Kaiensai Fireworks Display in Ginowan City, Okinawa

A friend of mine told me of his having a chance to talk with a photographer from the main land Japan, who specialized in nature photography. Japan is a country known throughout the world to have four distinguished seasons as well as to be a birthplace of haiku poems with lots of seasonal expressions. This photographer was visiting Okinawa with his keen sensitivities for seasonal charms. The season he was visiting the southernmost prefecture was an early summer, yet there he saw a scene of lush green forest with an open space with Japanese silver grass growing all over the place. He was mesmerized by the early summer represented by the young green leaves of the thick forest in juxtaposition with autumn symbolized by the silver grasses.

"How come it's possible to find Japanese silver grass at this time of the year?" the photographer was asking himself. He didn't know how to categorize the picture of the scene in terms of season. "Kisetsukan," or the sense of the season, becomes weired, the photographer told the friend of mine. 

I have another example to illustrate this peculiar season in Okinawa. On the 16th of April (Sat.), in the city of Ginowan, there will be a beach opening festival with fireworks. Since it is still the beginning of spring, where other parts of Japan have barely started their cherry blossom viewing parties, you might think it is a bit too early for us to have a beach festival. "Kaiensai," meaning literary ocean-fire festival, is an annual event organized by Japan Airline Co. Ltd., as an event that will mark "Umibiraki" or the start of swimming season.

With "Golden Week"---a period of successive national holidays in May in Japan---just two weeks away, various tourism-related businesses and the local governments wish to jump into the opportunities for tourism season in Okinawa. Kaiensai is one of those events that take place in Okinawa at this time of the year, and it is probably the biggest and of the most spectacular. Junko Koshino, a worldly famous Japanese designer, will be in charge of designing fireworks. This year, Melrose Pyrotechnics Inc. from the U.S. ---the winner of 2010 Huis Ten Bosch International Pyrotechnician Competition in Nagasaki Prefecture---will join in the event for their displays of designed fireworks.

General information (in English) on Kaiensai Fireworks Festival, go to: 

http://ryukyu-kaiensai.com/pdf/eng.pdf

If you can read Japanese or have someone who can read the language and translate it for you, this is the original Kaiensai homepage:

http://www.ryukyu-kaiensai.com/

I checked the flyer in PDF but this English-language flyer does not mention anything about ticket prices. So here is the information they put in Japanese-language festival homepage:

Advance tickets are available at a Family Mart convenience store chain till April 15.

Same-day tickets are available at the festival area under the condition that advance tickets are left.

Ticket plus Parking fee: ¥3,500 (Advance)  ¥4,000 (Same-day)

Ticket for high school students or older: ¥2,500 (Advance)   ¥3,000 (Same-day)

Ticket for elementary and middle school children: ¥1,500 (Advance)   ¥2,000 (Same-day)

No charge for pre-school children:

There are special viewing seats available with extra charge:

Special "SS" Seats (only 50 seats): above mentioned fee plus ¥7,500 (comes with roof, table and bench)

Special "S" Seats (only 70 seats): above mentioned fee plus ¥5,000 (comes with tabel and bench)

Special "A" Seats (500 seats): above mentioned fee plus ¥1,000 (comes with a cheir)

*Spectators of Special "A"  Seats will be let to the vewing area on a first-come-first-served basis.

**You need not pay for your pre-school child (younger than 1st grader) but there will be no chair for your child; you need to have your child sit on your lap.

I tried to look for any information in regards to parking lots other than the designated lot for the festival, or viewing areas that do not require festival tickets. But there is no information available. 

Okinawa Convention and Visitors Bureau also posts some information on the festival but no details in English are available: 

http://www.okinawastory.jp/en/event/event_110416_fire.html

The URLs below are just extra information not related with Kaijinsai fireworks festival:

If you are not able to visit Okinawa, you can also enjoy fireworks festival at Hous Ten Bosch:

http://english.huistenbosch.co.jp/event/summer2011.html

The winner of 2010 Hous Ten Bosch Int'l Pyrotechnician Competition:

http://www.melrosepyro.com/about_us/

Ryukyu Hanpu Tote Bags Come With Simple Design & Durability

Ryukyu Shimpo, a local newspaper in Okinawa, had an article about Okinwa-noh Kaze, saying those bags are gaining popularity in Tokyu Hands in Tokoy. This company named the brand as "Ryukyu Hanpu" with unique design concept of simplicity and durability for their product line of lifestyle goods.

