Okinawa, Japan

Naha bay on Okinawa, Japan had a modern feel and not one of a tropical island. Many people had told me that Okinawa was a great tropical destination and I was anxious to begin exploring. The rain and storm clouds though, kept me from spending any time on the beach.

Naha bay on Okinawa Japan

From a tourist point of view, I have to say that I was disappointed in the island of Okinawa, well, the city of Naha. After spending time in various cities in Japan, it just didn't seem the same. I walked quite a bit around the city and these are the main kinds of photos that I captured.

Naha on Okinawa, Japan

Granted, it did rain the entire time I was there (I know…I'm sooo picky), but compared to the mainland of Japan, it just seemed run-down and neglected. The architecture was bland and it just didn't have that clean, organized and together feel that Japan is known for.

Naha on Okinawa, Japan

There are some nice buildings and a nice shopping area, so I don't want to give you the impression that it's a horrible place to visit. In fact, it's quite popular with a lot of people around the world, and even boasts some beautiful beaches, not too far away.

Naha on Okinawa, Japan

Due to the constant moisture in the air, many of the buildings had the moldy look that is common for that type of environment. Parts of the city were unattractive, and other parts were pristine. However, this is common in most cities. I always felt safe while walking around, so you should certainly get out and explore by foot.

Naha on Okinawa, Japan

Okay, enough of that. In the spirit of fairness, I'll show you photos of the nicer parts. Everyone's experiences and opinions are different, as they should be. I'll also include a link at the bottom of this post that shows you how nice the other areas of Okinawa are when it's sunny.

Naha on Okinawa, Japan

For those who don't know: Okinawa is an island that sits many miles below the main island…and is owned by Japan. Most people will remember it due to its WWII connection. The American forces advanced on Okinawa (I believe in 1945) and the island suffered heavy bombing. They say that after three months of horrible bloodshed, General Ushijima committed ritual suicide in defeat.

Naha on Okinawa Japan (lens kept fogging up)

More than 250,000 Japanese citizens and 12,500 American were killed (or committed suicide) in the bloody fight. Apparently as WWII drew to a close, Japanese forces found themselves cornered atop Mabuni Hill and rather than face capture, the 4000 officers and enlisted men leapt over the precipice to their deaths. I'm not a history expert, but this is true to the best of my knowledge.

Naha on Okinawa Japan

Okinawa has it's modern conveniences and is certainly up with the times. There is a monorail that runs through the city and can be enjoyable if you want to get a birds eye view. A canal runs through the city and can be enjoyed from various bridges.

Monorail in Naha, on Okinawa Japan

I found an interesting park while walking around. There were some statues and various trails that meandered off in different directions. During a nice warm day, it would probably be quite nice in there.

Park in Naha on Okinawa Japan

The modern "Downtown" area is clean and has some nice architecture.

Kokusai Street in Naha, Okinawa, Japan

Kokusai Street,  is a main shopping street and stretches on for a distance. There are a number of shops on both side , but it seems that most of them seemed to cater more to tourist, or sell candy and like items.

Naha on Okinawa Japan

There were not many highlights for me on this island. There is a historical castle (Shuri-jo) that can be toured towards the outskirts of town, but even it had been completely rebuilt/refurbished a number of years ago which diminishes its historical interest to some. That being said, the Japanese have a rich  history surrounding the Kingdom of Ryukyu and much more that you can do some research on. There are also significant war memorials and museums that would be of interest to many people. My advice is that if you are planning on spending time on Okinawa, go when it's not the rainy season and stay on or near the beaches. Arrange some tours to get a better sense of what's there to be enjoyed.

Naha on Okinawa Japan

Oh, I almost forgot. There was this one thing which caught my attention on the street. As you can see in the picture below, apparently it's a good thing to put a large, venomous snake in your whisky as it adds a certain Je Ne C'es Qua to the flavor (that's "I don't know what" in french, for my Oklahoma relatives). Okay, I don't really know what it adds, but there's no way in hell that I'm trying to take one back through Customs.

