Travel Photo: Deep in Prayer

Spiritual Woman of Kouri Island

This photo and probably 200 more, are dated March 19, 2017.

A fairly busy time of year for me, I just developed this today because, a friend reminded me.

Mick McClary, a guy from Montana was visiting Okinawa on one of his annual excursions.

And, about two days before his departure, we went down in this cave for some rituals.

Several times, I've attended this event and, thought Mick might enjoy seeing it.

Little did I know, he'd take a tumble and, get bloodied, going down the mountain trail.

Knowing how slippery and dangerous it can be, I got a head start and, went slow descending.

When Mick showed up, he looked like he got caught in a meat grinder. 

He says a tree snapped and he fell, coming down the trail. He was sort of escorting the women.

The woman in the photo, I've known for a few years, now. She wouldn't push him.

But, the rest of the gals, I'm not so sure about. OK, let's just blame it on a tree.

The rituals take place in Sururu Gama, a cave at sea level on Kouri-jima, Okinawa.

Mick, took plenty of video footage and, at Tripod, they're available for viewing.

If, you have the time and patience, you can see everything except, the part where he fell.

Old geezer me, even showed-up in a few scenes and, I looked really old.

So, I have to get back to weight lifting and kickboxing, to get ready for the next cave tour.

Next time, I want to hop down that trail like a youngster. I'd better get in shape.

Related Post: Okinawan Spirits and Spirituality

Okinawan Spirits and Spirituality

Praying in a Candle Lit Cave

It's that time of the year again, where these rituals occur on Kouri-jima. 

The photo of the old guy, next to the Yuta (priestess) happens to be me.

Not particularly religious, I go through the motions, just like everybody else in the cave.

That photo was taken a few years ago by the Map It Okinawa dude, with my camera.

I don't recall, what kind of prayer, I may have been making. Let's see.

How about, "Don't let the tide come in, until I get me and the cameras, out of here."

Back Up to Last Night's Celebrations

 

This "Guy Walks Into the Bar Story" must be told because, it inspired me.

It was St. Patrick's Day and I was just about to finish my first beer.

The Irish Pub was extremely busy. Maybe 120 people in a bar built to hold 30.

Standing room only but, the crowd made sure, I got a barstool close to the door.

A very intoxicated youngster stumbled in and stood next to me.

He said something like, "Okinawa is a state of mind."  That impressed me and, I agreed."

It was something, I would have wrote down if, I had a pen, I told the guy.

As the bar tender came down our way the youngster ordered a round for himself and me.

When he dropped to the floor, everybody assumed, I decked him, for some reason.

A bunch of folks came running over and asked if, the kid had bothered me.

I laughed and said, "I didn't knock him down. He reached for his money and fell over."

The kid was so plastered, when he reached for the wallet, in his pocket, he fell.

I told everyone, he was trying to buy me a drink. They got someone, to cart him home.

All of a sudden, everyone wanted to buy me drinks. I told them to save their money.

When I finished my 1st beer, it was time to move on to another watering hole.

As I stood up, a pretty gal, walked in so, I told her the barstool was reserved for her.

Next stop was a Brazilian bar and, plenty of celebrating Irish were in there, too. 

When I ordered a beer and it came, they said it had already been paid for.

I drank it quickly and ordered another one. All my drinks got paid for in advance, somehow.

Some of the crowd from bar #1 were there and, paid for my drinks. Rough night.

After the second beer, I decided it was time to move along and spend, my own money.

And, I didn't want to forget, what that youngster had told me. State of mind.

It would be nice, to come up with one word to describe Okinawa.

Spirituality

Okinawa is part of Japan but, closer to Taiwan than Tokyo. It's different than Japan.

We're so far south, some people call Okinawa, The Other Japan.

If, I had to put my finger on one word, it would be spirituality. You could Tweet it.

The people above, are trekking through the brush, to crawl into a cave by the sea.

Several times, I've been down there and, really dread the climb. People go every year.

Locals and people from all over Japan, go to attend this ritual.

They will pray and be blessed by a Yuta (Okinawan priestess) while in the cave.