Ryukyu Shimpo article here (Japanese):

http://ryukyushimpo.jp/news/storyid-175706-storytopic-4.html

I have not been to the store myself, but the shop in Naha is located near Makishi Station. (Find a Yui Rail station nearby and get off the monorail at Makishi Station from Exit 2 to come down on Saion Bridge near the station. Okinawa-Noh Kaze shop is less than 100 meter to the north from the bridge. 

Okinawa-noh Kaze homepage:  http://www.okinawa-wind.com/

(The homepage is Japanese only)

The location of their shop in Naha City (Google Map)

Although written only in Japanese, many colored photos are posted for customers. They say, the material for their bags are made of Kurashiki hanpu from Okayama Pref. This textile has been selected for its exceptionally durable quality. The indigo color used in the logo is made of Ryukyu indigo found in Okinawa.

http://www.okinawa-wind.com/shop/ryukyuhanpu.html

Take Advantage of "Bus-Mono Pass" One-Day Ticket in Naha City

The information below is what I translated from a local newspaper article. I hope this news is useful for foreign travelers who wish to explore Naha City by public transportation other than taxi.


The Okinaw Times, a local newspaper in Okinawa, wrote:


Okinawa Urban Monorail Corporation Ltd.,  and Naha Bus Corporation Ltd., jointly announced, as of April 1st, the start of selling common one-day ticket for both Yui Rail (monorail) and the bus system operated by Naha Bus. This common ticket, named as "Bus-Mono Pass,"  is usable for all the fifteen stations of Yui Rail transit system and all the fifteen bus routes run by the bus company within the city. The two companies hope this new shared transportation service will improve the convenience for users of those public transportations. A common one-day ticket costs 1,000 JPY for adults (junior high or older), and 500 JPY for 6th graders or younger. 


A one-day ticket for Yui Rail (monorail) is currently 600 JPY. Naha Bus also sells a one-day ticket which costs 630 JPY. The price of a common ticket therefore is set less expensive than buying two tickets, one for the monorail and the other for the bus system. "Bus-Mono Pass" tickets are available at each of the Yui Rail stations as well as in each of the passenger vehicles and at the office of Naha Bus. (If you want to use only the monorail system, you don't need to buy a common one-day ticket.)




I also checked the bus company's Internet site; they posted some sample images of "Bus-Mono Pass" tickets. The upper left ticket (blue ticket) is for a passenger junior high or older. The upper right ticket (orange) is for a child 6th grader or younger. 

The lower left (also blue) ticket is a sample of a discount ticket priced as 500 JPY, half the price of regular ticket for an adult. However, I could not find any information on the discount terms in any of the local newspapers or in the Internet sites of the monorail system and the bus company. I'll post the information on the discount terms on this blog as soon as I obtain it.

(I made a phone call to Naha Bus Co. Litd., about the terms for the discount. The office clerk told me that the discount rate is set for adults with disabilities. In Japanese welfare system, prefecture governments issue disabled certificates for people with disabilities. By showing the certificate, disabled adults can purchase the pass at the discount of 50%.)

The lower right is the back of the ticket. The fine print says, before you use the ticket, you have to scratch off the month and the date of usage. There are 12 numbers in the upper part of the ticket for the month, and 31 numbers printed half way down for the date. Say, if you purchase a ticket and want to use it on April 5th, you scratch off with a coin or something, first the number "4" for April (the fourth month) in the upper section of the ticket and then the number "5" for the 5th out of the 31 numbers in the lower half. The explanation in Japanese says if you scratch two numbers in the same section, the ticket will not be accepted. I'm afraid if you let your small kid do the scratch, he or she might think it's a kind of game and scratch all the numbers in the hope of winning number. As long as you are careful with which numbers to scratch off, I think this common one-day pass is a good service for both local people and travelers. 

