The Fine Art of Menus

by Pa Rock
Cultural Explorer

Dining on Okinawa tends to be a very graphic experience.  In order to cater to a culturally diverse population, restaurant menus contain pictures of every food item, along with lengthy descriptions.  It is not unusual for a menu to be ten to twenty pages in length.  Also, most restaurants have large signs outside of their doors which advertise the main courses served by the establishments along with photos.  Attached are photos from a couple of food signs outside of restaurants on Kokusai Street in Naha.

Bats the Size of Small Dogs!

by Pa Rock
Cultural Explorer


I have heard about the bats of Okinawa ever since I arrived on the island, but until yesterday evening I did not realize just how unique (and large) these creatures are.

There is a fairly wooded area just inside of Kadena's Gate One.   I have seen large black birds flying through that area on several occasions, and at a distance they appeared to be bigger than pigeons but smaller than vultures. Yesterday, one of these creatures, flying low, came straight at my car - and to my surprise, it was a bat, a really big bat!  In fact, it looked like a black chihuahua, on the meaty side, with about a sixteen-inch wingspan!

At least now I understand why there seem to be no mosquitoes on Okinawa.   These flying rodents are huge!

Views of Kokusai StreetL

Large Shisa Dog Protecting a Restaurant

by Pa Rock
Cultural Explorer



Sunday's tug-of-war was close to Naha's famous shopping area, Kokusai Street.  After leaving the rope-pulling event, I spent thirty minutes or so roaming around one end of Kokusai.  Here are a couple of photos of the shops and attractions.

Kokusai Wares

Jaws

History of Okinawa's Tug-of-War

Balloon lady

Crowd facing large guide-ons at center of event

by Pa Rock
Cultural Explorer


Okinawa's famous tug-of-war dates back to 1600 and has been held continuously for over four hundred years except for a brief interlude during World War II.  The competition was originally a contest between those who depended on the sea and their neighbors who farmed.  It is said that if the east side (facing the ocean) won, there would be an abundant catch for the year, and if the west side son, there would be a fine harvest.

Food vendors

The gigantic rope used in modern competitions is two meters thick, 200 meters in length (656 feet), and weighs more than forty metric tons (44 American tons).  It is made entirely of woven rice straw.  There are many smaller extensions attached to the main rope that the competitors pull on, and after the contest is over, participants cut off pieces of these extensions and take them home for good luck throughout the year.

Estimates are that over 25,000 people are involved in the tug-of-war each year.  Yesterday's competition drew at least that many people.

Tug-of-War

by Pa Rock

Street Ninjas

Cultural Explorer


I almost didn't think that I would get to go to the big tug-of-war in Naha today because I misplaced (probably lost) my military ID card, but I took my passport, orders, and hospital badge and was able to talk my way past the gate guards and onto Kadena where I caught the tour bus to the big event.

Those of us who rode the buses to Naha were given nice printed histories of the tug-of-war as well as cotton gloves to keep from getting our hands burned as we pulled on the ropes.  I will share that history of the event later this week - perhaps tomorrow.

Ready?  On the count of three!

The main rope, made from rice straw, was about one meter thick and laid in the middle of the street like so much very dead weight.  There were smaller ropes connected to the big one, and they were what people pulled.  There were thousands of people participating and that big sucker did move, but I have no idea which team wound up winning.

At one point I climbed over the rope to get a better view from the other side.  It addition to the rope, there were the ubiquitous food vendors, youngsters in the crowds putting on marshal arts demonstrations, and beautiful banners and displays held aloft by groups of colorfully clad young men.  The soundtrack for the event was continuous banging firecrackers and blasts from metal whistles blown by the guys who stood atop the rope urging the pullers onward.

One of my highlights for the day happened when I left the commotion and slipped quietly back to the area where we were supposed meet the buses.  I sat down on a park bench fifty feet or so from the bus stop just to relax and let my feet swell.  Across from me, about twenty feet away, sat an Okinawan gentleman about my age.  As I got comfortable, he began to sing - and he sang loudly, clearly, and beautifully.  His songs were in Japanese and had a cadence that was reminiscent of Native American chants.  I did recognize Silent Night and the old pop Japanese song from the 1960's, Sukiyaki.  After forty-five minutes or so of relaxing and listening to his music, I got up and walked past him to the vending machines.  The fellow smiled at me in a way that seemed to say "thanks for enjoying my songs.."  Then he followed me to the machines and spoke several sentences to me in Japanese.  I told him his songs were beautiful, and he seemed to understand my words.    He smiled and walked off.  I felt like I had been the only guest at a very special concert.  It is a memory that I will keep.

Several People Were Required to Keep
the Huge Banners Aloft

The other highlight was having dinner tonight at the Kadena Chili's with friends Murphy and Nefredia.  We relaxed, laughed quite a bit, and solved many of life's thorny issues!

Enjoy the photos.  There are many more to follow!

A Morning Drive

by Pa Rock
Cultural Explorer


I left my apartment a little before noon today with the intent of paying my electric bill and then going to Gunners Fitness Center on Camp Foster.  It was a sound plan, but just didn't come together like I had envisioned.

I drove north along a back road, one I had never traveled before, and somehow pulled back out onto Highway 58 one block north of Lawson's Convenience Store - the place where electric bills are paid.  After going a few miles out of my way, I circled back and found the store.  The sales clerk spoke absolutely no English, but when I handed her what I believed to be my electric bill, she shook her head vigorously "no" and showed me an example of the real bill.  The one that I had was smaller.  It said KWH (kilowatt hours?) in English and had what appeared to have a total due of just over 10,000 yen (about a hundred and twenty dollars).  Upon reflection, I remember getting some sort of "pre-bill" last month, too.  That's either what it is, or I owe some other vendor 10,000 yen.

When I arrived at Gunners Fitness Center, almost every space in the large parking lot was full.  I usually go on Sunday's when the lot is practically empty.  I didn't know what was going on today, but I did know that I didn't want hundreds of people watching me huff and puff on the treadmill!  (If those marines want a good laugh, they can go to a comedy club!)

I did use my unplanned free time to explore more of Camp Foster.  I found their larger Shopette - the one with the Class Six (liquor) store and the Taco Bell.  I bought a couple of movies (something that I never do) at the Shopette, and went home to veg out!  More on those movies in tomorrow's Ramble!

Working for the Weekend!

by Pa Rock
Cultural Explorer


It's finally Friday evening on Okinawa!  Oh, the clouds are thick and close to the ground, but I don't care.  It's the weekend - a three-day weekend at that!

We started a new work schedule this week.  Instead of 7:30 a.m. until 4:30 p.m., those who wanted to could begin working an hour longer each day (7:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.) for eight days, and then get every other Friday off.  I signed-up because I live for days off!  But that extra hour has been pure hell.  It makes the days drag on forever.  And we were divided into two groups for the alternate Friday's off, and my best friends all seemed to wind up on one, and I landed on the other!  Oh well, I will use that day to sleep and do sanity restoration exercises!

Sunday I am headed into Naha on a tour bus to be part of the World's Greatest Tug-of-War!  Expect some hilarious photos - especially if it rains!