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10,000 Person Eisa – Kokusai Street, Naha, Okinawa

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10,000 Person Eisa - Kokusai Street, Naha, Okinawa

10,000 Person Eisa – Kokusai Street, Naha, Okinawa

I went down to Naha on Sunday to check out the 10,000 person eisa dance. Surprisingly, the festival begins around 1pm, which unsurprisingly means it was oppressively hot and humid. Parents and leaders of the various groups were trying to keep all the little kids cool with wet towels and drinks but most were looking pretty weary.

10,000 Person Eisa - Kokusai Street, Naha, Okinawa

10,000 Person Eisa – Kokusai Street, Naha, Okinawa

I pottered around for an hour, met up with some friends, then slunk off to find somewhere cool. This particular Englishman (and his mad dog) have learned to stay out of the midday sun.

10,000 Person Eisa - Kokusai Street, Naha, Okinawa

10,000 Person Eisa – Kokusai Street, Naha, Okinawa

Zamami to Naha, Sabani Boat Race

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Sailing out to the Keramas

Sailing out to the Keramas

On June 30th local teams raced their sabani boats from Zamami Island to Naha Port. The day before I stowed away on a yacht for a ride out to the keramas, and got a few pics of the boats on the day of the race. Haven’t spent much time on sailboats before, but we had glorious (perhaps a little too sunny) weather all weekend.

Dusk on Zamami- Kerama Islands, Okinawa

Dusk on Zamami- Kerama Islands, Okinawa

Camped on Zamami on the Saturday night, then at 6AM we were back on the yacht for the race. Using both wind and muscle power, the little sabani turned out to be much faster than our boat. I got a few pics at the start and then we made our own, very leisurely, way back east to mainland Okinawa.

Zamami - Naha Sabani Boat Race

Zamami – Naha Sabani Boat Race

Zamami - Naha Sabani Boat Race

Zamami – Naha Sabani Boat Race

Boroga Beach, Miyako

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Boroga Beach - Miyako Island, Okinawa, Japan

Boroga Beach – Miyako Island, Okinawa, Japan

Perfect beach, perfect pool. Sometimes we are faced with tough decisions.

Boroga Beach - Miyako Island, Okinawa, Japan

Boroga Beach – Miyako Island, Okinawa, Japan

Unfortunately, the reality was that on that day, I didn’t have time to swim in the pool or ocean. I was too busy checking the price of parking, noting down amenities and working out how to geo-tag the location.

I’ll be back…

Packed in like Sardines

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Bait ball of sardines - Maeda Point, Okinawa, Japan

Bait ball of sardines – Maeda Point, Okinawa, Japan

Went for an early afternoon dive at Maeda yesterday. The place was heaving with people, but happily it was also heaving with fish as giant shoals were congregating just above the reef. I spent an hour and a half  sitting beneath the shoal watching it pulsate. Took many pictures and even tried shooting video.

Bait ball of sardines - Maeda Point, Okinawa, Japan

Bait ball of sardines – Maeda Point, Okinawa, Japan

Not sure if the fish are even sardines, in which case the title would be something like…

School’s Out For Summer

Shoal Power

Something Fishy’s Going On….

DOJO Bar 2nd Anniversary Party

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Dojo Bar, Naha, Okinawa

Dojo Bar, Naha, Okinawa

Last night was the 2nd Anniversary of the DOJO Bar, Naha. It has become a fantastic hangout for both the local and international karate community. Because of the friendliness of the staff, the good food, and the central location it has even become a hit with mere mortals that lack a black belt or fists of steel.

Dojo Bar, Naha, Okinawa

Dojo Bar, Naha, Okinawa

Dojo Bar, Naha, Okinawa

Dojo Bar, Naha, Okinawa

Dojo Bar, Naha, Okinawa

Dojo Bar, Naha, Okinawa

Dojo Bar, Naha, Okinawa

Dojo Bar, Naha, Okinawa

Maehama Beach, Miyako Island

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Maehama Beach - Miyako Island, Okinawa, Japan

Maehama Beach – Miyako Island, Okinawa, Japan

Dawn at the gorgeous Maehama Beach on Miyako Island. A long stretch of soft white sand in front of the excellent Miyakojima Tokyu Resort.

I’ve spent the past couple of months updating the Okinawa and Kyushu chapters of the Fodor’s Japan guidebook. A lot of the job is the somewhat mundane, but necessary, checking of phone numbers, prices, times and distances. However, the morning  I site-checked Maehama Beach was always going to be a good day at the office.