Shurijo Castle Park

By Maki Nako

When getting to know the people of Okinawa, their arts and culture, one of the places you simply cannot pass up during your time on the main island is Shurijo Castle Park.

The islands of Okinawa were once known as the independent Kingdom of Ryukyu, and Shuri was its capital. From around the 14th century, the Ryukyu Kingdom flourished through trade with neighboring Asian countries, and through these trading routes, brought back various influences in the arts, religion, politics and academics.

At Shruijo Castle Park, located in Shuri, Naha City, visitors can take a trip back in time surrounded by the impressive residence of the Ryukyu royalty. The Seiden, or the Main Hall, was destroyed by fires a number of times in the past, but each time, the people of Ryukyu restored it at the same location. The Castle was last left in ruins in the Battle of Okinawa in 1945, but was again restored in 1992 and is now the proud symbol of the Ryukyu heritage.

My favorite place at Shurijo Castle Park is the Shoin Sasunoma and the Garden, serving as a teahouse located along the touring route of the fare-paid zone of the Castle itself. Here, visitors are given a brief introduction on the functions of the facility by a Shurijo employee (offered in English, too!) as you enjoy the delightful Okinawan tea and confectionaries and while you take in the simple, yet serene beauty of the Ryukyuan garden accented with limestone and cycad trees. Along with other uses, this area was used by the royal princes to entertain guests and dignitaries. It’s exciting to know that you are at the exact place where the Ryukyuan royalties went about their daily business, and to wonder what thoughts went through their minds as they gazed out to the garden, centuries ago.

Shurijo Castle Park offers so much to see and learn about the history of Okinawa through their informative displays and fantastic art exhibits, not to mention the architecture within the grounds. Surrounding the main, fare-paid zone are various sites to enjoy, admission-free. You can spend a good portion of the day there, viewing the different gardens, and other historic sites and structures within the Park. If you happen to drive by or be in the area after sundown, be sure to catch a glimpse of the awe-inspiring Castle which is dynamically illuminated on most nights until around midnight. It is certainly a graceful, grandeur sight to see.

Shurijo Castle is one of the nine sites in Okinawa collectively designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site under the title, Gusuku Sites and Related Properties of the Kingdom of Ryukyu. 

Check out the Shurijo Castle Park website for details:
http://oki-park.jp/shurijo-park/english/

Learn more about the other World Heritage Sites on Okinawa:
http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/972

Senaga Island

Posted by Masumi Tuha
Senaga-jima, a small island in Tomigusuku City, is one of the places I frequently visit by car, bike, or running. It is also one of the places where my husband took me to when I visited Okinawa before we got married.

So, what are the attractions of this island?

I would say the main attraction is airplanes passing overhead. The island is located just south of Naha Airport, and many people go there to enjoy watching airplanes take off and land; they pass just above you! It is so impressive, and you will never get tired of watching them. You may also be amazed at how often airplanes come and go in Okinawa. During the busy hours in the morning and evening, it is not an exaggeration to say that you can see airplanes approaching and departing every few minutes.

Other people come here to enjoy wind surfing. It was quite windy the last time I visited the island, and I could see several windsurfers.

This island is also a good place to have a barbeque party in the summer time. Children can play in the park. There are also four baseball fields on this small island (the perimeter is 1.5 km)!

This is a rock where couples who wish to have a baby come to pray to be blessed with a newborn.

The shape of the original rock was different. There were two holes near the top of the rock. It is said that if you throw a stone, and it passes through the upper hole, you will have a baby boy; if it passes through the lower hole, you will have a baby girl.

Even though it was recently recreated without holes, it still seems to have a special power.

In the evening, a beautiful sunset over the horizon on the side of the rock romanticizes people.

Senaga Island is an island of love and happiness. I strongly recommend you visit.

Tomari Iyu-Machi

Posted by Mari Rita Tobaru

Visiting markets when traveling different countries is always the best way to learn about the cuisine culture of that specific country or to see the type of food the local people are eating on a daily basis. In Okinawa, you’ll find various vegetable markets, meat markets and fish markets everywhere. Out of all the markets, I personally love visiting fish markets, and there is one specific market I patron. Located in Tomari, this market is a great place to shop for seafood. It’s also my favorite spot to show around when friends visit. The market is basically separated into two different areas when entering the gate of the market area. To make it easier to understand, I simply separate them as the “new” side and “old” side. After venturing to both areas and talking to the owners, I learned that both sides sell the fresh catch of the day. The difference? Some store owners at the old side sell their catch the way it comes, so if you can clean a fish, then this is the right place to go. The new side, named “Tomari Iyu-Machi”, houses several stores and also a fish processing center. Fish of all kinds, large in size are processed at the center and at early hours, visitors can see professionals at work through a glass window. Shopping at Iyu-Machi market makes cooking easier. Fresh tuna (maguro) is already sliced and ready to eat. So far, I’ve bought fresh lobsters at such a reasonable price that I bought the whole lot; fresh oysters, swordfish fillets for my famous meuniere, large prawns, soft crabs, salmon roe (ikura) and sea urchin (uni) for my sushi parties, fresh sushi to-go (sushi looks so delicious here that you can’t resist buying it), crispy fish & squid tempura and much more! If you have the time, try adventuring to this market which is just minutes away from Tomari International Cemetery.

Tomari Iyu-Machi
1-1 Tomari, Naha
Tel: 098-868-1096
Open: 6:00-18:00Perking: Free

Access: From Naha Airport 15 mins by car.
                                                     by taxi (1,500yen)

Tanaga Gumui Plant Community

Posted by Tsukasa Hellinger   

    Okinawa is Japan’s southernmost prefecture, and as you might imagine, the summers here are blistering!  When most people think of Okinawa, Karate Kid, spectacular beaches, and tropical fish are probably the first things to pop up in their minds.  However, few people know about Tanaga Gumui Plant Community.  This is an area in Kunigami Village designated by the government as a natural monument.  The area is inhabited by several species of plants that only grow here.  

     In addition, there’s a waterfall there that is fed by Aha River.  At the base of the waterfall is a basin where the water collects.  So why am I writing about this?  That’s right; to help you escape the heat!  The water at this lake is cold, so on a scorching summer day, taking a dip here is so refreshing.  It’s located in a jungle like area, so it’s also a way to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city.

      Getting there is a bit of an adventure, so put on your Indiana Jones action gear and watch out for habu, a venomous snake in Okinawa!  Once you park your car, you’ll walk down a path through the woods leading to the lake.  Before reaching the lake, you’ll also have to rope your way down a sharp slope.  What?!  That’s right; ROPE your way down, Indiana Jones!  I recommend you bring clothes that you don’t mind getting dirty because the soil there is clay. 

     Once you’ve made it to the lake, prepare to get wet.  There is a rope hanging from a tree branch at the edge of the lake.  Use it to swing yourself out and take that first shocking cold plunge, Tarzan!  Next, to generate a little body heat, swim to the other end of the lake where the pristine waterfall is.

     Now, as you can see in the photo, I climbed to the top of the waterfall.  (This can be dangerous, so take precaution.)  At the top of the waterfall, there is a shallow stream and large rocks to rest on.  The rocks are heated by the sun, so it’s so relaxing to lay on them after making that frigid swim!  

    Guess what?  Now you gotta swim back, climb back up that steep slope, and watch out for habu snakes before going home!  Don’t worry; it’s worth it.  Besides, most people need the exercise and to experience the feeling of being a kid again, eh?  Trust me.  Once you’ve gone there, “you’ll be back,” Terminator.