7/17: Presentations

 

The next few days of the program followed a different structure. On Thursday and Friday, we focused on independent work time. After spending two weeks in Okinawa, we returned to Tokyo for the last few days of the program. On Saturday, we checked out of the hotel, and departed from Naha early in the morning. We arrived at our hotel in Shinjuku, where we planned to stay until Tuesday. On that weekend, Saturday and Sunday weren’t just free days, but also important days for working on our presentations.

These presentations gave everyone a platform to explore their reflections and positionality with the individual research topic as the main focus of the presentation. These presentations had flexible format, where we could be creative in how we presented the content and choose whether we preferred to present individually or in groups. With these guidelines in mind, everyone came up with wonderful presentations that highlighted their creativity and thoughtful research in their topics. Some of the ways that students approached this topic included art, such as through performance art inspired by “Cut Piece” by Yoko Ono and other works, the reading of a short story describing personal experiences related to race and gender, as well as a poem on modern narratives in Japan. There were also group presentations, such as a group combining two independent topics and looking at disability perceptions and “otherness”. Another group combined their topics through a conversation, understanding art in various ways and even creating art pieces for the audience to explore. Overall, each presentation shined, showing the passion and deep reflection put into it. After presentations, we traveled back to Shinjuku to wrap up the program with a final group dinner. We enjoyed a traditional style dinner, conversing about our experiences and what we learned. The next morning, we exchanged goodbyes as we checked out of the hotel.

To get to the presentations, we had journeyed individually from our hotel in Shinjuku back to the National Olympics Youth Memorial Center (also known as NYC). Just two weeks ago, we left these dorms where we had first started our program. I reflected on how much we had grown since then, and how many things we had learned. We began our learning by reading about art, reflecting on it as well. Our first week was filled with exploration, as we were guided from place to place. From there, we explored many aspects of literature and history both through assigned readings and even places that we visited. In this trip we grew as students, being challenged to think about how to reflect and draw connections. We were inspired to be creative in our learning through blog posts and our final presentations, and learned from the diverse stories of the guest speakers that we had the opportunity to hear from. We also grew as people, gaining new perspective through this journey.

7/12: Storytelling

 We begun our day by walking together to our "classroom," which is about 5
minutes from our hotel. On our way to the classroom, it begun to sprinkle, which was unexpected, since we have been experiencing temperatures over 90 degrees during our time so far in Okinawa.

When we arrived at the classroom, we were introduced to Fija Byron, our guest speaker of the day. Fija is currently an Okinawan linguist and activist. His mother was Okinawan and his father was American. Growing up, he struggled with his identity. He had people label him as both Uchinaanchu (Okinawan people) and American. He had many nervous breakdowns and even an identity crisis.

Fija had spent some time in the U.S., but he eventually returned to Okinawa, where he heard some traditional folk songs and realized that he identifies as Okinawan. From there he had the urge to learn the Uchinaanguchi, which is the Okinawan language. He taught us that there are 6 languages (not dialects!) and that there are "varieties" of each language. Fija didn't have many people to teach him the local language. He learned by talking to elderly people on the island as well as a famous actor. Fija soon mastered the language and now he is an activist and linguist of Uchinaanguchi. He hopes to revitalize the local language through teaching and learning to connect Okinawans to Okinawan culture.

We then discussed Speak, Okinawa in small groups. In my group, we found ourselves relating to the character in the book as we felt similar feelings about having identity crises. For many people that I have met through this program, we have felt like we don't "belong" and struggle trying to belong to a certain ethnic and cultural group. We find ourselves being judged by physiological features and being categorized based on how we look like. 

After hearing what people had to say and finding out that people had similar feelings, it made me think about storytelling and about the narratives/identities that are established about ourselves based on what we look like. Furthermore, it made me question how do we get our own stories and narratives out there? How do we get our voice to be heard past all of the judgements and societal pressures? This then made me think about the article we read: "Using Story to Change Systems." Fija had told his story to us and had to constantly prove to himself his identity. He had people tell him he was American and people who saw him as Okinawan. Through telling his story to others and learning Uchinaanguchi from Okinawan elders, he came to the realization that he is Okinawan. From there he used his story and his identity to revitalize the local language. Fija's story "builds community through empathy," and this is what made his story so relatable to people. His story changed his own personal narrative and cultural narratives that he was subjected to through others. 

