Travel Shot: Portrait of a Statue

Obaa in Katsuren-jo Museum

 

 

This beauty was so irresistible, I just had to do it.  Take her picture, I mean.

When you first step into the museum and, spot her, you'd think she was a real live human.

Before, hiking up the hill to see the castle, it's a good idea to stop by the museum.

There's a gift shop and information booth there and soft drinks are available.

It's a good idea, to use the restrooms before, climbing the castle ruins, too.

It was the first time, I ever saw this Obaa (grandmother) sitting in the place.

She looks as if, she just walked out of the fields and, was sitting to rest for a minute.

While waiting for the ladies, to finish powdering their noses, I had some fun.

This photo was taken with the Pentax K3 and a 50MM lens at f/2  1/40sec.

Then, I sat down next to the Obaa, kicked off my flip-flops and, gave her a hug.

The timing was perfect only, I wish there had been another photographer in the room.

It would have been so nice, to have captured the look on my wife's face, when she saw me.

She was thinking, I was getting romantic with another granny, while she was in the restroom.

It's a wonder, she didn't have to powder her nose, again ! 


More UNESCO Castles in Okinawa

10 Travel Scenes from Ike Castle (いけい グスク) in Okinawa

Best to Enter at Low Tide

 

 

The trail leading up to this site begins at sea level.

If you don't like getting your feet wet, wait for the tide to go out. I didn't.

A castle in Okinawa, is known as a gusuku.

If you have trouble finding the place, just ask the folks at Ike Beach, where the gusuku is.

Right across the street from the tourist beach is this trail.

It's on a not-so-touristy beach.

Sturdy walking shoes are recommended.  Flip-flops are dangerous.

Notice the bright yellow handrails. They help in climbing the stairs.

Plan on spending an hour climbing and returning along this path.

It is the only way to get up and down to see all of the the gusuku.

A few places along the way, you can stop and enjoy the ocean view.

For me, it's an opportunity to catch the breeze, my breath and some photos.

Nearing the peak of the climb is this shrine.

The red roof makes bright contrast with the jungle background.

The trail to the top of the gusuku continues, off to the left of this shrine.

Don't take the path leading past this shrine, unless you are an archaeologist.

When I see people digging up bones and shards of pottery, I go somewhere else.

Call me a pedestrian.

No more handrails or stairs, means you are nearing the top.

Once you see this small shrine, you have completed the hike.

Here and, at the lower shrine some offerings of coins may have been made.

This shrine contains lots of seashells, too.

The entire trip lasts about an hour and gives your hiking shoes a great workout.

A visit to this castle is a good way to spend some time outdoors in nature.

And, the best part of the deal: It's Free !

Travel Photo: Nakijin Castle Wall from Above

No Aircraft Used in Composing this Image

 

 

 

 

 

It was one of those days where the sky didn't want to cooperate with the camera.

The best thing to do, was get up high and, eliminate the clouds from the scene.

Not all that crazy about flying, I figured out another way to get elevation.

Climb up on another wall, where the camera could be pointed down, to take the shot.

Equipment: Pentax KD10, Pentax 10-250mm lens and tripod

Focal Length: 65mm

Exposure:  f/16   1/10   ISO 100

 Date and Time: October 7, 2008  12:12PM

Shuri Castle Full Moon Party: 8th Month of Lunar Calendar

Dancing Under the Harvest Moon

 

 

One of the most spectacular events in Okinawa, takes place this weekend.

It sort of sneaked up on me but, I still have time to notify those lucky enough to be on island.

Following, is an article, by yours truly, previously published at Yahoo Voices.

UNESCO Shuri Castle Under a Full Moon

A visit to the UNECSO World Heritage Site Shuri Castle in Okinawa, Japan is a top priority on many travel itineraries.  Few of the millions of tourists passing through the fortresses gates realize, with a bit of planning, it's possible to see this majestic beauty under the light of a full moon.

The history buff, architect, student of culture, photographer or, anyone interested in Japanese gardens could spend days in the Shurijo Castle Park examining its treasures yet, never see it all.

So, it would be wise to plan on making several visits.  I've been there dozens of times and will pass on a little cost saving tip.

Get a Shurijo Castle Passport

The admission fee for adults is 800 Yen per visit.  Invest twenty minutes of your time at the ticket booth along with 1600 Yen and it gets you a one year passport.