The monorail connects Naha Air Port with Shuri Station near Shurijo Castle Park, the most visited tourist spot in Okinawa. By getting off at Makishi Station, you are at the heart of Okinawa's largest shopping district with various eateries and shops to choose from. If you are lucky enough to arrive at Naha Air Port at an early hour of the day, using this system to explore both the ancient part of Naha (Shiri disctict) and the vibrant modern shopping street (Kokusai Dori) allows you to see both the old and the new of this island prefecture in a very inexpensive way. Off course if you arrive Okinawa late at night, you can explore the city in the following day.

Okinawan Songs, An Introduction

I collected some YouTube videos featuring Okinawan songs, hoping that people who have never been to Okinawa can hear some portion of this island's music. (Okinawa was an independent kingdom up until 1879 when the kingdom nation was annexed to Japan. Okinawa, a group of many islands, is  the southernmost prefecture of Japan.)

Singer: Suguru Ikeda

Song Title: Shimanoh Hotoyo (Oh, Island People)

His song is a message to islands' people who left their home islands for lucrative life in large cities. Come back to your native island once in a while and let's take part in village festivals we enjoyed so much when we were young. Don't forget our festival songs. Never forget your native island. Oh, island people...This simple but straight message/song moves my heart.

Singer: Misako Koja

Song Title: Warabigami (My Precious Baby, A Gift From Heaven)

Misako Koja used be the leader of a quartet called "Ne-Nez" (Sisters). The first generation Ne-Nez disbanded many years ago, and currently the second generation Ne-Nez are active. Misako Koja came up with this song when she was blessed with her first grandchild. A baby is a great blessing given to a mother by heaven, the lyric begins. Maternal instinct is beautifully expressed in such a simple language. The lyrics are well-translated into English and beautifully sung by Hayley Westenra  from New Zealand (Her YouTube clip posted below). I'm glad that she decided to sing this song so that we can share the music with English-speaking people.

Singer: Hayley Westenra

Singer: Rimi Natukawa

Song Title: Hana (Flower To Everyone's Heart)

Written by: Shoukichi Kina

This song was a big hit almost 20 years ago in Japan, so it could be categorized as a classic J-pop. Where does the body of water that I see in a river travel?  Where do all Let yourself cry, and let yourself laugh. Cry and laughter are all part of your life and all too natural for us as human being...so goes the lyric. This gentle overview of human life duplicates with an image of one of the most beautiful natural phenomena, flower, a universally shared positive image which is nicely put into the English language and successfully sung by Heylay.

Singer: Hayley Westenra

Singer: Rimi Natsukawa

Song Title: Nada Sou Sou

Lyrics by: Ryoko Moriyama

Music by: BEGIN

Ryuko Moriyama is a talented Japanese jazz singer who can write clear messages. Although she is from the mainland Japan, she learned some Okinawan words through her regular visits to this southern prefecture. As she made many musician friends in Okinawa, she asked a famous Okinawan band called BEGIN to set her lyrics to music. The singer Rimi Natsukawa made many travel to BEGIN's studio, pleading them to let her sing the beautiful song. Currently, this song is sung by singers in many countries in many languages, including Hayley in English (below).

Singer: Hayley Westenra

Song Title: Nada Sou Sou (Tears For You)

Helios Shuzo, A Distillery That Revolutionized Awamori Rice Wine Making

The number of rent-a-car companies has rapidly grown in Okinawa as more travelers are willing to freely move from place to place within the island on their own by car. Major attractions by far are Shuri-jo Castle Park and Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium, both of which are nationally built and currently under the administration of  the same park management foundation. Arriving at Naha Airport, many tourists rent a car in Naha, and drive along the beautiful road of Rout 58 all the way to Motobu, where the worldly known aquarium is located.


Nago City is often seen as a place to stop on the way from Naha City to the town of Motobu to have a quick lunch at an Okinawan style soba noodle shop. 


However, for those who are interested in the tours of distilleries, you can visit three fascinating establishments close to one another. 


