Flower Festival at IeShima Okinawa, Japan: A Million Lilies

Time for a Lily Festival

This post was originally created after visiting the 2011 Yuri Matsuri (Lily Festival) on Ie Island.

A quick visit to the Ie Village website, gave me this poster, advertising the 2017 event.

Visit the English version of Ie Island website for more details.

At the heading, you can switch to Japanese, French, Chinese or, Korean.

More than likely, Ryukyu Mike, won't appear during the matsuri, this year.

It is probably the biggest and busiest event held on that island.

So, for local families, wishing to attend, I would recommend going on weekdays. 

Make sure all reservations (especially ferry) are made in advance and, don't be late.

2011 Visit to the Lily Festival

There wasn't time to count them all but, I estimate there had to be a good 750,000 Easter Lilies at the IeShima Lily Festival in Okinawa, Japan.  The island advertises a count of over one million flowers. 

It's easier to just take their word for it, I think.

The main attraction is the hundreds and thousands of white Easter Lilies, in all stages of budding and blooming, dancing in the wind on the slopes facing the ocean.

This is where the annual festival takes place and visitors from all over Japan will be taking the ferry to visit during the next week.

There are plenty more white lilies waiting for me to get them developed.  I decided to give a few of the other lilies their 15 minutes of fame.

One of these days, I may have to start collecting books, or make friends with a local florist, so I can give you the proper names of these flowers. 

There just aren't enough hours in the day or days in the week for me to research them.  Do you suppose florists like beer?

It'd be a lot easier for me if I could just stop by a flower shop and take the photos.  If a florist told me the names of the things they'd get a free photo and could sit down once in awhile and drink beer with me.

The trip to the Flower Festival on IeShima this weekend was a real adventure.  It all started with me getting a black eye before I even got on the boat.  Wow.  It's a good thing it wasn't my shootin' eye.

People on the boat, get out of your way real quick when you walk towards them with a black eye and blood running down your face.  So, it wasn't all bad.  It was kind of like being a VIP. 

Or, they thought I was some sort of crazy, violent person.  Hah, I was just going to shoot Easter Lilies!

There are plenty of other interesting things to do on the island of IeShima in Japan besides taking photos of flowers so, I did them, too.  It may take me some time to get caught up, then you'll get the rest of the story.

Safe and sound, back on the main island of Okinawa, Japan is where I'm at now.  A million lilies were fun to look at and take pictures of but, there are critters and caves I want to go back and see. I'll show you some examples as soon as the development is done.

The next time I visit that island, I might just stay for a week.  That'll be sometime after my face stops lookin' like I'm some kind of criminal and the weather is a little warmer.  Maybe, in the summer.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE LILY FESTIVAL VISIT THE JAPAN UPDATE

Visit Map It Okinawa for travel details

See My Top Five Attractions on Iejima

Treasures in the Gold Hall Cafe

Millionaires Rub Your Greedy Hands

 

 

Here are a few photos of the works of art to be found, down inside this cave.

A few of us, took the cameras and, visited yesterday, to take some shots, out of the sun.

 Most visitors, pay their entrance fee and, tour the caves first.

We were hungry so, ate like kings at the dining hall then hiked through the attraction, later.

It's a great way to burn off some calories because, you go up and down lots of stairs.

Some of the cave exists of finished rooms, lined with shelves,

They have pottery, driftwood, wood and stone carvings, all kinds of artworks.

Just in case, you were wondering, I don't know much about art and, stuff like that.

But, I'll bet you ten dollars, that statue on the table, is a Buddha !

Here's something, I know lots about. It's a bar scene, from the caves.

There's some sort of red, hanging lighting and, sake (awamori) bottles, on the wall.

If you keep getting confused over stalagmites and stalactites, I'll help you.

Just remember, stalactites, are the ones, you keep bumping your head on.  I do, anyway.

Wouldn't this make a cool bachelor pad ?

There's a little babbling brook, over where the stalactites are hanging.

Being, it's right near the bar, I imagine the table is a place to set your drink, while drawing water.

Over past the crystals, on the right, that penis-looking thing, doesn't look natural.

It's probably some sort of warning, for the ladies. Don't wash your hair in the spring !

Here's another view of, the finished, part of the cave, with blocks and shelving.