After class time, we all had some free time to get lunch and work on our final projects. A lot of us went to the department store nearby and had lunch together in the basement!

7/11 - Resilience and Resistance: Koza X MiXtopia

We started our day by splitting up and taking six taxis to the Teruya district of Okinawa City. We then walked to the Koza X MiXtopia research center to meet with Dr. Ariko Ikehara. From there, Dr. Ikehara presented us with information about her research and the community work she does at the center. We were also given a tour of the neighborhood filled with stories about each local business and the community care happening in each space and outlines for the upcoming map being installed. It was a pleasure to speak with Dr. Ikehara and engage with her work, this day was my favorite of our entire trip.

There were two terms used and coined by Dr. Ikehara in their work that I found particularly interesting: Artchive and MiXtory. Artchive is a hybrid of archive and art, and MiXtory is a combination of mystery, history, and story. 

Dr. Ikehara has been building a decolonial archive consisting of maps of local communities (with another one in the works currently). The information and data shared in the artchive come directly from community members, making the work feel deeply personal. The artchive serves to preserve their stories and cultural memory. The map outlines and draws the untold stories of the place, stressing the value of investing in these local Okinawan communities. The importance of third spaces was also brought up on this tour and some of the elements of community care happening in these spaces. These artchives often highlight the mundane and everyday stories that are often overlooked by dominant narratives that are given value. It is our personal experiences that inform our politics, and by making the personal visible it is clear that the politics for this project are rooted in a love for the community. 

By centering the voices of the community rather, the artchive challenges colonial archives that steal records from and assert power over the community. The archive is decolonial, as it is treated as a subject, values different forms of knowledge production, and is continuously added to and built upon. From speaking with Dr. Ikehara, it is abundantly clear that community care is central to her practice. The way she engages with subjects felt incredibly collaborative and consensual in contrast to other ethnographic projects I have seen historically. She does not impose or assert herself as above in any way, equity between parties is centric to the practice, as she allows her interviewees to ask her anything they wish to, and does not work with people who do not wish to be her subjects. I felt quite inspired by the ethics and engagement with the subject, she demonstrates excellent care and thoughtfulness in her research. 

Similar to challenging dominant narratives, embodied knowledge is uplifted in Dr. Ikehara’s work, rather than relying on solely empirical data. Dr. Ikehara’s background in performance deeply informs the work being done currently in the research center and Artchives. During our conversation, Dr. Ikehara graciously shared with us how her mixed-race identity has informed her performance art and current work. Being mixed-race, I related to the constant entitlement others feel toward knowing your identity. Through performance, Dr. Ikehara has found ways to subvert the discomfort placed on her by outsiders, by upholding a mirror to viewers of her work. 

In making these works, she spoke about the importance of imagination as a tool for radically envisioning different futures. I felt quite inspired learning about Dr. Ikehara’s background in performance art. By utilizing art and repertoire as key components in her work, she is radically world-building Okinawan futures she would like to see. Dr. Ikehara stressed the importance of the possible and impossible. Written on the wall of the space is the word “possibility” which serves as a reminder to challenge what others tell you is impossible to create the futures we wish to see. We require embodied and artistic knowledge to create a future where storytelling and the soul of local Okinawan communities are prioritized. This also requires the voices of young people to listen and preserve the voices of elders. Through these types of knowledge production, we can begin to imagine a world we would like to live in.  

Ryukyu History - Narratives of Displacement and Resistance through Art

We started off the day with an early morning, as we boarded and left the Hotel Yugaff Inn (with a minor hiccup) at around 9am after spending two nights in Nago. Even at that point in the day, we could feel the heat as we loaded our luggage into the charter bus. From the Inn, it took us about an hour to get from Nago to our next destination/excursion: kayaking in the Hija River.  