Not only do you get to pass through the castle gates an unlimited number of times, for free, you receive discounts at the gift shops.

The Castle Remains Open at Night During the Harvest Moon

Advertised as a Mid-Autumn Celebration on the Shurijo Castle Website and by many local travel agencies as taking place August 15th each year, travelers may experience some confusion.

Okinawa, Japan schedules most festivals and special events by the Lunar (Chinese) calendar.

The photos I'm showing of Shuri Castle under a full moon were taken September 11, 2011 which was the second night of the Mid-Autumn Celebration. Links provided below give accurate scheduling, in English.

During this time of year the park normally closes at 8PM however, for this special event visitors may stay on the castle grounds until 9PM.

 

 Show Up Early and Stay Late

Whether it's you first or fiftieth time visiting Shuri Castle I recommend arriving early to wander around the entire grounds. Wear comfortable walking shoes but, don't worry about stumbling on any uneven walkways.  This is the most foot-friendly castle on the island and the only one I consider wheelchair and stroller safe.

There are plenty of places to buy refreshments, restroom facilities, park benches and spots to just sit in the shade as you stroll through the gardens and woods surrounding the castle. The grounds will be illuminated at night but, it's best to become familiar with the layout while it's daylight so you don't become disoriented as evening falls.

 

 Before the Moon Rises

Traditional Okinawan music may be heard, piped through loudspeaker systems, for your enjoyment and you may see several examples of classical music and dance performed just outside the castle's main courtyard.

Up to this point, no admission fee applies. The ticket sales take place in a small building just to the left of the main courtyard entrance. An hour, or so, before the moon rises, crowds start to form lines, waiting for security guards to open the castle gates. You will need to show a ticket or castle passport to enter.

Once inside, you get to hear some of Okinawa's top musicians and see professional dancers and singers perform. And there is a beauty contest/pageant, of sorts, whereby a king and queen are selected to play the roles of royalty in the annual Ryukyu King and Queen's Coronation Ceremony.

Moonshine or not, This is the Best Time to See Shuri Castle

There may be clouds in the sky, obscuring a clear view of the harvest moon but, there is no better time of the year for catching the brilliant illumination shining on those red castle walls.

 

 Links For Travelers:

Japan National Tourism Organization

Stripes Okinawa

TripAdvisor Reviews

RELATED POST:

Shuri Castle Day and Night at the Moon Viewing Festival

5 Tourist Attractions on Izena Island Worth Visiting Again

Three Days and Two Nights

 

 

Consider it a whirlwind tour with a camera, chasing the good light.

It consisted of, waking up Friday, Saturday and Sunday between 3 and 4AM.

We climbed aboard the New Izena Ferry at Unten Port in Motobu and sailed away.

At the ferry terminal, on Izenajima, I photographed a tour map on the wall.

All the tourist brochures were written for Japanese or, Chinese.

But, the poster on the wall had some English descriptions for the attractions.

So, we decided to find the five sites that were listed, in language we could easily read.

 

Number One

 First on the list was the statue of Sho En, pointing back towards Okinawa.

It was in a park, not far from the minshuku, we stayed at.

When Map It Okinawa dude and, I were leaving, I joked about a shot, I should have taken.

Driving off to scout another site, I noticed the statue had a straw hat on its back.

Researching this Sho En guy, I'm finding conflicting information.

One source, says he wore his topknot sort of lop-sided.

That would have shown up if, a photo was taken from the rear of the statue.

Then, we'll have to decide whether it was a fashion statement or, he had a bump on his head.

Some other conflicting information exists, concerning this Ryukyu king.

One source says he came from Iheya, another Izena Island.

The folks on Izena, sure seem proud of his heritage and, that fact he became a king.

Number Two

 Izena Castle Site is a must-see, for any one visiting this island.

The castle, also known as, a gusuku, looks like a big pile of rocks, about 100 meters tall.

There doesn't appear to be any rooms to hide in so, it's different than most fortresses.

Map It Okinawa, climbed to the top and saw some sacred sites along the way.

A summer storm (thunder, lightning and rain) hit while he was up there.

My cameras got thrown in the car and, I hid under one of those tiled roofs.

One of these days, I'll climb, when its not raining.

Number Three

 Castles and royalty statues are alright but, I liked this photo best.

Agi Gitara and Umi Gitara are two rocks in the scene above.

Agi is still attached to land; Umi is the one in the ocean.

