Day 3 in Okinawa: Ishigaki Paradise

There’s something special about being by the beach. Especially when it’s as turquoise as this.

Looking at this hue for hours on end has a therapeutic quality I just don’t even know how to put in words. The best I’ve got is that it healed me.

There’s nothing like seeing Mother Nature’s gift to mankind stretch out for hours and hours on end. Could there be anything more glorious? As I felt my bare feet sink into the sand, I was home. Relaxed. Stress-free. The energy from the ocean washed away the mad schedule of the past three months. 

We rented a bike from the hotel and took a ride to nowhere wondering what we would find. We saw many things. Plantations. Rice paddies. Palm trees. Banana trees. People tilling the land. People living alongside nature. Clean air. No tall buildings. No crowded train where you have to fight with a million people to get on. 

Ah…bliss.

The simple life – if there is such a thing. We also found an old Buddhist Temple. Yea… It’s old. Even by Japanese standards. 

It was nice to just chill out. No plan whatsoever and see what happens. My style – haha! Somehow interesting things always end up happening so hey…!

I really wanted to go swimming and snorkelling but it wasn’t possible on this trip because spring is late. We ended up taking one of those glass boats on a fishing expedition – excuse the bad pun. 

There were more coral fossils than corals. It wasn’t a complete waste of time, but it isn’t something I would recommend doing. 

For lunch we ate Yaeyama Soba. It kind of looks like this. And yes, it was good. WELCOME TO JAPAN!

And then we went to Ishigaki-Yaki Pottery Studio: which specialises in the rare art of Yuteki Tenmoki with glass coloured in the style of the Okinawan Sea. Given my obsession with the ocean, I indulged myself and bought a piece. I also met the Master Craftsman Kaneko Haruhiko who was super delighted to speak with me in English and explain any questions I had. He’s having an exhibition in Tokyo in July which I’m looking forward to checking out.

And then it ends…

I’m on a plane back to Tokyo right now. I have loads more that I want to write – including posts on Okinawan Culture and Food as well as musings I had about my time in Australia.

I don’t really want to leave Okinawa, but there are responsibilities that must be met. Sigh…

I’m going to miss the ocean. I really am. 

Till next time.