Tsukayama Shuzou (Tsukayama Distillery) is known to be one of the oldest Awamiri distilleries in Okinawa, and the premise has been designated as a tangible national cultural property by the Cultural Agency of Japan in 2006.


Another place that offers an interesting tour is Orion Beer Brewery, just five-minute drive from Tsukayama Distillery. 


Helios Distillery is yet another place visitors can enjoy the study tour of Awamori making. I'd like to share some of the details about the distillery because I visited the place just today.


Founded in 1961 by Tadashi Matsuda, the history of Helios Distillery started from rum making as the founder considered of creating alcoholic beverage that would not rely on imported rice, for there might be a day, according to the founder, when it become impossible to import grains from abroad. If such case really happens, it would still be possible for us to make alcoholic drink because, in Okinawa, we have an abundance of sugar cane. That was an revolutionary idea back then, as few people in those days know about rum.


In 1991, this distillery revolutionized Awamori making yet once again when they introduced "Kura" brand. According to the company's internet site, they drew on their previous experience of rum making and their know-how of aging Awamiro rice wine in barrels.


Tours are offered four times every day (except Dec. 30 -Jan. 3) at 10:30AM, 1:30PM, 3:00PM and 4:30PM.
**The distillery will be closed to visitors when there is a overall maintenance or for other reasons. Confirm whether the tour is conducted or not, prior to your visit.


After a tour is over, visitors are invited to the shop where they can compare different lines of their products. For those who are in charge of driving (designated drivers), herbal tea will be served.

Helios Shop Counter. Visitors are required here to fill in
a simple tour application form. In case of a group participant,
any one person representing the group fill in the form.
You can also apply for the tour on line.
(To go to the online application, click here. Japanese language.) 

This storage is not included in the tour course.

Another storage where around 2000 barrels

of Awamori rice wine are stored and aged.

This building is a part of the study tour course

where short video about Helios Distillery is 

shown to visitors. The aroma of the rice wine

and the distinct smell of black malt filled

the air inside. White oak trees are imported

all the way from the North America, particularly

from Canada. A on-going project to create Awamori

with an aging period of 100 years is also shown inside

the storage. They started the project just ten years ago,

so it is going to be done in 90 years from now.

Many lines of products are exhibited at the shop.

The bottles at the center are Awamori with aging period

of five years. 

At the end of a tour, some samples are offered to

visitors for tasting. Awamori aged in oak barrels tastes

different from Awamori aged in ceramic jars.

Click here to see the direction to Helios Distillery from Naha Airport.

Akemio Festa 2011, Traditional Performing Arts of Villages

Okinawa is know around the globe as a place where karate was born, but this southernmost prefecture of Japan is also said to be an island of performing art. Music, dance and theatrical performance have been passed down from generation to generation. Countless number of classical Okinawan music schools and dance studios can be found throughout the island. Old and young, men and women alike are involved in one way or another with traditional performing arts.


Many rural communities in Okinawa hold annual harvest festival at the sacred area of each village, and what amazes me is the fact that the dancers are not professionals but villagers themselves in most cases. Those festivals are, traditionally, far and foremost, dedicated for gods who bring many blessings on the farm lands, a tradition that resembles Thanks Giving Day in its basic form of appreciation for good harvest. Thus, the element of entertainment is secondary, although the religious aspects of the cultural practice have been receding at an increasing speed--an alarming speed to the eyes of many older generations--and looked at more and more as a form of entertainment. Yet, we don'e need to consider that emphasizing recreational aspects of traditional activities are ruinous to the island culture. I think you can grasp my idea if you take Christmas as an example.


"Akemio Festa 2011," for that matter, can be categorized as a form of entertainment. Meio University, a local college, has been considering revitalizing the city hand-in-hand with various local groups and businesses, including each village community of the city. A team of students (many of them are studying tourism at the university) have long thinking about revitalization of Nago City and tourism promotion through the locally practiced performing art. They did extensive research and field works, visiting each community leader and explaining the concept of their enterprise one by one, gradually developing the mutual understanding with many of the community leaders, musicians and dancers. Yet, creating enough budget was the last and largest obstacle for them to run the project.