The story goes:  They were two lovers who wanted to become one, with each other.

When they died (some say suicide) the gods hooked them up for eternity.

The gal rock (in the sea) and dude rock on land, will see each other, forever, from a distance.

Ain't that romantic ?

Anyhow, this was a challenge, shooting this photo and, I want to do it again.

Number Four

 

 

 

  Izena Beach is a great place to visit and get some sunshine.

They have campgrounds, toilets, showers and, the price is right.  It's free.

There weren't many people there when we visited so, we may have to go back.

What if a bunch of girls in bikinis, showed up ?

These are things, you must consider.

Number Five

 

 

 

The last tourism location we found was the most difficult, as far as searches go.

There were signs posted along the highway and, they had arrows pointing directions.

Maybe, some souvenir hunters, borrowed a few.

If you are just looking for old traditional Okinawan homes, you'll find plenty.

This one is special. The buildings and grounds are huge.

Not much (in English) can be found via the internet. I will find out more, later.

There are some sacred sites and important trees associated with the area.

So, that gives me another excuse, to return to this special island.

Untethered for Awhile

On the island of Izenajima, they have internet access.

Just as soon as, I got off the ferry, I noticed Wi-Fi access signs in the terminal.

In the backpack, with all the rest of my traveling gear and camera stuff was a laptop.

To make the most, of my time on the island, I stayed un-tethered.

Chasing the cultural, historical sites, along with sunrise and sunset locations was fun.

But, it requires some, mingling with the locals, who know the island.

We were out there, sampling the local spirits, past midnight, daily.

With only 3-4 hours of sleep, each night, the internet, didn't seem all that important.

Back at the office, I'm online, again. And, have jackhammers out front of the place.

There's one last reason, to go visit Izena Island, in the near future !

 

 

 

Zakimi Castle at Night (12 Photos)

Don't Miss this UNESCO Castle at Night

 

 

Last night was the first time, I ever saw this UNESCO site lit up in the evening.

Not many people show up after the sun goes down at night.

Just guessing here, but, there could be a couple of possibilities.

Maybe It Wasn't Widely Advertised

 

 A photographer would never complain about a lack of people at a tourist location.

 It gives you a chance to shoot the photos, at real slow shutter speeds.

When a few visitors, started walking through the scenes, I just shot walls.

The courtyard had been rained on, recently and the grass, was a little wet and slippery.

Anybody, who grew up on a farm, would be reminded of  a pasture, after the rain.

It smelled better here, because there were no cow paddies to slip on, just mud puddles.

One couple, kept popping into my scenes but, I didn't mind.

Joking with them, I told them to take their time.

Whenever they quit wiggling around, I took some shots with them in the frame.

Taking photos, in this kind of light, you need about 30 seconds of exposure.

The same guy and gal, showed up, again, when I really didn't want them to be in my scene.

They were about the same height as each other.

Then, she stood by one of the lights and her shadow, grew about ten feet tall !

That gave me a good chuckle.

It was tempting, to ask them to pose for me. But, I passed on that idea.

Another Possibility for the Low Attendance

 

 

The illumination of the castle is in celebration of Yomitan becoming the most populated village.

That's the most people, in any village, throughout Japan.

Maybe, everybody stays at home during the hours of darkness.

If they don't keep up the populating, they could lose the title of most populous village.

That's what, I'm thinking, anyway !

Shuri Castle Pond Again and Again and Again (Photo)

This is a scene we've been working on for months, now.

There is a photo I'm trying to duplicate for the Then and Now Series.

 A Flickr Friend named, Okinawa Soba, gave me a black and white photo of this scene.

My goal, is to recreate the photographic shot, as it was originally made.

The photo, from his collection, was taken sometime, before World War II.

Shuri-jo Castle was leveled by bombs, during that war.

The reconstruction of castles, on this island was accomplished by looking at old photos and sketches.

It amazes me, how much the re-constructed buildings, look like the originals.

So, I try to do the best I can at duplicating the old photos.

The light, has to be right.

And, if there were people in the scene, I try to get someone to pose, in my photo.

Lighting was perfect, when I shot the image above.

Along came a couple, visiting the castle and, I got them to pose.

Then, the clouds, that were blocking the glaring sun, drifted away and ruined my shot.

The couple, were really nice, posing in the hot sun, for me.

They signed model releases and I emailed them the best photo of the day.

