Mr. Hunter's Musings

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Okinawa World

Today, I wanted to start traveling a little further, now that I at least sort of knew my way around. Okinawa World, a kind of cultural theme park known for its caves, seemed like the perfect place. While there were other things in that area I would have loved to see, I think having a smaller day proved to be the right call. 


I had to walk a ways to catch the bus out to Okinawa World, and there didn’t seem to be a super direct route either. I would have to walk a fair bit from where I got off the bus too. You’d think for a more major attraction there would be better transportation. Not the end of the world, but I’m certainly spoiled by Tokyo transit. 


The weather was pretty overcast, and as I walked from the bus stop to Okinawa World it threatened to give way to rain. I hadn’t thought to bring an umbrella with me, and as Okinawa World came into view, it began to pour. I ran to the closest shelter, and hoped that the rain would let up at least enough for me to get inside the park. 


Unlike Canada, where it rains often, and usually lasts all day, Japan tends to have shorter, but more intense bouts of rain. This rain had appeared quickly, but was already a strong downpour that threatened to dull my day. I never really mind the rain in Japan, especially during the summer, since it’s not like it’s cold. This level of rain threatened to leave me thoroughly soaked through. 


I huddled under the sheltered smoking area for a while, trying to wait out the rain. Thankfully, it slowed just enough that I could grab my ticket, and seek shelter in the park. I first sought out some lunch, and then went about planning my route through the park. They had a recommended order to see things, which was handy. I could start with the caves, which exit at the far side of the park, then make my way back. 


After finishing my lunch, I found the entrance, and walked down the stairs to begin my spelunking adventure. After heading down the stairs, you entered a wide, very long continuous cave. There were endless stalagmites erupting from the floor, and countless stalactites forming along the ceiling. My humble flex is that I got those two terms right the first time, but I did look them up to double check. 

This created a really interesting scenery throughout the cave. In some places, you could even see the stalagmites and stalactites touching to begin forming a pillar. This cave, called the Gyokusendo Cave, was a limestone cave, and occasionally had signs explaining the formation and science behind the geology on full display. I glanced at each sign as I walked by, but I mostly just admired the sights. 


It truly was a beautiful cave, and it was so much bigger than I expected, both in terms of scale, and how long it took to walk through it. It probably took me close to half an hour to walk from one end of the cave to the other, though I was frequently stopping to snap pictures. For whatever reason, I really wished I had someone to walk through the caves with. 

Perhaps it was the dim atmosphere, or the beauty on display, or all the couples or family units that were viewing the caves together, but it did make me crave some company. I love being able to travel by myself, and I’m glad that I have this blog to share my experiences and past joy, but it’s not quite the same as being able to share a moment with someone. 

After taking in the caves, I eventually ascended out of the caves, and back into the heat. Nothing else in Okinawa world had caught my attention the way the caves had, so I mostly strolled back through the park while taking in the sights. 


I strolled through the tropical orchards, which were lovely, but a little small, and culminated in a somewhat predictable fruit/ice cream stand. Then came the traditional craft experience, which showed off historic Okinawan art, and gave you chances to participate in the process or make your own accessories. I almost made it through, but got caught up in the final gift shop. 


I had planned to simply browse while enjoying the AC, but before long something caught my eye. It was a simple glass pendant with a lovely blue color. It proclaimed itself to be a piece of the Okinawan sea turned into a glass charm. I debated back and forth for a long time, trying to decide if I really needed a souvenir, or if it was worth the likely inflated price they were charging. In the end, I bought it. 


Next was the Ryukyu Kingdom Castle Town, which showed off the architecture and culture of the historic Ryukyu kingdom, and provided a better look into Okinawan culture. I don’t know when this part of Okinawa World was built, so while it looked “old fashioned” it still felt a little more modern, and was well maintained. 


I popped in the museum mostly for another AC break, but I had a surprising ah ha moment while I was there. There were many carvings of a lion-like creature that seemed quite familiar. Eventually, it dawned on me that it was a Shisa, a mythological creature that I recognized from games like Persona. These creatures are often placed in pairs near the entrances to buildings or on rooftops, one with its mouth open to scare away bad spirits, and the other with it’s mouth closed to keep in good spirits. 

It was one of those times where I felt a small bit of pride that my hobby of playing games allowed me to connect with a real culture that I got to experience. After making that realization, I began spotting Shisa all over Okinawa. Connecting with a culture in the abstract is difficult, I’m by no means Japanese, but finding a small personal connection gave me something tangible to relate to, and really enhanced my experience. 


The gray clouds from earlier had largely dissipated, and the heat blaring down on me was threatening to become too much, so I started working on an exit strategy. I found a bus that would get me close enough to my hotel, but it was rather infrequent, and left me with almost 40 minutes to kill. Lucky for me, the snake show would be starting soon. 


I waited in the AC until around 5 minutes before showtime, then went to find a seat in the stands. My timing was pretty good since more and more people began to show up, and it became clear that there wouldn’t be enough seats for the growing audience. I knew I wouldn’t be able to watch the whole show, but I wasn’t too heartbroken about leaving early. 


The Habu (A type of snake) show was surprisingly slow paced, they showed off a big snake, gave some information about it, then showed off its venom. By the time I was gathering my stuff to leave, they were finally bringing out a second snake. It wasn’t exactly big thrills, and it was mostly in Japanese with a brief English explanation tacked on at the end, but it was a fun way to kill some time. 

When it was time, I grabbed my stuff, left the park, and found a long line at the bus stop. I had no trouble getting on, and after about 45 minutes I was back near my hotel, ready to retreat to my room to recoup from the heat. I rested up then spent my evening in my typical fashion, though I didn’t stay out too late as tomorrow I had an ambitious day planned. 


Overall, today was further than I’d gone before, but I had stayed in just one location. While there were a few more things in the area I would have liked to do, transit was a little too unwieldy to visit multiple locations by bus. 


The caves in Okinawa World were truly spectacular, and I enjoyed getting to see more of Okinawa’s culture and its past. Finding a small common thread I could pull on made it all the more enjoyable, and reaffirms that my interest and appreciation for Japan didn’t just spring out of nowhere. I love getting to see more of Japan, and getting to reflect and share those experiences only makes those memories all the more precious.