Snake Whisky in Okinawa

If you want to see more photos of Okinawa, I have some in my Flickr album, which you can access HERE. There is also another link to show you some of the beach areas on Okinawa, which can be accessed HERE (not my site). 

A day in the life of Nagasaki, Japan

For me, one of the best things about traveling and photography is capturing people doing everyday things when they think no one is looking. It’s at this time that people are the most honest in their expressions and reactions.

 

Nagasaki girls pray over bridge

In my Flickr album, there are 212 photos that are simply shots of Nagasaki. Many of them are your basic “point and shoot”, because I like to show people what it looks like to stand on the corner of such and such. 

Nagasaki Japan, Geishas

However, there are many shots where I took the time to capture faces, things and moments that had an impact on me.

Nagasaki Japan

Nagasaki (which means “long cape”), as with all Japanese cities, was full of compassionate, gentle and polite people. Most questions get met with a shy giggle and possibly an answer in broken english. However, people are more than willing to help when they can.

Nagasaki Japan

The skyline of Nagasaki is beautiful, and is almost 360 degrees of buildings, homes and trees that sprawl across the hills. An early morning sunrise made the city glow orange and glisten. Some boats began to sail across the water in preparation for their day.

Nagasaki Japan

As we walked around, there were many temples for both Buddhist and Shinto religions. Although it is easy to spot temples all over Nagasaki, Temple Row is a popular area which sits up on a hill side. There is a small street that sits beside a number of small temples. Most of them are open and approachable, but remember to be very respectful and leave a few coins if you have them.

Temple Row in Nagasaki Japan

There was one particular temple, in the city, Fukusai-ji or Kannon Universal Temple, which was very unusual to me. It was a statue of Buddha on top of a Turtle. Unfortunately, I didn't get to stay long since the lady watching over it wanted money for even standing on the grounds. In a very un-Japanese like fashion, she wasn't too friendly about it.
 and waved us away.

Kannon Universal Temple in Nagasaki Japan

Nagasaki has a rich past and is the site of where one of the atomic bombs fell in 1945, devastating the landscape of the country. 

Nagasaki Japan

Our trip into Nagasaki came by way of ship. The entrance into the port was spectacular due to both sides of the bay being doted with rows of houses and buildings which climbed up tree filled mountains. It is clear that Japan has put great effort into rebuilding and beautifying Nagasaki over the years. You can see some European influence in various buildings, probably from when the Portuguese came into Nagasaki many years ago. One of the interesting things about Nagasaki is that it was the first place where Japan let foreign visitors in.

Nagasaki Japan

I believe the Portuguese landed there by accident in 1543, while on their way to China. Nagasaki became an important trade center. Unfortunately, one of the downsides to Japanese history was when Christianity began to spread (due to foreign influence) Toyotomi Hideyoshi, Emperor of Japan in 1588 decided to try to end the Christian influence by ordering the crucifixion of 26 Nagasaki believers. The 26 victims included six missionaries and three children. They were arrested in Osaka and Kyoto then forced to walk 500 miles in the winter snow to Nagasaki, where they were publicly executed.

Nagasaki Japan



Even though the majority of people in Japan practice Buddhism and Shinto now days, Christianity is an accepted religion. There is now a beautiful memorial that was built and dedicated to these 26 Martyrs in acknowledgement of the emperor’s wrong doing. 


It is hard to fathom some of Japan’s negative history, due to how much the country has changed over the years. Out of all the places in the world that I've been to, I have to say that Japan is the most pleasant and accepting country I have encountered.

Nagasaki Japan

It is clear that its citizens are entirely different people now with kindness at their core.


The Atom Bomb memorial museum is a place that you might want to see. It contains many photographs (albeit graphic) that show the devastating aftermath of the bomb. There is also a charred section of some effected building material as a result of the bomb. I did not take any pictures of the museum or the aftermath. The Nagasaki bomb was twice as strong as the one dropped on Hiroshima.

