffalos from one island to the other, and also got to ride the water buffalos in Taketomi throughout the very old city, it was amazing. In Taketomi, the roads are just paved with sand, all the houses are very old with their shisa on the roofs and gates, and it seemed like a simple, happy lifestyle there. We also went on a jungle cruise, and it was so beautiful! So green and humid. For dinner, we had traditional Okinawan food, and this dinner included singing and dancing! This was our last night in Okinawa, and the next day (06/11), we flew back to my grandma's house in Chiba.
Jungle Cruise - so pretty.
How beautiful is this? I miss it a lot.
These are the boat we rode where the water buffaloes pulled us from one island to another. Our cute boat "driver" played us music and sang for us, too. Also, these water buffaloes poop A LOT. It was not a pretty sight, but I had to laugh every time.
Another cool part of Japan is this checker symbol here. You see it all over Okinawa, and it basically means
"forever". So precious. "Itsuyo made sukidesu anata"
"forever". So precious. "Itsuyo made sukidesu anata"
Goodbye Okinawa, I love you.
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