For the meantime, Okinawa Prefecture was preparing to allocate some budget for projects that will promote Okinawa's tourism through cultural activities. A number of corporations sought competing bids and among the several corporations were the university team.


With the financial backup from the prefecture government, the university team was ready to finalize all the program details and their dream came true in the form of Akemio Festa.


Akemio is an Okinawan word that describes the moment in which a cove or a large body of water starts to gain radiance as the water awaits a break of the day. Nago City's traditional name is a city of Akemio, thus the festival was name as such.  


The first program was held last week. Here, I put up the list of remaining programs throughout this months. 


Click here to see the direction toNago City Public Market from Naha Airport shown on Google Map.


March 12th (Sat.) 5PM-7PM, performers from Awa Community.
March 19th (Sat.) 5PM-7PM, performers from Miyazato Community.
March 20th (Sun.) 5PM-7PM, performers from Yabu Community.
March 21st (Mon.) 5PM-7PM, performers from Agarie Community.
March 27th (Sun.) 5PM-7PM, performers from Gusuku Community.


Admission is free.
Free parking space is available at Nago Fishery Port.


To get to the public market building from the port, use a pedestrian overpass in front of the port gate to get across National Highway 58 (Route 58). Continue walking toward the downtown area (opposite direction from the port), pass a 5-story yellow building with a large green artificial lizard cringing on the wall facing the port, till you get to Nago Cross Section. (Be careful not to mistake it with Gusuku Cross Section.) At Nago Cross Section, you'll see two large yellow signs of karaoke place, one of which has a cartoon cat drawn on it. The market building is on the other side of the karaoke place. You may be hearing music coming from the market area. 


Click here to see the direction of Nago Fishery Port (Google Map)


Click here to see the direction from the port to the market building (Google Map)

The first day of Akemio Festa last week.

Members from a karate school in Umusa community

demonstrated some types of the martial art,

like this stick fighting. 

Remember "Yumangi Cafe," nestled in the forest of Nangusuku Hill, Nago City, Okinawa, Japan

View from the third floor of Nangusuku Hill observation deck.

(There are two decks on the hill, the north deck & south deck.)

This is filmed at the north deck on the 3rd floor.

I was in time for the closure of Yumangi Cafe, nestled in the beautiful forest of Nangusuku Hill. I wrote earlier in my blog that the hill is home to Hikanzakura type of cherry trees. Although the flower viewing has already been over, the hill can still offer an environment you can have a relaxing time.

I've been trying to introduce this wonderfully located cafe for the last two months. Unfortunately, today (March 6, 2011) was the last business day for the cafe. The entire hill is managed by the prefecture government, including the structure. A coffee shop manager has been renting the place.

As unfortunate as it sounds, we have two pieces of news which should please all of us. First of all, a cafe will reopen at the same place next month as another manager is going to rent this cozy space. (I'll let you know when I find out the details.)

Secondly, the manager has been preparing to open a cafe, this time in the township of Motobu, on a hill overlooking the East China Sea with a view of picturesque Ie Island in the distance. The place, she says, is close to Kajinho Cafe which is known among the locals and tourists from the mainland Japan to be one of the best cafes in Okinawa. She said she and her employees have spent the last ten years in order to establish the new cafe. What's more? They have already had three couples holding wedding ceremonies at their place.

So, I'm very much looking forward to going to those two cafes, one in Nangusuku Hill and the other in Motobu.

For the mean time, I posted some photos on my blog in appreciation for Yumangi cafe and for the staff of giving me a relaxing environment and the great coffee.

We will no longer see the sign.

It says "Scenic Cafe Yumangi" in Japanese.

 This well-kept flowerbed has offered

a warm welcome to customers.  

A view from the window.

I first thought the trees were blocking the view.

Soon found out that strong sun light is soften by the green

leaves, making book-reading, for example, gentler on my eyes.

Small bouquets in the mini tin buckets.  

Small plants and a water color painting

in a frame no larger than a coffee cup

casually sit on the sidelines, on the window frame

and the table.

You can drink coffee inside or on the upper levels,

as your fancy takes you. 

Click here for the location of the place indicated on Google Map.