When we finally reached Kadena, Hija River. We were greeted by a our Kayaking instructor, who first directed us to changing rooms and where we could place our valuables. After changing, our instructor led us to a room, where he taught us about the importance of the Mangrove forests. He explained that the Mangrove trees were declining at concerning rates along the Hija River and around the world. Additionally, he passed around preserved exoskeletons of sea snakes that are commonly found in the river. 

 Following our indoor instruction, our instructor led us outside, insisted on us using the provided crocs and hats for sun protection, and told us to grab paddles. After he showed us the proper paddling techniques, we all partnered up and boarded our paddle boats. Along the way, our instructor occasionally paused to teach us more about the Mangroves and environment around us. After returning to the dock, most people changed out of their swim suits and returned onto the bus. 

From there, we were onto our next destination: a quick stop to a nearby farmers market (where a bushel of green grapes cost 1,300 yen!). Everyone went in and bought either a full meal or fruit, and, 30 minutes later, we traveled to Cape Zappa, a café that sold fried chicken burgers, various drinks, and desserts. The amount of food the café served definitely justified its price! 

After eating at Cape Zappa (though some had eaten earlier and chose to swim at the beach), we still had two more stops. We took a short bus ride and visited Chibichiri Gama Cave, where 87 people died on the second day of the American invasion during the Battle of Okinawa. Their passings were either due to suicide or to being killed by US soldiers. The pathway to the cave was riddled with spiders, various insects, and, according to a nearby sign, snakes are common in the area as well. When we reached the viewing area, we took a few moments and paid our respects to the victims of a tragic, horrific, and unimaginable event. 

Finally, the last leg of our journey was spent at the Yomitan Pottery Village, where we were free to tour the various shops and buy their various (mainly ceramic) products for about an hour. Afterwards, we all piled into the bus for an hour-long ride back to Naha, where we finally checked into our hotel rooms to rest after a long day. 

Culture, History, and Tradition

    Today we had a restful morning, some of us taking advantage of our 12:00pm start time to sleep in or catch up on assignments. When we did eventually all gather downstairs we left the hotel and headed to the Monorail station closest to us, even a short walk like this one had everyone feeling the heat. It was a sweltering 89 degrees with a humidity index of 90% in Naha today so it was not surprising that even as we got off the monorail and approached our destination on foot, we all continued to be subjected to the intense heat. Despite this, however, the sky was bright and we were able to appreciate the buildings, greenery, and even public art that we passed on our way. 

When we arrived at the Bingata Museum we were immediately greeted by courteous staff members in traditional dress and an inviting lobby in which many stunning handmade textiles were being displayed. The art of Ryukyu Bingata is a practice native to Okinawa and based on an ancient method of dyeing fabric developed by the Ryukyu, Okinawa's former monarchy. Today we got to dye our own fabric in this famous style, each of us picking a small tote bag to paint dye onto. We were then taught by kind instructors how to layer on and rub in the dye with short bristled brushes. The order was very specific, with lighter colors needing to be dried with a hair dryer before moving on to darker shades. It is also necessary to cover each part with two coats of this dye, in order to ensure proper pigmentation, before moving on to darker ink for creating gradients in the pattern. 

The finished product was then placed in a slim bag and we were given instructions to care for our dyed bags since in order to stain properly it has to be left to dry for several days. As a whole everyone at my table got very into the process, focusing completely on staining our designs carefully and in the correct order with guidance from the instructors. In the end, we said warm farewells to the staff and were directed to the small shop to purchase souvenirs for ourselves, our friends, and our families. However, luckily before we all departed, we were given the unique opportunity to see how the weaving process of fabric, also unique to Okinawa, was created. We were given exclusive looks at the dyeing of silk threads and the preparation of these colorful threads for weaving. A talented expert in the craft shared details of every aspect of the two-month-long process in Japanese, which was then quickly translated by Miki. The entire experience was highly educational, it was very admirable that despite new machinery that can complete the creation of this fabric much quicker, the original handcraft is still being kept alive. As someone who has studied many culturally significant ancient textile practices, many of them are lost to time, so it is immensely important to keep these practices alive in their original form. 

