Naha, Okinawa, Japan

February 26, 2024

Sea Date February 25, 2024

Day 2

Our tour concentrated on the Ryukyu Kingdom, the Imperial rulers prior to Japanese control. The Ryukyu Kingdom

was a kingdom in the Ryukyu Islands from 1429 to 1879. It was ruled as a tributary state of imperial Ming China

by the Ryukyuan rulers and treated as a vassal state of Japan at times. They were the trading intermediaries between

China and Japan. In 1879,Japan sent a military unit and annexed Ryukyu.

Suiko, our talented, kind tour guide was back with us. It was a gray day with an off and on drizzle but still pleasant

for touring. We started at Syuri Castle Park. It is the most famous landmark in Naha. The G8 Summit that President

Clinton attended held a large banquet here. It was the castle for the Imperial rulers of the Ryukyu kingdom.

Unfortunately, most of it was bombed in 1945, rebuilt and then burned in 2019. The government is in the process of

rebuilding trying to use authentic material and tools. To protect the building, they built a large temporary

building over and around it. When the Castle is finished, the temporary building will be removed.

Tama-udun was a mausoleum for the royal family. They placed the bodies in the middle chamber. Years later

they went in and removed the bones, placed them in urns and placed them in the left chamber. The right chamber

were for royal children who died. In the museum were the type of urns used for burial of bones. A visit to

Shikinaen (Ryukyu-garden) which was built by the royal family to entertain Chinese trading diplomats.

We strolled through the Pottery Street. It was the area in town where the royalty ordered all the potters to live. Current potters are still in the area. The walls and street are decorated with broken pottery. Pottery shops abound.

A quick stop at NY PIzza for lunch to build up strength for a quick shopping spree on the main street.

Our last stop was a Shinto Shrine.

Tonight we celebrated Doug's birthday in style! Drinking at the Ocean Bar, dinner in main dining room, and The Grand Fun Fair on the Lido deck. Kimberly led the Lido crowd in a birthday song! Jim enjoyed the celebration.

Interesting fact: The Okinawans were barred (by Japan or China) from owning any weapons. So they developed a system of using their body as self-defense and a weapon - karate. The soldiers stationed in Okinawa were fascinated by it and brought it to the states after WWII.

Syuri Castle Park