All posts filed under: Japan

Island Icons – Dolphin Trainers

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Dolphin Delight Ryo Nakasone and Azusa Watanabe are dolphin trainers at Okinawa’s Expo Park. Ryo Nakasone grew up in Motobu not far from the aquarium where he now works. While at high school in Naha he was a champion boxer and was scouted by Nihon University where he fought in the light-fly weight class while a student. After graduation, he returned to his hometown and began working at Expo Park. Now 29, he has been a dolphin trainer for five years. Azusa Watanabe majored in fisheries studies at Nagasaki University. She moved to Okinawa four months ago, and at age 23, is the aquarium’s newest dolphin trainer. What types of dolphin live at Expo Park? “There are 82 species of dolphin in the world, and we have five species living here at Expo. They are the Pacific white-sided dolphin, Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphin, rough-toothed Dolphin, bottlenose dolphin and false killer whale.” I heard a rumor that killer whales are actually a type of dolphin? “It is true; they are part of the same biological family Delphinidae. …

Nagoya

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I’ve been busy the last few days writing a Best of Nagoya article.  I spent two weeks  in and around the city in March 2008 collecting information and taking photographs, but it is only now that I am finally getting around to converting my scrawled notes into what will hopefully become coherent sentences. Unfortunately a few things have happened in Nagoya over the last couple of years that have rendered images and possible recommendations a little redundant. The Villagio Italia an Italian themed mini mall was so kitsch  it was wonderful. It had its own Venetian canal, boutiques selling Carnevale masks, and a supermarket stocked with Italian wines, cheeses and pasta. You could even have a gelata while sitting beneath Michelangelo’s David. Unfortunately less than 2 months after my visit it closed. Then a month later, Kyu the star attraction of the Port of Nagoya Public Aquarium died. And today, just a moment after writing about “the local textile firm that became the world’s largest automaker,” I hear that Toyota is suffering from its biggest crisis in …

Island Icons – Gerontologist Craig Willcox (extended interview)

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The interview I did with Dr. Craig Willcox went on far longer than the single page that appeared  in the magazine. I have posted the extended version of the interview below for those who are interested. Gerontologist Craig Willcox Okinawa’s most valuable asset is its people. This month we meet Doctor Craig Willcox a Professor of International Public Health & Welfare and Gerontology at Okinawa International University. Dr. Willcox is a principal investigator in the Okinawa Centenarian Study, which has brought global attention to the healthy lifestyles of Okinawa’s oldest citizens. When did you first hear about Okinawan longevity? “While at the University of Toronto I participated in a study investigating how nutrition and other factors were associated with healthy survival. One group we were looking at was Japanese Canadians in the province of Ontario and this is when I first met Toku Oyakawa. Oyakawa-san was 105; he’d been born in Nago City (in northern Okinawa) and later emigrated to Canada. He was living a traditional Okinawan lifestyle in Canada, which suggested that Okinawan health …

Chris Willson Photography now at Kadena Gift Corner

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Sometimes the solution to a problem has been there all the time. Late last year, I had a stall at a couple of craft fares on base. People were able to check out my prints and have a chat, and I had a good time. My problem was that when someone asked will you be here next week, or next month, I had to say no. There are simply not enough hours in the week for me to spend several days a month running a stall. What I needed was a permanent place to have some of my photographs on display and a selection of prints for sale. The solution was the Kadena Gift Corner which will, from next Tuesday, have a selection of my prints available for purchase. The staff are really friendly and the profits from the store go to various charities in both the States and Okinawa. So if you are in the area please drop in and have a look around!

Cherry Blossom (and a potter) in Okinawa

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Cherry blossom is now blooming in Okinawa. The best place to go is Yaedake, a small mountain in Motobu. To get there head up the 58 to Nago City and follow the road as it bends around to the right. When you see a sign for Meio University take a left and head up the hill past the Nago Pineapple Park and the Okinawa Fruits Land. Keep going straight for another 10 or so minutes and you should see signs for Yaedake. This weekend and next weekend will be very busy, so don’t expect any silent contemplation of the transient nature of beauty. If you are there this weekend then you should drop by the kiln of Nick Centala the American potter based in Motobu. This weekend he will be doing the first big firing of his new wood fired kiln. Should be an impressive thing to see. You can find directions to his place on his website or look out for the sign when you are driving to Yaedake. You can read the Island …

Genki Okinawans

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The elderly in Okinawa are famous for being healthy and genki (cheerful / full of life). Last week I interviewed Dr. Craig Willcox for an future Okinawa Icon article about the longevity phenomenon. On Monday I headed over to Chatan to try and take some more  Seijin no Hi photos, but  instead  met the super genki  Nakajima-san. I had a great chat with Nakajima-san and he posed for a few photos. He told me that he was 80 years old and very healthy. In fact, last year he was hit by a taxi that ran a red light and was thrown 5 meters through the air. He was taken to hospital where after several x-rays they found him completely unscathed. The doctor said it was amazing, Nakajima said it was a miracle and thanks Jesus.