Peace Park Statue in Nagasaki




Peace Park, is filled with many statues that were created and dedicated by various countries to show their acknowledgement of devastation. Sitting at the end of a large courtyard is a huge statue of a powerful man who holds out one hand in appeal to cease the madness of war as he points heavenward with the other to remind humanity of our place in a larger universe and hopefully contain our destructive urges. Not many people find the statute visually appealing, but it's meaning is it's important factor.

Peace Park Grounds

The grounds are very pleasant and there are many places to sit and relax. It's important to know that you can't just walk to Peace Park from the city center. Your best bet is to take the Tram there and back. The Tram system is pretty easy to understand, and doesn't cost too much. I had purchased a special all-day ticket, but I am not sure if they sell this all the time. You can just tell the driver where you want to go and he'll guide you in the right direction.

Spectacle Bridge in Nagasaki Japan

On a lighter note, there are a series of wonderful bridges which were built over a small river that flows through Nagasaki. One of which is called the “Spectacle Bridge”. I don’t quite remember all of the history behind it, but I do know that it was rebuilt a few times due to severe flooding.

Spectacle Bridge in Nagasaki Japan

The rebuilds have been identical to the original. You can walk down some stairs and stroll along the bottom of the river bed at certain points. There are many Koi fish and wonderful little stone paths that cross from one side to the other. I was able to capture some great photos of some children and people playing on the paths.




Watching the Koi fish in the river

It was funny watching this father help his child, who was trying to step across each stone. The families knew I was photographing and were fine with it.

Spectacle Bridge in Nagasaki Japan

The Koi fish came in many bright colors, along with some black and white ones. They were eager to eat out of your hands and it was common for people to feed them.

Koh fish in the river beneath the Spectacle bridge

Nagasaki has an inside mall which stretches for many blocks. It was quite something to walk through and had many visitors. Luckily, I was able to find some things I needed in a store there. The only problem was trying to decipher exactly what it was that I was buying. It was simple, I needed shampoo. However, the Japanese LOVE their cute packaging and colors, and frankly, I didn't know what cartoon character meant what, when it comes to shampoo.

Mall in Nagasaki Japan

The city is very crowded and yet manageable. My sidekick and I spent hours walking from Peace Park to the main part of Nagasaki. It spreads out over miles and up and down hills. Since they drive on the opposite side of the road, I had to continuously remember to look right rather than left as I crossed the street….otherwise you get hit by a car.

Nagasaki Japan

I always find it amusing to see that many soda dispensing machines around the cities, they are simply sitting on corners and quiet streets. I can’t imagine anything like that would last more than a minute in America, due to the fact that people would break into them. I guess the Japanese are a very trusting people.




Vending Machines in Nagasaki

The weather was wonderful in Nagasaki and the ocean air flowed throughout the city. There were many great temples which lined quiet little streets. I am not Buddhist, so for me its about the architecture and peaceful nature of the buildings. I respect others and their beliefs, so it was interesting watching the people meditate at the sites.


On a side note, I was surprised at how many Hawks there were flying around the city. They would circle overhead and fly through the city. You could hear their cries everywhere. Although it sounds strange, it was actually a great thing to see and hear.

Funny Soda Design in Nagasaki

Japan seems to embrace the whimsical in advertisement and design. It is quite normal to find cute cartoon characters lining building signs and various things that would seem odd to the average american. I have to say though, that I really enjoy these things, such as the odd soda can that makes you smile. Someone left this one sitting on a bench.




Nagasaki Japan

Nagasaki is a beautiful city with many streets and alley ways for shopping and just strolling. A car is not needed if you don't mind walking, and as I said, it's very safe here. There are more pictures of Nagasaki Japan in my photo albums on Flickr. You can access them by clicking HERE.

