Okinawa

I spent four days on one of the many sub-tropical islands to the south-west of the main Japanese islands, called Ishigaki-jima. We were able to escape the rainy season which had already been and gone there, and which gave way to gloriously stinking hot summer days!
Day one - went for a walk and a quick swim in the turquoise sea. Sampled the local 'goya champuru' made from tofu and bitter gourds - very tasty, as were the pineapples, mangoes, Okinawan doughnuts and local beer. The food there is amazing - really healthy and really tasty. Lots of seaweed, noodles (often spicy) and fish. That evening ate in an Italian inspired Okinawan restaurant. Had pasta and pizza made with local ingredients such as seafood, and a seaweed salad - I had no idea that so many different types of seaweed were edible!
Day two - took a ferry accross the waters to a smaller island called Taketomi-jima. Hired bikes and cycled a quick tour of beach - lovely turquoise waters - restaurants and gift shops. They also have a local tourist bus - which is pulled along very very very slowly by water buffalo which looked about ready to die in the heat! Poor things!
The icecreams were great - sweet potato flavour - which was naturally bright purple in colour, mango, passion fruit, local Okinawan lime, and natural sugar cane flavours. Yummy.
Got a bit of heat-stroke that day as the sun is very powerful there.

Day three - got up and drove around to the other side of the island. We had booked snorkling and kayaking through the mangroves. Snorkling was wonderful - I have neved seen so many tropical fish, including Nimo!! We fed them with a kind of fish sausage. Whe they get bold enough they come up and attack you! My friend's hand was bleeding slightly as a fish misjudged her hand for sausage! The coral was aslo lovely.
Kayaking through mangroves was cool. We were led there by an instructor who told us all about the plants and animals. There were hundreds upon hundreds of crabs on the muddy banks, and also 'Tontonmi' which is a local word for a kind of flying fish - I liked their bug-eyes and the way they jumped!
Had lunch in a super restaurant with great views over the sea.
Souvenir shopping - including the local Shisar - which have derived from the kind of guardians which can be seen at the entrance to temples. The locals on Ishigaki have turned them into wonderfully imaginative and colourful creatures, some of which are very funny. They can be seen on the roofs of most of the houses - they look very playful.
Next a trip into some caves. Nice to do - but the concreted trail, music and fairy lights distracted somewhat from their natural beauty.
Had a Korean barbeque in the evening followed by an hours karaoke - now become a compulsory holiday activity!
Vacated the hotel too early the next day. Set off for a last swim in the sea, a bit of souvenir shopping - including buying the most expensive piece of fruit ever - 6 pounds for a mango - but it was worth it as it tasted amazing! and returned to the airport.
Ishigaki is well worth the visit - the food is amazing, the weather and scenery very beautiful and generally a very welcome relaxing break from Tokyo. I had never been anywhere as exotic so that was also a treat for me.