Stamp Rallies: Not Just for Kids

 

Naha

            The capital (actually the prefectural seat, but that’s beside the point) of Okinawa has been an important center for the island from the time it was still the Ryukyu Kingdom. This kingdom had strong ties to both China and Japan until it was annexed by the latter in 1879. During World War II, Naha and its surrounding areas were the site of the Battle of Okinawa. At its conclusion, nearly one-fourth of the Okinawan citizens had perished and the American military first started creating bases. The intersection of Ryukyuan, Japanese, and American culture has created many unique foods and customs.

 

Getting There and Around

            Peach offers reasonably priced flights to both Naha and Ishigaki. Thus, if you’re looking to save some of your cash to instead buy some of the delicious foods Okinawa has to offer, I would definitely recommend using the low-cost airline. Naha has an easily navigable train line. You can buy one-day or two-day passes as well, which is quite convenient. However, its range is fairly limited. If you want to reach some of the farther away attractions, you’ll need to either take a bus (another JET we ran into said it takes a long time, limiting what you can accomplish) or rent a car. We used the Times rental service and it was pretty easy and affordable.

 

Where to Stay

Naha has many Toyoko Inns throughout the city. We stayed at one very close to Omoromachi Station, which you can easily walk to from Kokusai dori if you miss the last train. Toyoko Inns are all the same, so if you’ve stayed in one, you’ve stayed in them all.

 

What to Eat

            Oh, the food. There are many unique options in Okinawa, some of which are unappealing to a finicky eater such as myself, but many of which I was only too happy to stuff in my face. My favorites included taco rice, especially the insanely cheap and large portions served at King Taco, ひらやち (a thin Okinawan okonomiyaki), THE Okinawan omiyage ちんすこう, and pretty much everything from Donut Ball Heaven on Kokusai dori.  Other restaurants we ventured to included Gajumaru, which is housed in a large tree, Sui Ryu, Nanbusoba, and Tacos Ya, all of which were pretty decent. Some of the options at these restaurants included goat sashimi, beef sushi, habushu (snake liquor), Okinawan soba, chanpuru (stir-fry), and umibudou (sea grapes). Blue Seal is a popular Okinawan chain of ice cream stores and hits the sweet tooth quite nicely.

 

What do Do

            Fairly close to Omoromachi Station is the Art and Prefectural Museum. The exhibits were a little small for the price, in my opinion, but they were still enjoyable. Kokusai dori is one of the main tourist attractions in Naha. It houses many restaurants and stores, such as a Pokemon Center. Nearby are also the Maikishi fish market and the Tsuboya Pottery Museum. The museum includes an iPad audio tour, which was pretty neat.

Shuri jo is one of my favorite castles in the country. Its architecture is pretty interesting given its Ryukuan roots, and there is also a stamp rally you can participate in. If you get more than 11 stamps, you can receive a sticker set! If you have good timing, a nice Japanese visitor may also give you ちんすこう. Fairly close to the castle grounds is Shikina-en.

On the way, you’ll encounter a stone path and a cemetery with a pink crypt. For reference, that’s what I want. The garden is beautiful and there is a cute resident tabby. Farther along the train line is Sueyoshi forest, which is beautiful and has many paths to gallivant through. My favorite of the nature-heavy attractions is Fukushu-en. It is a celebration of the friendship between Naha and a Chinese sister city and is absolutely gorgeous. The local wildlife have also learned to stalk people in the hopes of being fed. The carp in particular will swim after you as you meander about. On top of that, it has free entry (at least for American citizens)!

Farther afield are the Peace Park and the Churaumi Aquarium. The park has several interesting aspects. There is a large Buddha with a rock collection underneath, a butterfly garden, an extremely well-done and informative museum about the Battle of Okinawa, an observation deck, and memorial towers from each prefecture. Churaumi is located in the Ocean Expo Park, so you have options if you decide to stay longer. There are dolphin, manatee, and sea turtle exhibits outside of the aquarium. Inside, your first stop is a tidal pool. Unshockingly, there isn’t any soap provided once you’ve finished touching the seastars. I found all of the marine life quite fascinating and became (perhaps irrationally) excited by the sharks in particular. The scale between humans and whale sharks is incredible.

 

Last Minute Points

-       Bring sunscreen. Use it. Love it.

-       Eat taco rice. All of it.

-       The music scene is pretty active. Check out shows while you visit if you’re so inclined.

-       Many people are unhappy with the military’s presence. Keep this in mind, especially if you are American.

 

Naha makes for a nice weekend getaway, even if you can’t rent a car. Just be sure you actually use the sunscreen you pack instead of getting weird burn lines like I did.

 

Brittany Teodorski