But, Shuri Castle Pond's Then and Now will have to wait.

As stubborn as a mule, I'll keep going back to that castle again and again and again.

When the light is right and I get the scene the way I want it you'll know.

That's because I'll post it here and yell, "Gotterdun" !

Museums Can Be Cool Places to Visit on a Hot Day

Being Outdoors is Fun but Sometimes it Gets Hot

 

 

Not to worry, it isn't as if I'm turning into a couch potato or, anything like that.

The temperatures on Okinawa have been getting up there lately.

During yesterday's travels, plenty of outdoor photography took place.

There were a few fish jumping out of water shots taken.

Some hills, sugar cane fields and even, another island were visited.

When the mercury hits between 33˚C (91.4˚F) and 40˚C (104˚F) I need a break.

Have a look inside the Onna-son Museum.

This place is climate controlled and comfortably cool.

It cost Ɏ100 to spend as long as you wish in the air-conditioned rooms.  Hah !

Making sure, I took my time, I covered every inch of the place.

Now, I have an idea what it looked like, building some of those straw-roofed huts.

And, I saw what it took to make the stone walls at Zakimi Castle.

They didn't have any fancy tools or, uniforms back in the old days.

It was probably a lot more fun being an architect than a construction worker back then.

You could say stuff like, "Let's hurry and get this room done.

Move that rock a little more to the right but, be careful.

We don't want anyone getting their toes crushed.

C'mon guys.  Don't you know it's hot out here ?

We gotta getterdun and go drink some beer !" 

MORE OKINAWA MUSEUMS

Note Local Travelers: Map It Okinawa Gives Directions

 

UNESCO Nakijin Castle Late Afternoon Wide and Low (Photo)

This photo of Nakijin-jo was taken Sunday June 2, 2013.

For rainy season, it was a beautiful day, hot and steamy.  I was afraid it wouldn't last long.

The light was right for the shot I wanted to make.

Not wanting to disassemble a tripod to get the camera down low, I made a plan.

Rip the camera off the tripod and use a yellow flip-flop to steady it.

People look at you as if you were some kind of nut when you're lying on your belly with the camera.

But, it gets you an image like no one else has.

Camera: Pentax KD 10

Lens: Sigma 10-20mm  

Focal Length:  14mm

f/11   1/90   ISO 100

Discovered Another Castle and Got a Surprise (Images)

For Now Just Call It Wee Castle

 

Today preliminary investigation was begun on this castle I found a few weeks ago.

The place has been around for centuries, I'm sure but, it's a new one, to me.

Call it Wee, Oui, or whatever you prefer.

The sign at the entrance says, ウイ グシク.

It was the wrong time of day for outdoor photography so, I'll just give you a peek.

 

From this old rickety platform you can look out to sea.  That's the East China Sea.

There will be more on this castle at a later date.

The surprise ?

You will have to examine the next two photos carefully to see what else I discovered.

Going up the hill to the castle there were lots of butterflies, mosquitoes and weeds.

Next time, I will remember the insect repellent.

See that mosquito, about an inch behind the butterfly ?

Well, the dang thing went after it.

Now, I've seen mosquitoes bite people, dogs, cows, horses and even me.

Who would have thought they bite butterflies, too ?

What I'm really hoping, is they weren't mating or, anything like that.

I didn't hang around the castle long enough to find out.

That would be an awful thing if they developed a hybrid mosquito with big butterfly wings.

It would be a lot easier to swat them when you saw them coming, though.

For now, let's just hope the little pest just bit the butterfly.

You'll sleep better !

Fun with a Camera at Night Outside Castle Walls

Last night Map It Okinawa Dude and I got to Shuri Castle late.

We decided to shoot some photos from down below.

That's because, when they shut the gates, they lock them all.

But, there are plenty of places you can still go to outside castle walls.

We hiked around the pond and had fun shooting reflections.

Outside the castle there is another UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Named Sonohyan-Utaki, it is the stone gate to a sacred site, kings used to pray at.

The moon even peeked through the clouds for a few minutes and, I nabbed it in this photo.

After 10PM we figured it would be best to start going back down the hill and around the pond.

I was thinking, we'd be in a real jam, if the lights went out.

Along the way we stopped and took a few more reflection photos.

Now, today, I'm wondering what the rush was all about.  I checked the castle website.

And, here's what I just found out.

They keep the lights on outside until midnight !