At the end of the visit, I think we all had a greater appreciation for the cultural significance of Okinawan textiles and the connections they provide for Okinawans to their past history. After departing from the Museum, some of us headed back to rest and left the hotel late in the evening for dinner and a night of karaoke. Besides a hectic night of packing for our weekend excursion coming up today was a restful and insightful day, with all of us gaining a new art skill and a hand dyed bag that will remind of us our time spent here.

 We started the day bright and early boarding a bus to make our way to the Himeyuri Museum. We rode the bus about 45 minutes south of Naha city through a rural area passing a landscape of fields of sugar cane and banana groves sprinkled with concrete homes. The museum is located at the sight of what was an all-girls Normal school (school for teacher training) and High school. 1,150 girls aged 13-19 studied at this location prior to the war’s entrance in Okinawa. 

Upon arriving at the museum we first paid our respects to the students whose lives were lost in the Battle of Okinawa, laying flowers at the memorial site which is the place of the cave the students sought refuge in during the first firebombings on the island. Upon entering the museum we were gathered in the multipurpose hall where we were shown a short video that told the story of the students and their plight during the Battle of Okinawa.

The first exhibit room displayed student life before the war and before the Battle of Okinawa. The students were trained to become military girls and help the war effort instead of their usual studies, in large part due to the militarization that characterized society and education at the time forming what was called the Himeyuri Student Corps. This was common practice in Japan at the time of the war as students all over the nation were mobilized to the battlefield; boys aged 14-19 served as low-ranking privates and girls for nursing activities. Although there was no legal basis to support mobilizing students to the battlefield it continued throughout the war. For a long time, the students felt that the war was far away from them but on October 10, 1944 firebombs by the Americans brought the war to their doorstep. On January 22, 1945, the school itself was targeted by these bombings and soon on March 23 the principal was given orders to mobilize 240 of the students to serve the country as nursing aids at the Okinawa Army Hospital. This hospital was made of 40 dug-out caves connected by a series of tunnels about 5km from the school's campus. On April 1st, American soldiers made ground further exposing the students to the gruesome realities of the war. Wounded soldiers filled the caves overwhelmingly as the students did all they could to perform surgeries and amputations on begging soldiers in putrid conditions carrying out bodies and body parts from the caves. At first, they did all they could to bury the dead respectfully but soon had to resort to dropping bodies into pits created by the bombs as there were too many deaths. The students did not imagine that the hospital would be a target of the American military but it had soon become a battlefield and the students were at risk every moment.

Moving to the second exhibit room you have to walk through a cave-like hallway where on display are the story and experiences of the students in the hospital caves and the third exhibit room discussed the deactivation order. The students struggled to survive and soon could hardly perform their duties. As the American forces grew closer the girls were ordered to leave on June 18th as a deactivation order was given. They were prompted by their teacher to not rush into suicide, save themselves, and do their best to survive, but there was nowhere for them to go. Still, they were ordered from the caves having to abandon wounded soldiers and friends. They were told they these wounded would be carried out by truck, although this was a lie. The individuals left behind were given poisoned milk, unbeknownst to them, as they were abandoned in the cave to die in agony. As the students fled reluctantly and those left behind suffered poison, the cave itself was bombed. 136 of the 240 students originally mobilized from the Himeyuri girls school had died after the deactivation order was given, along with 91 others, including students and teachers.

Forced suicide and the choice to commit suicide in mass heavily impacted the trauma of the Battle of Okinawa. Soldiers, civilians, and students alike were convinced that surrender was worse than death and that the highest honor was to die in the name of the emperor who was revered as a living god. Military victory was the top priority of the nation and students as young as elementary-aged were taught this through careful control of their education, everyday lives, economic activity, and anti-war repression. Heroic stories of soldiers filled their textbooks and military drills, survival training, and volunteer service to make up for labor shortages filled their days. The Japanese army requested that civilians and students engage in suicide attacks (Tokko) against the American military as well. On June 22, 1945, the Patriotic Corps Law was passed expanding the mobilization of civilians and students. The quote displayed read “Death and no surrender for all Japanese.” The students and civilians were taught that U.S. soldiers would “tear them limb from limb, rape, and kill” them if they surrendered. Those who survived their escape from the hospital and were later captured by American soldiers were shocked to find that this was not the case and they expressed that they wish that their friends had also survived giving the inclination that they had died in some vain.