Flower in Nagasaki Japan

A train ride around Japan (Only a 6 minute edit)

I thought someone might like this. It's just a basic edit of some video clips that I took from the train window in Japan. It allows you to see some of the suburbs and city areas as the train goes from Himeji to Kyoto. Some of the clips are longer than others, but you will see some variety if you hang in there. Don't expect a thrilling video, but it's visually interesting. There is some music and sound if you want to turn the volume up.

Japan-Fast Trains...Amazing Castles...And Toilets that are smarter than you!

I am writing this in a state of Jetlag-itis...so I'm not responsible for anything I say.

Kobe Japan

We arrived in Kobe, safe and sound after we spent the best part of the flight worrying about the recent typhoon that was sweeping across our path, but apparently, it had vanished out to sea before we landed. The skies were cloudy and somewhat stormy, but overall it was a nice relief to be out of the dry desert climate of Las Vegas. We were so void of moisture from two years in the desert that I was almost afraid we'd explode like those little foam toys you drop in water and watch them grow.

Kobe Japan

After meandering through an hour of immigration and customs lines, we  made it to the welcoming sign that had my name spelled out on it, held by a friendly-faced representative. Thank God we had decided to hire a shuttle service instead of taking the trains. The trip to Kobe took a long, long time. I want to say two hours, but I honestly didn't look. Our flight arrived at 2:40 pm (Japan time) and we didn't get to the hotel until dark.

View From the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Kobe, Japan

The Crowne Plaza hotel is beautiful. It sits high in the sky on top of one of Kobe's hills. We we placed on the 31st floor which afforded us incredible views during the night and daytime.

Kobe Japan

Our first adventure took us out scouring the train system of Japan. I had researched routes and tickets, trying to decipher what to take and when. I was in shock at the $75 round trip prices that were normally charged for a simple 30 minute trip from one place to another. It would have costed a fortune for us to go to the cities we wanted to cover over the next few days.

Kobe Japan

Luckly, after researching enough I found that, as tourist, we could buy 1-day passes (or more days) for the astonishing low price of $25 each. This pass would allow us unlimited rides on the "JR" lines, which would take us to our desired areas. So, this begun our first day.

Hemiji Japan

Hemiji, was our first stop. After working our way through crowds of  Japanese business men in black suits, we managed to catch the right train. We stood the entire time (long journey) since the stops did nothing but manage to let people out and let many people back in. Hemiji, was the last stop on the route, but we were excited to be taking this trip.

Hemiji Japan

Hemiji, is a small town were the Hemiji Castle sits. This castle comprises 83 wooden buildings and was built in 1346. It looms quite large over the landscape and you can see that it was simply beautiful. You can read more about it's history here, or by additional research. The castle is about a 10-15 minute walk from the train station and can be seen from the station (as in the photo above). The walk is very pleasant and of course, safe.

Hemiji Castle in Japan

We spent a while walking through the gardens and the town of Hemiji, but unfortunately, did not enter the castle. We had arrived so early in the morning, that we would have had to wait a while. It was actually nice that there were very few people around and the park area was a perfect place to sit and each some baked goods that we bought on the walk there. It's easy to feel at peace in Japan when you're in these types of environments. After a while, we headed back to the train station.

Hemiji Castle in Japan

Kyoto, was our next stop. This was a good 1.5 hour train ride, but the scenery was wonderful along the way. I took quite a bit of video and uploaded a simple edit to youtube. The quality isn't great, but it's a combination of the train ride clips, looking out the window, and you can watch it in the higher resolution with sound.



Kyoto was bustling when we exited the train station. There is a mall that is attached to the station exit, with many shops and places to eat. The mall, itself, it quite interesting and worth a look. The architecture inside was very modern.

Mall in Kyoto Japan

The weather was a bit overcast by then, but it didn't effect our enjoyment. Instead of being right in the thick of things, we decided to begin walking away from the station and see where it took us. Within a few blocks, we were away from the shops and heading into a neighborhood.

