To enjoy the changing of the season, I headed south of Osaka to Minoo. This area is famous for its waterfall and the changing colors of the Japanese maple trees throughout this wooded, mountainous area. A special delicacy is momiji tempura, which is maple leaves that are quickly battered and fried. Upon sampling them, I found them to be mildly sweet and crunchy. The path the the waterfall was full of people enjoying the sights, as well as vendors selling fruit, tempura leaves, and even a flea market.
 The southern most part of Japan, Okinawa is truly a place all its own. Okinawa is a series of islands south of Japan, and have been owned by various countries such as China, US, and now Japan. It has its own language and culture that is different from mainland Japan.
The rest of the trip was spent walking down Kokusai Dori near out Monogatari Guesthouse. Kim and I also arrived at Shuri-jo Castle before it closed for the night. On our way there we saw a fighting festival. The third day we went on a bus tour of Okinawa in order to get to the northern part of the island, since there is no easy public transportation on the island except buses. The tour took us to: Ryukyu Mura, a re-creation Okinawan village that lets visitors experience the local culture, performing arts, and nature first-hand; the unique elephant-trunk-shaped rock formation at Cape Manza; Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium, the world's second largest aquarium; with lunch at the Okashi Goten (Okinawan Sweets Factory), whose building is a replica of the main hall of Shuri Castle. See below for the pictures! | About me
Currently living in Osaka, Japan. Traveling when I get the time and the money. ArchivesMarch 2013 Categories |
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