Visit Oku Village During Golden Week

City Folks Don't Know What They're Missing

Way up in the northern part of Okinawa is a village named Oku.

Every year during Golden Week the river gets decorated with the carp streamers.

Koinoborui, they're called in Japan and, there must be 1000 of them, fluttering in the sky.

Cabins, lining the waterway only cost about one third, the price of a city slicker hotel room.

It's quiet up in those hills. I could lay down in the grass and watch the flying fish all day.

There probably, will be some children, splashing around in the creek tomorrow.

But, it wouldn't be like that noisy city, I stayed at a hotel in, once. It was hard to sleep.

Some honeymooners, kept making noises all night long and, it cost me over 300 bucks !

Blue Skies and Flying Fish

OK They're Carp Streamers

 

 

Brightly colored koinobori are still flapping in the breeze by Nature Mirai (ネイチャーみらい).

There was nobody down in that rice paddy but me, this afternoon.

The trip to an outer island today, got cancelled.  I'll tell you what happened.

Late last night, my Minister of Transportation and, I  had sort of a meeting, in a bar.

We got discussing the weather and stuff like that, while soaking up some air-conditioning.

In order to catch the ferry, we had to go home early and, wake up, before 4AM.

After 3 or 4 ice cold mugs of Orion Beer, we both came to the conclusion, "That'd be dumb."

So, we contacted the trip organizer and, told him the truth.

We figured, drinking cold beers was more important than, traveling to another island.

Bright Sunny Day

 

Instead of spending six hours to see another island, I took about a six mile hike in Kin Town.

There was plenty of activity along the Okukubi River and, I've got photos, to prove it.

Time will be spent later, sorting through kayaks, birds, butterflies and dragonfly images.

My Minister of Transportation, messaged me this evening and, he's got to work tonight.

He's a big, gnarly dude, working in some special kind of body shop.

After, he gets off work, we'll get together and, discuss the day's events.

More than likely, we'll wind up going to some of our regular watering holes.

Whichever pretty gal brings us our beers, we always, buy them a drink, too.

Oh.  I almost forgot to tell you, how I shot the photo above.

It was with the camera and lens, mentioned on yesterday's blog.

30MM  f/8  1/500  ISO 100 

Location:  Kin Town, Okinawa, Japan

Date and Time:  MAY 15  2016  1:38PM

6 GIF Animations of Flying Fish (Koinobori) in Oku Okinawa

Huge and Brightly Colored Carp Streamers

 

 

A road trip to the north of the island turned out to be a good idea.

Crowds haven't hit the highways yet but, Oku Village is ready to party.

Workers were putting the finishing touches on festival tents and the stage.

Hundreds of  these decorative fish were flying everywhere along and across the river.

Without a tape measure, I'd have to guess, those streamers were a few meters long.

Some body spent a small fortune, buying those things.

Photos were taken from as many angles as possible to give you a sense of scale.

Here's a view from the top of a hill outside town, looking down at the river.

Back down in the village, you could see children playing in the water.

It's Golden Week so, they are all out of school.

Some folks call this the beginning of Spring. 

To me, it is the start of the never ending Summer Festival Season in Okinawa, Japan.

Wednesday's Motion GIFs from Oku in Okinawa Japan

Golden Week Keeps Us Busy

 

 

Today, over a thousand photos were taken in northern Okinawa.

It was cloudy and a little wet but, a fun filled day.

These koinobori (carp streamers) will brighten up anybody's dreary day.

So, I shot plenty of images, using the burst mode and a tripod.

That way, when the fishes dance around in the wind, I can get them GIF'd.

When shooting these streamers, just pretend they are wildlife.

And, keep a close look on their eyes !

More about how these Motion GIFs, are created, coming soon.

Flying Fish? Nope Koinobori (鯉幟) and Fun to Shoot !

Carp Streamers are Koinobori

 

In Japan, you see them from late April through the month of May.

They aren't wildlife or, fish jumping out of water but, they can be just as challenging.

So, when there are no critters around, for me to capture with the camera, I shoot Koinobori.

Some of the methods I use are the same as if I were going after wildlife.

Here are a few tips on how to catch these critters with a digital camera.

Spot focus, if you can.

Move around, so the sun is hitting your back and watch the fishes' eyes.

Just like wildlife, they won't hold a pose for you. They are always moving.

The camera needs to in in Continuous Shooting Mode.

When you see the sun light-up the eye, fire away.  Three frames at a time, is what I do.

It might take a hundred or two clicks of the shutter but, who cares ?

With a digital camera, at least you're not wasting film.

When you download the camera, you'll have some different photos to show everyone.

If you ever decide to be a wildlife photographer, you have a head start on the rest of the crowd.

These photos were taken around 8AM at Haneji Dam in Okinawa, Japan.

Early morning or, late afternoon gives you the best light.

That's because the sun is low in the sky.

For directions to Haneji Dam: Checkout Map It Okinawa

More tricks of the trade may be seen in Photo Tips

Carp Streamers ( 鯉のぼり) Koinobori in Okinawa (Photos)

Between moving the office and travel to the USA, Koinobori photos sort of got forgotten this year.

 These Carp streamers get flown, most places in Japan, during Golden Week.

But, in Okinawa they start showing off the brilliant colored things in April.

They fly like windsocks in the breeze for the whole month of May.

The internet thingy hasn't been hooked up at my new place, yet.

This Wifi spot is really an alright place to get online but, it happens to be Friday night.

The place is crawling with geeks.

I gotta get outta here, now.

So, if you want to learn more about the Koinobori, take a peek at Doc Graff's

GOYA REPUBLIC BLOG

He must have shot a thousand of those critters.

Visit my website for the PHOTO OF THE DAY