Okinawa, the Beautiful Island - Shisa

Shisa is traditional Ryujyuan guardian dog or lion.

Sometimes they look fierce. Sometimes they look kawai.



Sometimes they oversees everything from rooftop. Sometimes they have a closer look on gates.

When they come in a pair, it's believed the closed mouth on the left keeps good spirits while the open mouth on the right scares away the bad spirits.


In addition to protect people, some shisa send sweet welcome to tourists, some try to acquires more sales for brands, some safeguard your bums?

 

 

Okinawa, the Beautiful Island - Okinawa World

Okinawa World is a theme park which showcases the heritage of Okinawa.

What makes it a must-go spot to me is Gyhokusendo Cave. It's a huge case consists of  numerous stalagmites and stalactite, lake and fountain where you can feel the power of the nature.































Butterfly in love with flower.
















At Okinawa World, you can purchase traditional Ryukyuan craft, such as shisa. 
















And even learn how to make the traditional folk crafts, including glass, 

indigo-dye

bingata
















as well as play traditional music instrument, sanshin. If you prefer appreciate music to play it, you can watch the powerful dancing performance.

In addition, you can feel like a royal with traditional Ryukyuan clothing in vivid color and take a photos.

This brewery produces liquor or beers made of poisonous snakes.















Wanna know more about the history of Ryukyuan? Don't miss the museum.

Okinawa, the Beautiful Island - Masuya

Masuya claims it is the largest salt specialty chain-store in Japan. It carries a wide variety of good across seasoning, snacks and skin care, all contains salt from local or overseas. 
















If you wanna try various flavored salt but not putting all in your basket, simply purchase a salt ice-cream.

Then, you can add any flavored-salt on top of your ice-cream. Among all, green tea and yuzi are the best friends of salt ice-cream.

My salt ice-cream in cup with an Okinawa biscuit  and my friend's salt ice-cream in cone. Most ice-cream flavors are sweet, does a savory flavor tastes weird? My answer is absolutely not. So, how does it taste? Delicious in a word. The salt matches the ice-cream unexpectedly. It's my highly recommended item in Okinawa.

Okinawa, the Beautiful Island - More Souvenirs

In Okinawa, you can find many souvenirs feature the local element.

Small curtains made of bingata farbic for doors.















A clock with an adorable whale shark.















Clothing


The beer which Okinawa proud of.















Something Okinawa people like.


Sanshin for music lovers.















Stationery is a more practical idea.















Many characters are happy to dress up in Okinawa costumes (the manufacturers are happier).



 












My picks.




 

Okinawa, the Beautiful Island - Makishi Kousetsu-ichiba Public Market

Makishi Kousetsu-ichiba Public Market is a famous market in Naha. Customers can purchase ingredients, like seafood and meat on the first floor of the market, then ask a restaurant on the second floor to turn the ingredients into delicious dishes. The restaurant usually charges a small fee for the cooking.

I picked this as the dinner place for day 1 because there are recommendations on internet. Sea snake is one of famous food in Okinawa but it will never appear on my plate.

Instead, my friend and me tried delicious grilled Ishigaki beef sashimi, a kind of wagyu breeding in Okinawa. Don't forget to add the mashed ginger and shredded spring onion to enhance the flavor.
In addiiton to Ishigaki beef, Okinawa people is also proud of their Agu pork which we tried in the next day.
















The food culture in Okinawa is influenced by various foreign countries throughout its unique history. Taco rice is a good example demonstrating the American's influence. The dish places common ingredients of a taco, like tomato, cheese, beef and lettuce on rice, making it an unique Okinawa fusion dish. We had the noodle version.















Here comes the sashimi boat from the first floor. Pity it's not as fresh as I expected probably because we arrived too late. The Umibudo or sea grapes on the left tastes like salmon egg but less salty.















Some snapshots of the first floor.