They made this place so, you won't slip on any wet floors, touring the caves.

So, it's pretty much, high heel and flip-flop friendly and, safe for children.

This eagle, grabbing a snake, statue is at one of the cave, exits to the outdoors.

So, there's some natural daylight, shining from the right side of the photo.

Believe it or not, you can get lost, going on a tour through these caves.

They give everybody a map, when, you pay to go inside but, we didn't think we needed them.

Doc and I, have been through this cave, several times.

So, we folded our maps and stuck them in our pockets because, men don't need maps.

But, once we got lost, the maps came in handy !

This stone stampede of horses, has to be worth a million dollars, by itself.

What, you're seeing, is just a sectional shot; it must weigh a ton, if you could pick it up.

If any crazy billionaires, out there, wanna buy some of this stuff, look me up.

The gal, who owns this place knows me and, maybe, we could play Let's Make  Deal !

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Revisiting Okawa Spring Looking for Caves and Snakes

From the 2014 Photo Files

 

 

Working on a story that includes a cave, pretty women and a serpent, got me doing this.

It took some digging and switching of external hard drives to locate Okawa Spring.

It looks like, I hadn't taken any photos of this place, since May of last year.

This afternoon, I just walked down there with a camera and left the tripod in the office. 

A couple of images were composed and Geo-tagged but, the story isn't complete, yet.

The caves were easy to find and, there are plenty of pretty girls around here.

It's just, the snake wasn't ready to come out for my photo shoot.

Camera: Pentax KD10

Lens: Pentax 18-250 at 18mm

Exposure: f/19  30sec   ISO 100

Location: Okawa Spring, Namisato, Kin Town, Okinawa, Japan

Date and Time: May 23 2014 8:01PM

Today I went Down Some Spooky, Old Stairs: Photo Essay

Originally Published OCT 2011

 

 

 

Reviving this popular post may be a good idea.

It happens, the Map It Okinawa dude and, I are going on a ghost hunt tonight.

Enjoy this old Halloween tale just in case we don't make it back before sunrise !

In order to get in the good old Halloween spirit I have come back and edited this post.

Halloween doesn't really have the meaning, over in my part of the world, that it does for most western cultures.  In fact, if it hadn't been for a great friend on StumbleUpon (LINDARAMA)  sending me mail when she read this, I wouldn't have known Halloween was just around the corner.

On the outer islands of Okinawa, Japan there are many old caves and sacred wells.

Some of them are pretty cool and they make great subjects for photography.

It's best to make sure you don't disturb anything when you go to them.

There are a few places where the stairs are so old they are crumbling.

Wherever I go, I try to get the best possible photos without disturbing anything.

That plastic ladle just didn't seem right next to those old coins I wanted to shoot.

So, I moved it out of the scene for a few seconds.

Then, put it back exactly where I found it.

People in Okinawa believe there are spirits in these old caves and wells.  Many of them come to worship and make offerings at the sites.  So,  I like to make sure nothing has been changed by my presence.  You should do the same, anywhere you go.

YOU NEVER KNOW WHEN SOMETHING LIKE THIS MIGHT COME OUT OF A CAVE OR SOME OTHER DARK PLACE AND GRAB YOU.  DO YOU ?

The culture of Okinawa consists of a strong belief in spirits.  So strong, that something like Halloween is really unnecessary.  Spirits are felt and communicated with on a daily basis.

While I may have been raised as a Christian in my early years, I have also studied some Confucianism, Buddhism, Shintoism, Taoism, Animism and even a bit of alcoholism.  We happen to have a little bit of all those here, along with a strong belief in ancestor worship.  There are gods of the sea, mountains, rocks, wind, trees, earth, fire and all of nature (called kami sama) you'd rather see smiling than frowning upon you.  That's in addition to any departed members of the family tree.

So, on any given day you may see me raise my eyes towards the sky and and talk to "Kachan" (departed mother-in-law) and thank her spirit for my good fortune.

Or, I might say something like, "What are you trying to do to me?"

Whenever I find myself going to some sacred site in Okinawa, Japan like those spooky old stairs, it's not the ghosts or goblins of Halloween I'm thinking of; it's the spirits of someone else's ancestors I have to worry about.  Some people had mean old mother-in-laws, you know.