This cavern, isn't visible, when the tide comes in and, fills it with water.

This is what the mouth of the cavern looks like at low tide.

The congregation, literally, has to dig in the sand, opening the front door to enter.

Spring Equinox, I've learned, is when some of the lowest tides of the year, take place.

Other Okinawa rituals, involving the ocean, happen during this season.

This one, comes to mind because, I've invited another foreign friend to attend.

Not many Americans have gone to witness this sort of ceremony.

This younger shaman (yuta or priestess) is facing the rear entrance to the cave.

Prayers are uttered by the priestesses in some unintelligible language.

Blessings are given to each attendee, individually and, I keep worrying about the tide.

There are alcoholic spirits in that cave, along with any other spirits summoned for the event.

To me, Okinawa is not a state of mind. It's something about the people. They are different.

Let's just say, spirituality is what separates them from the rest of Japan.

Previous Posts:

A Cave Called Sururu Gama on Kouri-jima Island Okinawa

Today on Kouri Jima Okinawa We Visited a Cave (Images)

  

Culture Photo: Prayer at Abushibare

An Annual Ritual

 

 

This scene shows Okinawans praying at the shore before launching small boats into the sea.

More about this event can be seen on my blog post from APR 2015.

Camera:  Pentax K3

Lens:  Pentax 18-250 at 27MM

Exposure:  f/11   1/500   ISO 100

Location:  Igei Beach, Kin Town, Okinawa, Japan

Latitude: 26.455   Longitude:  127.880

Date and Time:  APR 24 2016  11:04AM

Grabbing a Burger at 50's Cafe from California

New Improved Location

 

 

Lots of my foodie friends were disappointed when the old hamburger shack closed down.

At a busy intersection along the highway, there was very limited parking available.

Sonovagun if they didn't pack-up and, move into a big shopping mall !

 

The 50's Cafe is now located in the Uruma City Don Quijote store.  Yay !

Several hundred cars can probably fit in the parking lot, over there.

That would be a great place to send somebody shopping, while you get to go eat.

 The owner and his wife let me shoot anything, I wanted to, in the place.

So, I thought it would be nice to let everyone see what the joint looks like.

 It's a little bit tricky, taking photos without any people in the scene.

Who wants to be bothered by a cameraman when they're eating ?

After placing my order, I ran all around the place with the tripod and camera.

Every few minutes, I had to run outside, to get the GPS, turned back on.

Beyond this sign, is the tax free shopping center, which I, kept out of just, because.

Some people might enjoy shopping.  They should go in there; not me.

Remember the 1950's ?  Men were men and women were ladies, back in the old days.

Smoking was good and, they even had 2-way cigarettes.

Chesterfield was the best one for you, according to this sign.  Hah !

And, if you go for the big, strong, silent type --  Hop into a Dodge.  Oops: 1963 Dodge.

This sign, in English and Japanese, is for fussy customers.

Most people, around here, just trust the chef, to feed them, whatever is right.

If they want to "have it their way" they should go to another country to eat, I think.

The sign says, "Burgers The Way They Should Be" and, I take their word for it.

It's a good thing, I don't run the place.  I'd tell fussy customers to "Git."

But, the mom and pop, that run this joint are real nice people.

 Probably, it wouldn't be a good idea to complain about anything, while I'm in there.

Somebody from Jehovah's Witnesses business tried inviting me to an event.

Being, the polite person I am, the best thing to do was say, " Sorry, I'm busy that day."

Then, I got far away, in the corner and, shot some movie star's photos.

This was what I had for lunch yesterday and it was scrumptious.

After all that work, taking photos and, telling a fib to the holy people, I was starved.

Restaurants are where people go to eat and, I love this one.

People can practice whatever religion they want and talk to any god, they feel like.

It just isn't a good idea to try and convert me when, I'm waiting for my chow.  Amen.

 Website: Don Quijote

Directions and Map Courtesy of Goya Republic

Travel Photo: The Wedded Rocks of Onna Son

Bound Together with a Sacred Rope

 

 

This photo was taken from the shore at Manza Beach Resort late in the morning.

