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Shurijo Castle | A World Heritage site in Okinawa Prefecture

2019.07.10

Travel

Last weekend, I went to the main island of Okinawa and stayed in Naha City. Speaking of tourist spots in Naha, the Shurjijo Castle is a must.

 

This was my third visiting the castle but still it is my favorite place. When I come to the castle, I always feel, "I came to Okinawa!" It is said that the Shurijo Castle is the strongest spiritual spot and a sanctuary in Okinawan feng shui. No wonder I feel full of energy when I visit there.

 

Although the castle was destroyed by fire in 1945 during the Battle of Okinawa, it was restored as a government-managed park in 1992 in commemoration of the 20th anniversary of Okinawa's reversion to Japan. And, the existing castle ruin was registered as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2000.

 

By the way, the key differences between the Shurijo Castle and ones in mainland Japan are that it has no castle tower and its stone wall is curved. In other words, the Shurijo Castle was one to entertain diplomatic missions from China rather than a fortress. (H.S)

 


Photo taken from the window of the plane before landing at Naha Airport

 


Shureimon gate　

 


Seiden, a symbol of the Shurijo Castle
It is said that the building was modeled on the Forbidden City in China.

 


The King's Throne, the most popular photo spot inside the castle

 


The whole castle from the back viewed from the observation area

 


The town of Shuri viewed from another direction of the observation area

 


The T-shirt shop on the Kokusai-dori Street is just like Okinawa.

 

Okinawan folk song live show in a bar "Utahime" on the Kokusai-dori Street
This is an Okinawan folk song called "Tanchame" at my request.

In fact, the yellow flowers "Buta-na (Cat's ear)" are useful.

2019.07.04

Nature plants and animals

Cat's ear

 

I think it is beautiful to see the little yellow flowers are blooming all over. The name of the flower that is similar to dandelion is "Buta-na (grass that pigs eat)".

 

It is so-called a weed, but it is eaten as a herb in Europe where it originated. The leaves and stems are edible, and you can also make herbal tea like "Dandelion coffee" using its roots. So it seems like a very useful plant. It's a pity that it is treated as a weed.

 

By the way, its French name is "Salade de porc (salad that pigs eat)" and it is the origin of the Japanese name "Buta-na".

 

The picture below is taken immediately after mowing in this place. The picture above is just two weeks later in the same place. I mentioned "It's a pity that it is treated as a weed" , but the "weed" grows too fast and strongly.
T.S

 

Starland Sakadani
This is the place where I practice drone. The mountain in the background is Mt. Arashimadake, one of "One Hundred Mountains of Japan".

The Japanese film "The Journalist"

2019.07.04

Movies


I saw the film "The Journalist", which criticizes the current government. I don't think that this kind of film had been created in Japan.

 

The subjects of the film are an accusation by a female journalist Shiori Ito and Kake Gakuen scandal, which can be said that it is a controversial one that depicts the dark side of Japan in real time.

 

When I saw the scene that a bureaucrat of Japan's Cabinet Intelligence Investigation Room, Sugihara said, "I am a person on the government.", I questioned what he said. I wondered that just what "on the government" was, and the government and the citizens were enemies in the first place.

 

While seeing the film, I tried to figure out the meaning of the words that a journalist Yoshioka's father who had died left, "Believe and doubt yourself more than anyone else."

 

A Korean actress Shim Eun-kyung plays Yoshioka. Previously, her image was a merry girl because she played a younger sister in a Korean TV drama. But I was happy to see that now she became quite a charming woman. The quiet scenes with she and Tori Matsuzaka, who played Sugihara, were impressive. When the film ended, I thought it was really good that she played Yoshioka.

 

You can enjoy the film as a good piece of work regardless of your political beliefs. It made me realize that swallowing coverages and that thinking process comes to stop is the worst thing for Japanese people who have been pointed out that they are peace-addicted. So, I really felt that I should collect information as much as I can and think anything for myself first. (H.S)

 

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