I wouldn't want to cross paths with their spirits.

There's really no such thing as ghosts.

OR IS THERE ?

WHEREVER YOU ARE, HAVE A SAFE AND HAPPY HALLOWEEN !

To get yourself in the Halloween spirit, or add your goulish story to an already excellent collection, visit my good friend in Australia, LINDA HEAPHY, she'll get the hair standing up on the back of your neck !

Sharing this post with Budget Travelers Sandbox will be my contribution to the world of travel photographers for TRAVEL PHOTO THURSDAY

MORE ON THE RYUKYU ISLAND OF KUDAKA JIMA

Finding the Caves on Okinawa Island

There Must Be Hundreds of Them

Spelunking or, cave exploration, isn't really something I'd put in my resume.

That's something other people do.  I just do photography and some travel writing.

We spotted this one while driving around as Typhoon Danas was coming.

Already soaking wet from visiting Manzamo, this place was relatively dry and, out of the wind.

Sort of an archway of a cave, it felt pretty comfortable.

What a relief !

There are many different types of caves in the Ryukyu Island Chain.

This one had a few clues that indicated, it may be a sacred site.

An incense burner, tells you that someone worships there. 

So, before I do any poking around, it's best to learn more about the place.

A coin or, coins in the area, weren't placed there for me to buy coffee.

 

Vegetation, laid there recently, was some sort of offering.

Some Caves Are Tourist Attractions -- Not This One

 

 

In the past, I have written about a few of the tourist caves.

Everyone and anyone, is welcome to visit them.

There are adventure tours and, even underwater caves a traveler could visit.

Caves with a religious background are a different story.

Some caves, are burial grounds.

Others,  have important cultural significance.

Ceremonies, take place, where men or, women are the only ones allowed to enter.

It is best, when in doubt, to check with local authorities, before entering any cave.

So, I printed a photo of this one and, asked around.

Explaining, that I do cultural photography and writing, got positive results.

If they thought I was looking for a place to throw a cave party, I wouldn't have gotten far.

Some friends were made today and I came back with plenty of information.

Annual ceremonies are conducted in this cave and others.

Finding these caves, is an adventure, for me and, lots of fun.

Getting the whole story, is work.

We have Halloween coming soon and I still haven't got a good ghost story for you.

But, I'll keep looking.

Travel Photo: A Cave on Ie Jima an Island in Okinawa

This is a photo of a cave taken on Ie Jima about three years ago.

Getting ready to return for another trip, this year I pulled it up to remind me of something.

There was a wooden sign (in Japanese) alongside the cave entrance.

At the time, I was in a hurry and, didn't get a photo of the sign for translation.

But, I was told, the sign mentioned something unusual.

Human and animal bones were found in there.

They were thousands of years old and the animal, was a deer. 

Note to self:  Get photos of everything, this time.

Researching, in advance, I found some great information on the caves of Ie Jima.

National Geographic put some photos and video together on the place in November 2005.

It's always a good idea to learn as much as you can about a destination before you travel.

There are many more things to be learned from the caves of Ie Shima.

Exclusive Tour Ryukyu Dudes Do the Caves (Photos)

Matsuda Caves in Ginoza Okinawa

These photos give a quick review of the day's events.

Today RyukyuRusty, Map It Okinawa and I got a special treat.

We had a guided tour (what I call it exclusive) through this cave.

Shinobu Miyahira (blue shirt) briefed us on everything.

He knows the history of the place, the wildlife that live there and the dangers you may face.

Standing to his left, Lorenzo Ken Tumacder, was our English translator.

Safety was everyone's concern. There are plenty of places you can slip and fall.

The guides outfitted us with boots and miners hats.  It gets real dark inside the caves.

And, there are plenty of places to accidentally bang your head.  So, that's what I did, a lot.

The guy wearing the white jacket is Terumasa Ikehara.

White stuff is easier to see in the dark so, I stuck close by him.

Kei Hamahiga and Hayato Nakama were in black shirts.

If they got too far in front of you, they would disappear, in the dark.

Everyone, there was helpful.  They held our cameras while we climbed.

And, caught us when we slipped.  Or, warned us about banging our heads.

All the way through, I kept wondering about the place.

Like, when they were preparing for tourists -- did they find any signs of humans were ever there ?