Kyoto Japan

There were many typical Japanese homes that lined narrow streets, and plenty of little Japanese women tending to their potted plants. It was fun watching the school children in their traditional uniforms, scamper around the town as the teachers guided them to their destinations.

Kyoto Japan

After walking for a while, we ran across this amazing, ancient temple (Higahsi Hoganji). Because of the darkness of the wood and the brightness of the sky, it was difficult to photograph. The wall to the temple stretched many city blocks and the entrance was as grand as ever.

Kyoto Japan, Part of the temple complex

There was no entrance fee, but we were required to take off our shoes to be able to quietly enter the temple, itself. They wouldn't allow any photography inside, because it was a functioning temple.

Kyoto Japan Temple

I have to say, that people in Japan are wonderful. They are kind, polite and very helpful...except maybe this little girl who apparently has seen one too many Godzilla movies (yes, the pigeon did survive!).

Kyoto Japan Temple Complex

We took a train ride to Osaka from Kyoto, which took a little while, but the ride was pleasant enough and not crowded. There were building every where and it felt that a big modern city, compared to some of the smaller towns that we've been to. We were quite hungry at this point and set off to find a good place to eat. We had to look up and down a few streets before we found an alley way full of places. It was only about four three long blocks from the train station, walking north.

Osaka Japan

After looking through a few outside menus, we finally sat down for a meal in a great restaurant. The sweet lady who waited on us was wonderful and we ate Chicken Katsu, along with some pickled veggies, tofu and rice. Not a word of english was spoken, but we still managed with the little Japanese that we do know. Oh, and surprisingly, the meal was only 630 Yen per person (about $8)...this is shocking considering that Japan can be very, very expensive.

Osaka Japan

Osaka was a large, modern city that was thriving with people. Of course everywhere in Japan is thriving with people. You should never feel unsafe walking around the city or most of Japan for that matter. Osaka is big enough that you could never do it all by foot. There are many things to do, and it even has a "Universal Studios" theme park. A large Ferris Wheel sets on the waterfront, but you can't see it from the train station. There are a number of trains stops in Osaka, so you must decide where you want to start. Keep in mind that Osaka is not really the cultural, Historical scene as you would find in Kyoto, but it is a great place to start.

Osaka Japan

Oh yeah...the toilets. Scary. I first noticed them in the airport...didn't dare take a picture in the men's room though...would hate to have to explain that in broken Japanese. These toilets...including the one in our hotel, are like something out of the Jetsons. Many knobs, buttons, blinking lights and whirring sounds complete the experience. I can't imagine what they are all for, and was simply afraid of what would happen if I pushed..that button, or this one...would room service show up??...WHAT does it know?? Will we get a detailed print-out on our last day at the hotel..with a list of suggestions?? I can't even fathom what Japanese business man sat in a board room at his technology company and said.."I'm thinking...toilets"...while everyone made a list of "compatible" electronic devices for our restroom experience.

Outside of Osaka Japan

Anyway, we're not done with Japan. We will be spending about six days total, traveling around here before we head off to another country. Also, I have posted all my snapshots in flick so far. I have to say, they are marginal quality. I can't see worth a darn on this small laptop, so if they are blurry or have poor color balance, I can't fix that yet. I threw in everything...so even the bad shots. Hope you enjoy, and once I wake up in a couple of days, I'll post something a little more coherent. :-) Don't forget...there are more pictures of these places in my flickr photo stream HERE. By the way...this is what I'm having to blog with right now...LOL Good thing it looks familiar.

Note: (February 2010) This is my first blog post, ever. Unfortunately at the time, I didn't realize what I needed to compile in order to write a comprehensive post and break it up into sections. So, the information here will seem quick. Luckily, you will notice improvement over time with the many blog posts that follow this. I hope you enjoy them all. Luther