Giant Buddhas and Dancing Lions!

First things first: highlights from Naomi’s one month photo shoot.  Which one do you think is the best choice for her baby book?

Now back to our regularly scheduled program.

Week 2:  Jake had a 96 for Columbus Day and then took Friday off so that we could head north for more adventures, which adds up to a very busy week and several new sights.

We began with the Peace Prayer Park (which we’d been to before) including the Okinawa Peace Hall (which he hadn’t been inside).  This is the view looking through the Cornerstone of Peace towards the Peace Hall.  The Peace Hall is kind of indistinct against the sky but it’s a tall white structure that reminds me of Saruman’s tower in Lord of the Rings.

Inside the tower is the Okinawa Peace Prayer Statue (12 m high, 8 m wide).  Technically NOT a giant Buddha (it sure looks like one to me), it represents the prayers for peace of the Okinawan people who suffered immensely from being caught in the middle of the fight between the Japanese and the US during WWII.

      
Behind the Peace Hall, there is a butterfly garden which, according to the brochure, is meant to remind visitors how precious life and—guess what?—peace are.  Noticing a theme yet?

Henry, Janet and I (with Naomi in tow in the front carrier) proceeded to the museum which was extremely well done but not always child-appropriate.   Then again, war is not exactly “child-appropriate” either.  Anyways, this room is filled with first-hand accounts (some of them translated into English) of the horrors experienced by the Okinawan people during the battle.  Very moving.

While we went through the museum, Jake took Logan to the playground.  Do you see Logan there at the top of the steps?  Just wanted you to get some perspective on the overall size.

I LOVE (and am jealous of) the lack of language barrier between children.

Lesson learned from all this talk of peace: Can we all just get along?  Yes, it’s possible we can, as long as there are roller slides and funky mirrors involved.

Next day’s event: Ryukyu Mura.  We’ve been here before, but we were less organized last time and showed up in-between parades.  The parade combines festivals from throughout the year and across some of the outlying islands into one colorful, jubilant event.

The “king” marches in, escorted by musicians and flag-bearers.  The “queen”, following behind him, also has a personal parasol holder.

  Miruku, the bodhisattva (something like a Buddhist saint) of happiness, rich harvests, and prosperity, comes in to bless all our crops.

  A karate demonstration.  In case you don’t know, karate originated here on Okinawa.

The Lion dance! 

  It’s supposed to be good luck for the lion to snap its jaws at you.  Logan was not entirely convinced.

And, of course, eisa!

And at the end, everyone gets to join in!  Also, check out the old woman balancing the bottle of awamori on her head!  Now SHE is pure Okinawan: long life expectancy and loves to party.

On that note, I’m going to call it a night and head to bed.  Next round will cover the last few days of Henry and Janet’s time with us when we headed north for Oura Wan beach, the aquarium, etc.