During golden week I got a chance to visit Okinawa. In Okinawa, despite the common language is Japanese, the atmosphere and the people are different compared to other parts of Japan—such as Osaka and Tokyo. After living in Japan for over 3 months, I no longer feel like a tourist when traveling to different places until I set foot in Okinawa…
Even though there are street vendors and small souvenir shops everywhere like in Namba, Osaka but how people dress gives off a feeling of tropical. When I show up at school wearing flip flops (beach sandals) my friends and teachers asked if I’m cold, and the people who wear flip flops on hot sunny days are international students, while in Okinawa almost every native wear flip flops, rain or shine. Walking down the main street in Naha, the capital, one can spot tons of flip flops in stores and occasionally an artist carving all kinds of pictures on the flip flops.
And of course, who can forget the street performers especially when they are burning hot!
But flip flops aren’t the only thing a tourist would spot. Shops, restaurants, hotels, house, all have a set of Shisa in front of their door, on a desk, and/or in the garden for protection and luck. I asked a local restaurant owner and he said “Shisa is Okinawa and protects seamen.” He told me a story that long ago Okinawa was terrorized by an evil dragon until the King brought a pair of Shisa, the lion dog guardian, to kill the dragon with their roars. Ever since then, fisherman can sail with ease and people commemorate the shisa by decorate their houses and shops with a pair of shisa, whether it is from clay, stones, or rocks.
The shisa can look very scary on people’s garden or very silly in souvenir shops. But despite how they look, Okinawa natives love them.
Some interesting photos here. I'd like to read more about your Okinawa experience.
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