 

 Sure enough.  Look what Emi Kinjo found.

She was An Orion Beer Campaign Girl.  And, found an old Orion Beer can.

 After about two and a half hours (that seemed like one) of cave exploring, we were done.

Probably, I collected more mud that anyone else.

So, you don't see me in this photo.  I was busy smoking and shooting.

It looks like some sort of farewell photo, but, we weren't done, yet.

When you get an exclusive tour, like this, some paperwork has to be done.

It was really like a questionnaire.

We could rate the tour and guides.  And, make suggestions.

Well, I'm a grandpa and I don't like writing.

So, I said to Lorenzo, "Here, you do it".

 And, we gotterdun.

Look Forward to the Grand Opening 

 

A few days ago, I was worried about the impact tourism would have on the Village of Ginoza.

More than anything else, I am concerned about the environment.

From what we saw and heard today, this cave is in good hands.

They are knowledgeable about the stalactite and stalagmite formations and their preservation.

They are concerned about the wildlife within and around the caves.

The caves will open to the public sometime in Spring.

Standby for an exclusive-exclusive report if they let the Ryukyu Dudes in again !

More Caves on Okinawa Yea Buddy !

The Map It Okinawa Dude came by today.

And he said, "I found some new caves."

There must be an unlimited supply of caves on the island of Okinawa.

If we ever run out of caves to go into, around here, we'll just go to some other islands.

There are over 100 more islands, we haven't been to, yet.

They have something like, 160 islands in the whole Ryukyu Island Chain.

Somebody, from the Government of Japan should draft us into service.

We could be like, the official cave-hunters for the Ministry of Caves, or something, like that.

This place wasn't flip-flop friendly so, I wore shoes and socks.

There is a little bit of a stream running through the place.

It doesn't look too deep.

But, I have proof that, in spots, you can get wet, up to your wallet.

Tomorrow, will be a flip-flop day, for me.  The shoes and socks are drying.

And, it's time for me to get some Okinawa spirits.

The kind you need to drink in order to chase a cold away before it takes over your body !

  
NOT FLIP-FLOP FRIENDLY

Visit my website for today's Feature Photo

Flowers, Ferns, Caves and Castles on a Rainy Day (Photos)

Today the weather gurus predicted thunder storms.  We don't get thunderstorms in November.

Thunderstorms are supposed to be a summertime thing, I thought.

So, when RyukyuRu came by, we decided to go shoot photos of some caves and castles.

This photo of a whatchamacallit (some kind of tree with flowers on it) was on the grounds of the first castle ruins we stopped at.  The sky was already turning violent-looking colors so, I picked on flowers instead of castles.  The castles, I'll get photos of when the sky is blue, not gray.

Here's a closer look at the bell-shaped flower-things.  I figure somebody out there knows the name of them and I won't have to lose another bet with my wife over them.  She knows almost everything, you know, except how to make beer.

Before leaving this castle ruins, I decided to let some sky creep in because I want to remember this location.  Barely visible in the center of this photo are rocks that make up the castle walls.

These ruins are on Okinawa's east coast.  We met a few characters who live nearby and discovered they like karaoke and maybe, some spirits to drink.  So, I promised to stop by again, someday when the weather is more cooperative and we'll do that castle, right.

Off to the other side of the island, we went.  And the thunderstorms happened.

This is the terrain around castle ruins we discovered on Okinawa's west coast.

The rain slacked off.  In between gusts of wind and a few more sprinkles, I managed to capture a few photos of the ferns and wet, jungle vegetation.

There is a cave entrance in the center of this photo, just beyond the ferns.

Several places around these castle ruins have huge cave entrances but, they looked too slippery and dangerous to enter without flashlights.  We decided to return here, another day and I'm glad we did.

Just before getting back in the car, we ran across someone who lived nearby that cave.

He told us, he decided to explore that cave one day, just as a typhoon was approaching Okinawa.

When he got to the cave entrance, the cave had filled to the brim with water.

It's probably not the ideal place to go on a rainy day.

The weather is supposed to be stormy for the rest of this week.  The castles and caves will have to wait.  Flowers and ferns can be fun to shoot on rainy days but, for now I think it's more important to get the right equipment for exploration, dry and recharge my cameras and do some beers !