More than likely, the scene is a spin-off of the Meoto Iwa (夫婦岩) in Mie, Japan.

The rice straw rope, called a shimenawa, comes from Shinto beliefs.

Sacred ropes, such as this, are seen tied to the gates (torii) of many shrines.

Online research for these rocks in Okinawa, didn't provide much information.

But, I'm sure some wedding photographers, take their clients to this spot for sessions.

Up in mainland Japan, you can find all sorts of information about the Married Rocks.

Take a peek at them in Ise Shima National Park and get a dose of Religious Mythology.

Ella Morton writes about the rocks united in marriage at Atlas Obscura.

And, Joanne G.Yoshida, has been there at least three times.

She has even, seen Mt. Fuji appear between those rocks !

Over at Photo Guide Japan, see an excellent essay on the replacement of the ropes.

Due to wear and tear of wind and waves, the ropes are replaced 3 times each year.

It looks like quite a ceremony.

Maybe, we should talk to the folks at Manza Beach Resort and, do the same here.

It would be a great excuse, to throw a festival for the occasion !

Travel Photo: Japanese Pilgrims

Junrei (じゅんれい) is a Pilgrimage

 

 

Towards the end of March, this year, these pilgrims were spotted on an Okinawan highway.

A quick stop was made to get permission to take a photo and, off we went.

In mainland Japan these sort if things can be seen at many locations.

But, pilgrimages of this sort are rarely seen on this island.

It was a first, for me.  I was happy just getting a photo and, didn't ask any further questions.

A website was located with all you'd ever want to know about Japan's pilgrimages.

Some of the visits to special sites are for religious purposes.

Others, are more of a travel and tourism operation.

People can buy all the paraphernalia associated with pilgrimages at temples and shrines.

Or, the can purchase everything they need at online stores.

When someone goes on one of these excursions, they pay for stamps to be placed in a book.

That way, they have proof, that every special site was visited along the way.

The word "jun" means, to wander. And, "rei" means worship.

So, "junrei" literally means wandering worship.

What locations these pilgrims visited is an unknown at this time.

And, whether their travels were for religious or tourism reasons is anybody's guess.

Do you ever see people dressed like this where you live ?

Okinawan Spiritual Women in Procession

Rituals Before a Parade

 

 

The scene above occurred at the start of juri-uma in the Tsuji district of Naha, Okinawa.

Leading visits to each sacred site are these two special women.

Just being allowed to attend and, photograph these events, is enough to satisfy me.

But, some people want to know more of the mystery behind the scenes.

For those, who like to dig deeper into the rituals and culture, I find some links:

Juri-uma parade performed in Tsuji 

Hearing Voices: Female Transmission of Memories..... 

Visualizing Priestesses or Performing Prostitutes ?

The Yuta, The Noro And The "Okinawan Witch Trials"  

Enter the Yuta (Okinawa: Reports from Japan and America) 

 

There You Have It  

 

 

 

 

There's probably enough information up there to write your own dissertation.

All this research and reading is fine for most folks.

But, I prefer what, I call flip-flops on the ground-type research.

So, I plan on making a few more trips back to Tsuji, where I can talk to real people.

Wouldn't it be nice to know if the place is full of holy ladies or, hookers ?


Related Post: Brilliant Colors and Dancing with Horses

Special Trees and Another Sacred Grove

Natural Monument of Okinawa Prefecture

 

 

Today day was spent searching for the special trees in the Ryukyu culture.

A little hike up a hill, led to Kami-ashagi, in the Hiji area of Okinawa.

The goal, for me, was to locate this tree, called an Akagi (Bischofia) that's on my list.

The large trees in this grove are over 250 years old.

The trail, leading to the top of the hill was well maintained.

It was warm enough for the mosquitoes to come out so, we used some repellant.

The autumn leaves around here, don't crunch under your feet.

In the forest, they compost real fast and, smell woodsy.

When, I get home maybe, I'll hose my feet and flip-flops down over a flowerpot.

Tell the missus, I'm fertilizing her plants.

The trail, led to this place of worship, Kami-ashagi.

It is extremely important to know, you never enter one of these structures.

