Okinawa Day 6: Itoman Haari and Peace Memorial Park

Today's tour was very emotional.  It started off with a trip to Itoman for their Annual Itoman Haari Festival.  Haari is a boat that resembles China's dragon boat.  And every year, various towns and villages that are located along the water have their own haari races.  Our music group had the chance to form a team and it made up of 10 paddlers and one gong player.  I opted not to paddle.  Our Afuso Ryu team looked pretty good for never have had practiced together.

After watching the races and eating yummy festival food, we boarded the bus for an emotional afternoon.  We toured Himeyuri Monument.  The monument is erected above the caves where female students and teachers, who acted as nurses during the Battle of Okinawa, hid and ultimately perished.  It was so emotional to be there.  It felt like their spirits were still there...lingering.

After the monument, we stopped by the Peace Memorial Park.  The park is located at Mabuni Hill, the site where the last fight of the Battle of Okinawa occurred.  The park is dedicated to all who were lost during the Battle of Okinawa- Okinawans, Japanese, Koreans, Americans, everyone.

The afternoon concluded with a special screening of the Japanese-language film, Gama- Getto no hana.  In keeping with the theme of the day, this film was about an Okinawa woman who's husband was forced to join the Japanese army and needed flee with her family for shelter.  If I wasn't in a room full of people, I would have crying my ass off.

Okinawa Day 5: Churaumi Aquarium, Butterfly Garden & Glass Blowing

Today was a CRAZY day of touring.  I don't think that we've ever been on a tour that had so many sites packed into one day.  First stop was the Churaumi Aquarium.

Now, I know what you're thinking...and yes, that is the largest viewing window in an aquarium in the world. Pretty cool. What else, oh yea, butterflies, beer, and blowing.

No not, her. Real butterflies.

Lots of them.

and beer.

Lots of them.

I think we blew some glass after this, in fact I have the cup to prove it. Thing is...

 

...its all hazy after that.

Okinawa Day 4: Free Day

This is not kosher...beware.

Finally, a free day...thank goodness.  It's just what we needed after drinking all night and going to karaoke.  Bryan one-upped me by staying up till 5:30am watching the US's first World Cup game.  After missing breakfast, we got up and headed out to walk around Kokusai-dori (International Street).  Sitting at Starbucks we see my parents walk by.  We enjoyed the rest of the afternoon together.

We went to Heiwadori, which is an open market, similar to a bazaar in Turkey or a flea market in the US.

We also went to some Hello Kitty store as well. Lynde was excited.

Now, I've heard of worms in Tequila, but this was ridiculous. Ever heard of snake in awamori?

Okinawa Day 3: Performance and Uchiage Party #1

The day finally came for my performance at the National Theatre in Okinawa.  The reason why we were in Okinawa in the first place was the celebrate the 50th Anniversary of Choichi Terukina's music studio.  I first joined his studio eleven years ago when I arrived in Okinawa as a student.  I wanted to take sanshin lessons when I got there and my friend Jodie recommended that I go to lessons with her.

Eleven years later, Jodie and I shared a stage with over 200 other students of Terukina Sensei's to celebrate this auspicious occasion.  This was my first performance at the National Theatre and Bryan's first performance in Okinawa.  It was definitely an experience that will not soon be forgotten.

 (Yuko, me, Jodie)

(Bryan and I)

(contingency from Los Angeles: Ryan, Bryan, Keith, Yuko and I)

(teachers from Hawaii and Los Angeles: Calvin, June, Grant, Kenton and Ryan)

You can't have a recital without an after party...the first part was at an impressive all you can drink/all you can eat place.  The drink selection was amazing and three large beers later, I was a happy camper.

 (the Maui folks enjoying the beers)

(Jodie, Bryan and Yuko on their way to Karaoke)

(happy campers)

Okinawa Day 2, Part 2: Rehearsal

After touring Shuri, my fellow performers and I jumped on the bus and went to the National Theatre Okinawa for rehearsal.   The building was beautiful with an impressive stage and backstage area.  Definitely an opportunity of a lifetime.

Okinawa Day 2, Part 1b: Awamori Distillery and the Royal Mausoleum

After leaving Shuri Castle, we went to an Awamori Distillery and the Royal Mausoleum.  Awamori is an alcoholic beverage that is unique to Okinawa.  It's their own kind of sake.  In all honesty, it's not my favorite.  You can drink it straight, on the rocks or mixed with a soft drink.  After watching a video of how it's made, the owners of the distillery hosted us to a Awamori tasting.  Since I'm not one to pass up free booze, I participated in the tasting.  There's nothing like drinking before noon.

 (not sure if closing his eyes meant that it was good or not)

 (Bryan and my parents outside of the distillery)

(Terence is obviously happy with his purchase)

The Royal Mausoleum was another place that I have never been to.   There are three areas where members of the royal family were laid to rest.  Although really cool, we couldn't really see anything except of a little museum with excavated items.

Okinawa Day 2, Part 1a: Shuri Castle

Jetlag is a wonderful thing, especially when there's planned touring involved.  After waking up well before 6 am, we enjoyed our daily complimentary breakfast- a spread of American and Japanese food.  There's nothing like miso soup and french fries for breakfast...j/k.

The first area of Okinawa that we toured was Shuri, more specifically, Shuri Castle.  Shuri is a special place to me.  It's where I lived and attended school for a year when I was a mere teenager.  Okay, I was nineteen going on twenty, but still, an impressionable age to be independently living overseas.

Most tour groups visiting Okinawa will always go to Shuri for its cultural and historical importance. Okinawa, before being "returned" back to Japan, was its own independent kingdom, known as Ryukyu (I say "returned" because technically, the Ryukyu Islands never really belonged to Japan...but that's a whole other blog entry).

For the entire year that I studied in Okinawa, I never once took an official tour of Shuri Castle.  It's kinda shameful on my part (actually pathetic) because Shuri Castle is situated on the same block as the Okinawa Prefectural University of the Arts (where I was attending school).  Anyways, it was great to actually step foot into the castle and really absorb what royal living was like back in the day.

 (in front of Shuri Castle, please excuse the construction)

 (inside Shuri Castle)

 (the original first floor of the castle)

(water located on castle grounds)

(a view from the highest point in Shuri)

(my old stomping grounds)

(view of the Okinawa Prefectural University of the Arts...and my messy hair)