The Battle of Okinawa lasted 90 days, three whole months. The Japanese strategy of this battle was to buy time to avoid enemy attack on the mainland which the Japanese army did not let civilians of Okinawa know. This made it clear that the people of Okinawa were seen as expendable in their efforts. The people of Okinawa though, were at the time convinced the Japanese army would come to their defense, which they did not. This is extremely recognized in the intentioned prolonged length of the battle where 200,000 civilians, a quarter of the island's population, died.

Many of the survivors of the Himeyumi school still became teachers. With many children who were orphaned after the battle, they saw their duty to help heal the younger generation and encourage future peace and hope. The memorial we paid tribute to upon our entrance to the museum was established a year after the end of the war and on June 23, 1989, the museum opened next to it as a place to visit and pray for peace. Something many wish for as you can see from the thousands of origami cranes strung in colorful groups upon entering the museum. The Japanese belief is that 1,000 folded paper cranes grant a wish. Since the end of the war, it has been a tradition for that wish to be for peace.

Unfortunately, I took too much time in the first three areas of the museum and had to run out passed the last two in order to meet the group for our next destination; The Okinawa Peace Memorial Park and Museum where the theme of war and peace continued.

The exhibits in this museum discussed many more aspects of WWII, prefacing the events leading up to the war that exacerbated the lasting impact on Okinawa, Japan, and the other colonies and countries involved. The exhibits began with the 1879 first Ryukyu Disposition and other Japanese imperialist endeavors including the Manchurian Incident, the China War, the annexation of Korea, impacts of the world economic crisis, the southern expansionist policy, the 1940 Treaty of Commerce, the rise of fascism in Europe, and forced assimilation of Japanese territories. All these combined create a holistic narrative not only of the impact of the war and this history on Okinawa and Japan but all those involved and whose lives were lost. The second exhibit room of the museum was designed in an immersive fashion with broken household items, ruins all around, and broken and busted soldier helmets cracked by bullets and age. Figures that represent the Japanese military and the American military create a daunting presence. As you enter the third area you are met with images of the dead- civilians, women, children and men, soldiers and non-soldier alike. Images of tortured, burned, rotting, mangled, and brutalized bodies, and tattered old clothes, fill the dark space. It was difficult but necessary to see in order to understand the engrained trauma that still impacts generations today. In the next room, you are able to watch and listen to testimonials and eyewitness accounts. This was mostly in Japanese and I could not bare to hear them after the last room myself. Following the testimonials you walk into a green military tent meant to depict the refugee camps many Okinawans found themselves in. The museum moves into the narratives of the military occupation of Okinawa and the restructured American ethnocentric and oppressive changes the people had to face because of this. Surrounded by tall fences with barbed wire you move through a space built for the American occupiers feeling caged. One can’t help but acknowledge that this is how the locals feel as these fenced borders restricted them from their homelands in many obvious and nuanced ways. The strong Westernized influence on the “new” Okinawa very much mimicked 1950s America and was not built for the comfort or familiarity of the locals. The exhibits end in this area as the displays discuss land acquisition and confiscation for the bases which occupy the islands today.

Upon exiting the museum you are met with a beautiful view of the ocean meant to wash you with peace after experiencing the harsh realities of this history. Outside the museum on the park grounds, you see the fountain “The Eternal Flame” and miles of zigzagged walls that seem to go on forever commemorating and memorializing the names of the lives lost during the war including Okinawans, Japanese, Koreans, Chinese, and American casualties.

After these very sombering museum experiences, we boarded the bus and made our way to lunch at a small cafe on a cliff overlooking the ocean where we enjoyed a delicious salad bar and taco rice.

When we finished lunch we ended our journey at a relaxing beach to play in the sun and observe the tide pools at low tide where we were able to relieve some of our negative, sad, and overwhelming feelings from the day. By the time we made our way back to the hotel where we are staying, we were exhausted, emotionally and physically.