I maintain my distance and photograph them but, would only enter one by invitation.

They are used for cultural rituals and, in many villages, only women may enter them.

A sign, nearby, gave some history about the area.

A photo of the English portion, will come in handy for future reference.

Having taken photos of the trees, I was after, the return trip began.

Going downhill was much more enjoyable.

We were blessed with warm weather and blue skies, all this week.

So, I made sure to capture as much with the camera as possible, during the descent.

People, living in snow country, might appreciate all this greenery.

Any day now, we will start getting temperatures in the 60's and I will be freezing !

Note to those who followed this far:

Tomorrow, I will be going to a hospital for a short visit and, will be offline.

Automotively speaking, I guess you could say, something popped in my exhaust manifold.

And, they have to open my engine compartment up, to put a patch inside.

Lucky, for me, it's an up front repair and not, a broken tailpipe.

See you next week !

Looking Through the Lens at Gokoku Shrine in Naha Okinawa

The Site and Surrounding Areas

 

 

There is a lot more to see at this attraction than, I ever imagined.

A few times in the past, we visited this Buddhist Temple.

The mission then, was to photograph the torii at the entrance for a Then and Now series.

That didn't require, going inside so, I didn't.

Today, I wanted to get a closer look at things.

When I researched this place for a TripAdvisor review, I learned something about the place.

Commodore Perry and some crackpot missionary, took over the site from the Buddhists.

Inside, I thought I may be able to find more of the temple's history.

This was the first place I stopped.  And, I washed my hands with water from a wooden ladle.

Inside the temple grounds, you find war monuments, like this one.

A statue of a nurse helping a one-legged soldier caught my attention.

Turning, to look back, I took this photo.

It shows another statue and monument, as well as, the place, I washed my hands.

Passing through a second torii gate, I spotted another washstand.

This one had a dragon spitting water out of its mouth.

Off to the right side of the temple they have this box.

If you put 100 yen in the slotted part, you can take a fortune paper.

Just reach in the hole on left and take one, after you make a donation.

Here is the front of Gokoku Shrine.

The place was immaculately clean, had lots of gold and, no people were there.

But, I didn't go in, just zoomed and shot this image from the outside.

It's hard to believe some foreign missionary would call these folks heathens.

After seeing enough of the temple grounds, we explored out back.

There is a trail, leading uphill, to the left, outside the temple fence.

Here, was a small shrine with a fairly new, wooden torri.

Behind Gokoku Shrine, on another hill, I spotted a red torri, leading to a different shrine.

That got me thinking. A cameraman could never run out of things to do, in Naha.

They even have one of these peace markers behind the shrine, we were at.

The photo, is to remind me, I better tell the Map It Okinawa dude about the location !

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.

5 Views of a Sacred Site on Sesoko Island Okinawa

There are hundreds of sacred sites (Utaki) on the island of Okinawa.

The stonework of the walls and steps here resemble that of a castle so, this one is very old.

With no one worshiping, it was a good time to take photos from several angles.

Notice, there are two separate structures.

The building in the back has an unusual ornament on the tiled roof.

 Here is a view, looking through the first building at the locked entrance to the second one.

Down the road, to the right, you can see both buildings are up on a hill.

The Ryukyu Islands have a fascinating history and culture.

It could take a non-native 100 years to understand it all.

Be patient.  I'm working on it.

Related Posts:

Forest, Rocks and Salt: The Less Traveled Path in Okinawa

Utaki the Sacred Sites of Okinawa

Travel Photo: Prayer in a Sea Cave Okinawa, Japan

Going where no one else has been, with a camera, is the way to get the photo no one else has.

This travel photo was taken April 3, 2012 on Kouri Island Okinawa, Japan.

Over 100 photos were taken, that day, of this cultural event.

A travel writer has to get the whole story.

The entire translation isn't ready, yet so, this is all you get to see.

It was my most unforgettable day of the year 2012.

A few dozen people entered the cave, at low tide.  It fills with sea water at high tide.

The event only takes place once a year.

What do the people go into a sea cave for in Okinawa, Japan ?

Prayer.