Saturday, July 09, 2011

Okinawa summer 2011

I went to Okinawa for work in the early part of July 2011, and had some time to roam around to do a bit of sightseeing. The summer in Okinawa is hot, but not as hot as Tokyo, and the nice breeze makes it a lot better than being in Tokyo.

First stop is International Street, Kokusai-dori 国際通り in Japanese. Here is the tourist part of town, with lots of shops selling gifts and Okinawan goods, and restaurants catering to tourists.


We had a chance to see some Okinawan music being performed as well.

The Cornerstone of Peace is built in memory of all those who perished in Okinawa during World War Two. The names of these people are engraved in the black stone tablets found in the park, while there is a separate building that houses exhibits related to World War Two and how Okinawa suffered during the war.

The Imperial Japanese military fought an attrition war from tunnels. The tunnels of the old navy headquarters are now opened to public.

A trip to Okinawa is not complete without a visit to Shuri Castle, where the Ryukyu court used to reside before Okinawa was annexed by Japan.

And did you know? Commodore Perry actually stopped by in Okinawa before he went to Japan.

No comments: