Tuesday 27 March 2018

Okinawa part II: Naha

First night in Naha.

After Motobu, I returned to Naha. I had only two full days there, which is way too little, but then again, wouldn't be able to see everything in a full week either, so.

First things first, so I started by going to see the Shuri castle. It was the palace of the Ryukyu kingdom between 1429 and 1879. In the battle of Okinawa (1945) it was destroyed almost completely. This, in fact, struck me quite hard in Naha. Not just the damage to the castle, but so many other places and things lost in the war... so utterly depressing.

Starting with this tree:










You could stop for some tea and traditional Okinawan cookies in the castle.


The only room inside where you were allowed to take photos:






After visiting the castle I ate at a place called Ryukyu Sabo Ashibiuna - very popular place close to the castle, so prepare to queue. It was worth the wait, though. Okinawan food, reasonably priced and quite tasty:

Then I spent a while walking all over in the area. Walked first down and then back up the Shurikinjocho stone path road that leads to the castle. It was nice... but based on the comments I'd read I was kind of expecting more about it. Half the time I wondered  if I'm on the right path. xD Especially as there were comments claiming it'd be somehow  a hard climb. Not. At all. But nice.





Visited also the Tamaudun mausoleum. It's one of the three royal mausoleums of the Ryukyu Kingdom, built in 1501. The last burial there was that of Shō Ten, son of the last king of Ryukyu, in 1920. This place too was badly damaged during the Battle of Okinawa, but it has been partly restored.



Also visited the Kannondo temple... and realized I'd left my goshuin book in Kyoto. Typical.

In the evening I ate in an izakaya called Masara, having read good reviews of it online. And I agree with them, excellent place! Near Miebashi station. Also, the review I read mentioned they have no English menu, but this has changed since then.

 Next day I headed first to Yogi park, which would in one week host the Naha Sakura Festival. It was a bit... well, after places like Mt. Yaedake, not that special. (Sorry.)


 

Then I, half-accidentally, ended up exploring the pottery district of Naha. I'd somewhere seen the add of Tsuboya pottery museum, and as it was kind of on the way when I walked back from Yogi park, I thought I'd stop there. I enjoyed the museum too, but also walking down the Yachimun street, that has dozens and dozens of pottery shops. Dangerous place, though. I'd have wanted to buy so many things... A little tip: if you see something you like, you might want to check the other stores first. They might also have it, but the prices were varying quite a lot. A cup I bought for about 900 costed 1200 and 1600 (!!!) at other places.



And! If you go to Naha, do not miss the cafe called Ball Donut Park. Best doughnuts I've eaten ever anywhere. The coffee was good too.

In the evening I ended up spending some more money, and went to this restaurant where you can follow Okinawan dances as you eat. It was fun enough, and the food was good, but given that I'd eaten my share of Okinawan food by then (though I love it, btw) and that the dances weren't that different from things I've seen before, I think I might have spared that money... Though there I tasted for the first time mimigaa, shredded pig's ear, and to my surprise loved it. The stuff on the right in the pic below:





And then it was the day I was leaving Okinawa. I'd planned in the morning to take a walk in the Fukushūen garden, which was next door to my airbnb... arrived there a few minutes past 9 (when it was supposed to open), saw some people opening the gate... and then they told me the place was closed on that day. :/ So I just had to peek through the little windows...




I'd walked by here many times, thinking how tempting it'd be to climb up here in to the park. Now even more so.... xD


Oh well. Took the Yui rail to airport, Peach carried me back home (eh, to Kyoto), and that was it.





Quite fittingly, the Aqua fantasy thing at Kyoto station was playing Sakura, Sakura when I walked by it.

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