MIYAKOJIMA:
Miyakojima is a City jurisdiction located on several islands in Okinawa Prefecture, Japan.
The modern City of Miyakojima was established on October 1, 2005, from the merger of the old City of Hirara.
Beautiful Flowers of Okinawa
In the warm subtropical climate, you can enjoy colorful tropical
flowers in Okinawa almost all year round. In mid-January while still in
the middle of winter, spring arrives in Okinawa, and flowers begin to
bloom earlier than anywhere else in Japan.
As the rare, exotic flowers begin to blossom, cherry blossom season
arrives in Okinawa. Unlike the ones in the Mainland, the cherry blossoms
in Okinawa have a vibrant pink color similar to plum and peach
blossoms.
Along with the arrival of this early spring, many flower viewing
festivals are held in Okinawa. Also among them, folk song competitions,
live concerts, and free Awamori events are held.
From January to May when plant growth is at its vigorous stage,
flower festivals are held in Okinawa, and tourists flock from around the
world to see the colorful flowers.
Hydrangea can be seen from late May to early June, which is during the
rainy season even in Okinawa. The famous director, Yohena Uto, who has
been interviewed by overseas media. It has been more than 30 years since
Uto has started planting hydrangeas as a hobby when she was 60 years
old, which became the hydrangea garden we know today. Now there are
10,000 hydrangea of about 30 species on the 10,000 m2 slope of a
mountain. The number of flowers apparently reaches 300,000. When it is
in season, tourists and media from all over the world visit to see the
director and hydrangea. In addition to the hydrangeas, you can also see
various types of flowers such as begonias and Chinese hypericum, which
are seen in southern Japan.
Lily Festival on Ie Island
Date:late April to early May
One million lilies that grow from 200,000 bulbs blanket a big park that
measures 86,000 square meters on Ie Island, known as the flower island.
Ie Island is located only 30 minutes by ferry from Motobu Port in
northern Okinawa. With an increase in frequency of ferry runs during the
festival, the island welcomes a large number of visitors every year.
Cherry Blossom Festival :
Date:mid-January to mid-February
The Motobu Mt. Yae Cherry Blossom Festival features about 7,000 cherry
trees along a three-kilometer mountain road, giving Mt. Yae a delicate
color from base to peak. The Nago Cherry Blossom Festival is famous for
its two-kilometer-long walk lined with over 20,000 cherry trees in
bloom. These are Okinawa’s biggest cherry blossom festivals, along with
the Nakijin Gusuku Cherry Blossom Festival held at UNESCO World Heritage
site the Nakijin Castle ruins. This festival is known for the fantastic
sight of cherry blossoms amidst the castle ruins lit up at night.
Okinawa International Orchid Show
Date:early February
This is one of the biggest orchid displays held in Japan, where orchid
lovers from inside and outside Japan proudly show their orchids in one
place. The venue is the Tropical Dream Center, located in Ocean Expo
Park, home of the Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium. There are approximately
10,000 exhibits, including potted plants, cut flower design and more.
Higashi Village Azalea Festival:
Date:early to late March
Higashi Village is located on the east coast of northern Okinawa.
Nestled in the tranquility of nature, about 50,000 azaleas are in bloom
before any other parts of Japan. All azaleas are grown with care by
village people. Higashi Village is also famous for a well-known
ecotourism destination, the Gasashi mangrove forest.
Experiencing the Vast Waters Surrounding Okinawa at Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium
Located in Motobu of Northern Okinawa, Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium is a
popular tourist destination, visited by more than 3 million people each
year. Under the concept of “encountering the waters of Okinawa,” the
aquarium is home to around 740 species and 21,000 marine life. The
facility starts on the third floor, taking you through the shallow
waters down into the deep sea as if you were diving. The tanks entitled,
“Sea of Coral” and “Sea of Tropical Fish,” allow natural sunlight and
seawater into them to depict scenes of the tropical sea without
compromise. The main tank, “Kuroshio Sea,” which is impressive in size
with a depth of 10 m, length of 35 m, and width of 27 m, draws the
highest acclaim from visitors. In the “Kuroshio Sea,” which is one of
the largest tanks in the world, 8.6-meter long whale shark as well as
reef manta rays swim about leisurely. Be sure to get a clear view, not
only from the front, but also the top, sides, and other angles. You will
surely feel the force of the sea and life in Okinawa overflowing with
diversity. From the shallow waters to the offshore waters into the
Kuroshio Sea and further down into the deep sea, the various forms of
life in the sea continue to captivate our hearts.
FOOD
Flavors Developed from a Unique History:
“The traditional cuisine of Okinawa was developed during the Great Trade
era of the 14th century through 16th century in the Ryukyu Kingdom to
cater to Chinese envoys dispatched by the Chinese emperor, and it has
since continued to evolve with influences from Japan and China among
other Asian countries. The dishes are devised to be nutritionally
balanced, combining the essence of ingredients rich in vitamins, such as
bitter gourd and loofah, with pork that has been carefully prepared to
break up the fat over a long period of time. The wisdom of ancestors who
ate well and lived healthy lives remain in spirit in the traditional
cuisine of Okinawa.
After the war, American food culture,
represented in the “”canned pork,”" made its way into the diet and
continues to be cherished to this day. Okinawan food culture openly
accepted the influences brought upon by the changing times and is today a
unique food culture that has created a variety of dishes.”
Okinawans are known to use every part the pig for cooking; in fact,
there is even a saying that goes, “everything but its cry is eaten.” The
most common cooking method is to stew it over an extended period of
time, and it is traditionally prepared by boiling it for long hours to
break down the fat for a healthy meal. In recent years, the black pig
known as “Agu,” a native species of Ryukyu, is increasingly becoming
popular.
