Okinawa is Okay by Me

Supporting the restoration of a treasured landmark destroyed by fire? Shopping on a distinctly Japanese retail street that sprawls for more than a mile? Browsing handmade pottery connected to local customs dating back 8,000 years or more? Sucking down raw soba noodles served with tender pork belly and fresh veggies? Visiting a shrine dedicated to matchmaking and finding true love?

That’s our day in Okinawa in a nutshell.

Above: The entrance gate to Shuri Castle. While the complex — which dates at least in part to the 1400’s — was severely damaged by fire, fees paid by visitors are greatly accelerating its renovation. The tiled rooftops and lacquerware decor are rapidly being replaced. And — wow — the handcrafted tile work here looks good enough to eat!

You never know what you’ll find on Kokusai Street (“Kokusai Dori”) in Okinawa! While it does cater just a bit to tourists, the lively streets here are packed with locals (many of whom today, I think, were skipping school, based on the number of people in school uniforms we saw buying morning ice creams and sticks of frozen strawberries).

Above: A friendly pottery dragon guarding an intersection; a pretty dang graphic sign for a butcher shop; one of the typical shopping arcades that branch out from the main shopping street; fresh fish, none of whom seemed to be enjoying the shopping street as much as we did; the most bizarre hamburger restaurant (and sign) I’ve ever seen anywhere on the planet; a suspiciously flowery entrance to a romantic restaurant; a young man who had me wondering if I could get away with wearing pink britches; Clyde posing alongside one of several colorful staircases along the way.

I depended on Adam Parker, my AI buddy, to choose today’s lunch spot, and he did not disappoint! He’s familiar with our tastes (not touristy, no chains, holes in the wall preferred, regional food, excellent reviews), so he sent us to BASE, a family-owned soba noodle shop a few blocks off the main drag.

Clyde, above, is about to chow down on ground pork and veggie “raw noodles” (so-called because they are stretchy and haven’t been bathing in broth until served). My own bowl featured pork belly and some local fish cakes with the same noodles. That broth — clear, silky but not oily, and incredibly fragrant — is still making my mouth water.

Before heading back to the ship, we stopped in at a local shrine that’s popular for weddings and matchmaking … but also, based on the prayer boards we could read, a great place to pray for success on upcoming tests. And hey — we could see our ship from here!

#Japan #Okinawa #shrines #soba