TRAVEL 67 : Chris Willson Photography

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Packed in like Sardines

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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

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

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

Maehama Beach, Miyako Island

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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.

Chandelier Boutique

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Chandelier Boutique

Photographed a few items of evening wear for Chandelier Boutique last week. The store is located in 中央 2-7-35 Okinawa City.

Model – Miyuki Yara
Makeup – Summer Johnson-Makeup Artist
Styling – Yukki Goya of Chandelier Boutique（シャンデリアブティック）

Chandelier Boutique

Miyara Dounchi House and Gardens – Ishigaki Island

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Miyara Dounchi House and Gardens, Ishigaki Island, Okinawa, Japan

Built in 1819, Miyara Dounchi House and Gardens is the oldest home in the Yaeyama region. I stood on the roof of a neighboring house to get this shot. The joy of external stairways.

Kurima Great Bridge – Miyako, Okinawa

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Kurima Great Bridge – Miyako Island, Okinawa, Japan

The Kurima Great Bridge is beautiful ribbon of levitating asphalt connecting the main island of Miyako with Kurimajima. An elegant bit of civil engineering.

Kurima Great Bridge – Miyako Island, Okinawa, Japan

Yoneko-yaki Pottery – Ishigaki Island, Okinawa

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Shisa talisman by Yoneko-yaki Pottery . Ishigaki Island, Okinawa, Japan

Yoneko-yaki Pottery produces the most colorful and possibly the most kawaii shisa statues in Okinawa. The workshop is just across the road from Yonehara Beach on the northern coastline of Ishigaki.

Shisa talisman by Yoneko-yaki Pottery . Ishigaki Island, Okinawa, Japan

Genki Oba-chan

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Genki Oba-chan

Okinawan women not only have the longest life expectancy in the world, but the extra years are usually healthy, happy and productive. The reason is more nurture than nature, so eat your veggies, get some exercise, cherish your friendships, and remember to smile.

In the Studio – Yuki

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In the studio – Yuki

A few new images to update Yuki’s model portfolio.

Model – Yuki
Makeup Artist – Summer Johnson
Agency – Casting Office Lona

In the studio – Yuki

Protecting the Okinawa Rail

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Protecting the Okinawa Rail

The Okinawa Rail ( Gallirallus okinawae ) know locally as the Yanbaru Kuina is a small flightless bird that is endemic to the forests of northern Okinawa.

There are less than a thousand birds remaining on Okinawa, and numerous factors both natural and manmade are keeping the population small.

Various animals kill the birds including jungle crows, mongooses and cats. The crows are a natural part of the forest ecosystem, but mongooses were introduced to try and control the habu snake population, and feral cats are discarded strays and their progeny. Signs are now posted telling people not to discard their unwanted pets, and for several years there has been a program to try and eradicate the mongoose from the northern part of the island.

Protecting the Okinawa Rail

Another common killer of the Okinawa Rail is motor vehicles. The local government has tried to reduce the frequency of accidents by posting warning signs for motorists informing them to slow down, phone numbers if you should find (or be the cause of) an injured bird, and mini exit ramps in the drainage ditches so that the birds can escape.