Okinawa has been on Michael’s bucket list since Karate Kid II came out in 1986 (even though the film was shot in Hawaii). We decided to spend a week in Okinawa on our way to Osaka and Tokyo. It is a short flight from Taipei, but there is an hour’s time change.
We spent two days in Naha. We had a tiny hotel room with three small beds. Henry and I shared a bed (85% Henry, 15% Judy). It was fine because we did not spend much time in our room. We walked to the water and visited the Naminoue Shrine, a Shinto shrine on a cliff overlooking Naminoue Beach. Michael, Lucas, and Henry went bowling.
We checked out of our hotel room in Naha and rented a car to explore the rest of the island. Michael and I took a detour before we picked up our rental car. We took a tour of Naha in go-karts dressed like anime characters. It was fun! People were taking our pictures and waving to us. Lucas and Henry are not old enough to drive the cars, but they were happy to stay back at the street car shop with 500 mb/s internet and game online with their friends. Our tiny hotel in Naha had 2 mb/s. That is unacceptable to teenage boys who game with their friends online.
Michael took on the task of driving — on the other side of the road. It is funny to watch him turn his windshield wipers on instead of his turn signal. We both have to say out loud (right turn is like a left turn. Left turn is like a right turn).
We spent two nights in a hotel 4km north of Naha. The Rycom Crystal Hotel has adequate internet, and our room was huge! It has a bathroom that is bigger than our hotel room in Naha. There is a urinal and toilet, and a tub and a shower! Japan is the land of bidets. You will find them in hotel rooms, the mall, the rental car bathroom, the airport – everywhere! We found a place to play pickleball, but there was no organized meet-up, so it was just us. We got to watch a ping pong group while we were there. 
Having a car in Okinawa is great. We ventured out to Myagi Island. I found a swing overlooking the ocean for Michael. He loves swings.
We also visited Katsuren Castle Ruins and the cultural center across the street. The center has a concise cartoon video about the history of Okinawa that was perfect for Lucas and Henry.
We also stopped at Ryukyu Mura, a small theme park about traditional Okinawan culture. It consists of several recreated villages from the times of the Ryukyu Kingdom (Okinawa existed as a separate country from Japan, known as the Ryukyu Kingdom). The small theme park offers traditional music and dancing shows and arts and crafts.
Our third accommodation in Okinawa was further up north. We had a great two-bedroom Airbnb with a view of the ocean near Emerald Beach. The beds in this Airbnb are so soft. It was exciting to spread out for a few days. Michael and I ate at a small restaurant near our house for dinner. I was excited to see a Tofu stir fry on the menu but not so excited when it had spam in it. We had a small kitchen, so I went to the grocery store and made vegan meals for those few days. Lucas found sushi and Indian is always a good choice. 
Michael has been fascinated by centenarians and “blue zones” (areas with a high concentration of people who exceed the average life expectancy) for a long time. Okinawa is one of those blue zones. Ogimi Village, in the northern part of Okinawa, is known as the village of longevity. We drove to the village hoping to speak with some of the older population and get advice for living our best lives. We spoke to a few people. The common thread amongst them was community. They said that the elder people in Ogimi Village meet regularly and stay active. Many of them garden, cook, and work well into their 80s, 90s and 100s. A diet low in sodium and processed foods also helps.
We ate lunch at Emi no Mise, a restaurant that serves traditional Okinawan food. After lunch, we struck up a conversation with two young Dutch travelers (19 and 22 years old). We ended up adventuring with them for the afternoon. We visited a waterfall, a brewery, and a beach. We did not have a big itinerary that day, but it was great.We tried Awamori at Yanbaru Shuzo Distillery. Awamori is an alcoholic beverage indigenous to Okinawa. It is made from long-grain rice. It is different from Sake because it is distilled and not brewed. We also ate delicious chocolate desserts at Okinawa Cacao. We skipped seashells at the beach and enjoyed the conversation and fresh air.
We drove back to Naha the night before our flight out. Michael and I found a great vegan restaurant while the kids stayed back and gamed with their online friends. We stayed in a hotel that did not have a front desk. It has codes to get in and an online check-in with a person in a call center. It was an efficient process. Our room had a loft, and Lucas and Henry enjoyed that.
Okinawa was a quick trip. Moving every few days is tough. We enjoyed being away from big cities for a bit.