 

History, Public Art, and Occupation

         
We started off our day nice and easy by meeting in the hotel lobby at 10 am and taking the coach bus to Sakima Art Museum. The purpose of this museum is to create a space where one can think and find peace amongst all the destruction and pain that occurred from the Battle of Okinawa. When we arrived at the museum, we all took our time silently wandering around and absorbing all the artwork that the museum had to offer. The main piece was the 14 panel artwork that was created by Maruki Iri and Toshi Maruki, which focuses on themes of life and death as well as suffering and relief. Hidden amongst the artwork were deeper stories that further contributed to these themes such as the color palette only consisting of five colors, how the eyes were drawn to represent lost souls, butterflies to represent an Okinawan soul returning to the land, and more. We also got the chance to speak with Mr. Michio Sakima, the Director of the Sakima Art Museum, who was able to further explain the process and meaning behind the museum and the art work. Not only was the inside riddled with beautiful work, but the rooftop also further contributed to the meaning behind the museum. June 23 (6/23) was the day the Battle of Okinawa ended and is also a holiday called "Irei no Hi", a day dedicated to remembering those who lost their lives during the battle. For the staircase leading up to the top of the roof, the first set of steps had 6 steps and the second set of steps had 23 steps, and on 6/23 the sun shines through the window at the top. Additionally, the top of the roof is a place to also find peace and pray. 

After the museum, we headed down to Okinawa International University, a college that is located right on the edge of the Marine Corps Air Station Futenma base and was the location of a military helicopter crash in 2004. We watched a short video that showcased the accident and some of the pain that it caused. We talked to some students who gave us some insights on their lives and what it was like to go to Okinawa International University, where we heard some very compelling stories and got to learn a little bit more about Okinawa. We then checked out a location in the library dedicated to what had happened and visited the landmark for where the helicopter crashed.

        Some of us had a quick discussion on if we thought there would be a difference in response to the military helicopter crash if it were to have happened at a university in the United States. We hung around and talked with our new buddies from the university and then hopped on the bus where many of us fell asleep, exhausted from the fun and eventful day.

        Our quick naps got us through our last stop at the American Village, an outdoor mall with shops, malls, and other exciting places. Here, a few of us explored the beaches, checked out the Bokunen Museum, and ate some delicious taco rice to finish off the night.

        One thing that caught my attention on our bus ride up to the museum was just how prominent the Futenma military base is. The base is right in the middle of the community, separating the towns from easily getting to each other. The large fence around the base lined with barbed wire at the top and the egregious signs stating “unauthorized entry prohibited and punishable by Japanese law” further separates Okinawans from their land. Additionally, we found that some of the family tombstones were located inside the base, and we learned that the families needed to get permission in order to visit the tombs. Throughout our time in Okinawa we’ve heard very loud helicopters and fighter jets fly by, causing an enormous amount of sound pollution. One of the students from Okinawa International University stated that oftentimes they’ll have to pause class until the noise disappears. The barriers to building community, education, and other rights are the results of having the military bases in Okinawa. It is disappointing that the operations of the military base seems to be taking precedence over the wellbeing of Okinawans. This land is someone’s home and potentially has deep roots and history to it, but it appears that the American view of the land is simply a strategic location for military operations. It is additionally upsetting that many of the people on this island have a tragic history with war and all they want is peace. But how can one find peace in a home surrounded by themes of death and destruction? Although I wish the U.S could remove their presence from the island, I understand that such a thing would be very unlikely at the moment. Until that occurs, I hope the U.S can learn to listen to Okinawans and find a way to co-exist together more peacefully. 

Introduction to Naha

Today was our first full day in Okinawa. We started off our day at 9:50am in the hotel lobby and headed over to our new classroom. We got a brief history lesson on Okinawa which included the Ryūkyū kingdom in the 1500s, the Satsuma clan takeover of 1609, the annexation of Okinawa by mainland Japan in 1879, the battle of Okinawa in 1945 which resulted in 1/4th of the population being killed, and finally the occupation of Okinawa by American forces until May 15th, 1972 when it was returned to being a prefecture of Japan. About 70% of Okinawa wanted to return to being a prefecture due to the economic prosperity that was happening in the mainland, but American occupational forces encouraged Okinawa to be an independent people in terms of language, culture, etc as a way to keep their loyalties from aligning too much with the mainland. Ultimately Okinawa has taken the course of assimilating into mainland Japanese culture despite discrimination from mainland Japanese in the workplace, society, etc. I got the impression from our brief history lesson that Okinawa has been constantly used as a tool by outside forces. They were and still are used as a tool for strategic advantage by the Americans, and a tool for resources by the Satsuma clan and the mainland Japanese. I was reminded of Poland's place in World War 2 as we learned about the Battle of Okinawa. Poland and Okinawa both became an unwilling battleground for a war they were swept into by other powers, with innocent civilians being caught in the crossfire, and the terrifying battles left scars upon the land and its people that may never truly heal for generations upon generations.

Afterwards we had a group discussion about Walking the Street Named Peace Boulevard, our reading from the day before. We were left with the question of what path the future generations of Okinawa will take.

Finally we went to the Shikinaen Royal Garden world heritage site in the scorching heat. Photo opportunities were abound as we walked the site tactfully avoiding the biggest spiders we had ever seen.

Flight to Okinawa

    After two weeks in Tokyo, it was time for us to start the next chapter of our journey - Okinawa. For me, at least, it was almost surreal saying goodbye. Even though we were only in Tokyo for two weeks, it had both felt like a lifetime longer while at the same time feeling far shorter. We had packed so much into those two little weeks, and although it was now over, those memories will stick with us forever.

    We all woke up early to eat the breakfast we had bought the prior day before leaving the National Youth Olympic Center for the final time. At 7:30am, we gathered in the Building D Lobby before going to catch the bus.

    After a surprisingly short bus ride, we arrived at the airport. After we all got checked in, those of us who needed to check a bag went to do so. Although there were a few mishaps in this regard, things went relatively smoothly as we moved on to security. I was surprised by how relaxed the security seemed to be. We were all allowed to keep our shoes on and keep basically everything in our bags, something which stood in stark contrast to how things are done in the U.S.. I suppose this further shows what a truly safe place Japan is. 

    After moving through security, we arrived at our gate, Gate 9. Everyone took turns getting food while others watched the bags. We had about an hour before we boarded, so we had just enough time to get whatever we needed before the flight. 

    At around 10:30am, we boarded our flight, and at around 10:40am, we departed. This was a pretty turbulent flight, and being in the very back of the plane certainly didn't help. Regardless, the flight was very short, being just under two hours long. When we landed, that surreal feeling hit me again. We were no longer in Tokyo, we were now in Okinawa.

    After collecting our bags from baggage claim, we got on the monorail. It was a bit awkward getting on and off the monorail - as well as just riding it, considering how many bags we were collectively carrying around - but we made it work. After getting off the monorail, it was just a quick, three minute walk to our hotel. 

    After checking in at our hotel and seeing the truly spacious rooms we will be staying in (much different from our rooms at the NYC!), we took a stroll down 国際通り (International Street). Although it certainly still felt like we were in a city, everything felt much smaller scale than what we had grown accustomed to seeing in Tokyo.

    We all got dinner together at Warayui. This was a six course meal with two drinks per person, and like all the food in Japan, it was very good. It definitely felt nice to get something to eat after all the traveling we had been doing, as most of us hadn't had much time to eat.

    At 7:00pm, while we were still at the restaurant, we got to watch a traditional Okinawan performance. This consisted of a band singing three songs about the history and story of Okinawa, all while using traditional instruments and wearing traditional clothes. This was a very special experience, and I feel that this was yet another example of how well Japan blends its past and present in everyday life and culture.

    Although today primarily just consisted of travel, we also got to experience and learn just a bit about Okinawa. However, although what we experienced today was just a small part of a much bigger whole, I am very excited for what is to come while we are in Okinawa!