A Sneak Peek at the Kin Drug Store

Not Really Keen on Drugs

 

 

Anything stronger than Aspirin or Rolaids, turns me into a wet noodle.

Whenever, I feel like a cold is coming on, this is where I go, to avoid seeing a doctor.

 They must have a gazillion types of vitamins and herbs for whatever ails you.

Permission was granted, to do some photography so, I shot the place up.

  

Medicines, hair and skin care stuff are stacked from the floor to the ceiling.

Tissues, toilet papers and diapers, for all age groups can be found. Depends, I guess.

They have sun screen lotions, house cleaners, bottles of water and dried fruits.

Not wanting to block any aisles, I kept the camera and tripod, out of them.

It's a good idea, to know some basic Japanese if, you want to shop at this store.

A few days ago, I ordered something that, I wanted to buy from these folks.

They wanted my name and telephone number but, I din't answer telephones, anymore.

So, I told them to call the wife, when my order came in and, I got out of town.

After a day of shooting outdoors, I returned around 8PM and, the place was still open.

 That's when I discovered, they are open from 8:30AM until 10PM daily.

Today, I was informed, the Epsom Salt (エプソム塩) I ordered had arrived.

Half a kilo was less than six bucks, at today's yen rate.

The people in Osaka are going to wonder, why I ordered 6 more kilos of the stuff.

All my Japanese friends want to buy this item, too.

They know cheap beer, mouthwash and this Epsom salt, gets rid of mosquitoes ! 

Okinawa Folktale: Kakinohana and the First Mosquitoes

Souvenirs from China

 

 

Several times, we have hiked up and down the trail at this attraction.

Recently some folklore has been discovered about the place.

A bit under the weather, I got this video to share so, no hiking is necessary for today's tale.

If you look closely, at the beginning, there's some guy with a beard, just like me.

And, he's climbing the cobblestone path, about as fast as, I usually do.

Days of the Ryukyu Kingdom

Ships from the Ryukyu islands often visited China to conduct trade.

A man, named Sanra was on a mission from Kakinohana.

He and, everyone from the Okinawan islands heard strange noises, at night.

It was the sound of mosquitoes, humming that caught Sanra's attention.

He had never seen or, heard this unusual chorus before and, wanted to learn more.

So, he asked a Chinese person, where he might go to admire them.

The Chinese guy, pointed him in the right direction, over in some brush.

Sanra captured as many as he could and, kept them in a box.

He could hold the box to his ear and, enjoy the music they made.

What a great gift this would be to present his wife and children, he thought.

Trade Ship Sails from China to Naha

With his box of humming insects, Sanra hurried towards home.

Climbing to path to Kakinohana was exhausting.

So, he stopped to take a break when he noticed something.

The buzzing of the mosquitoes had stopped. He shook the box and, still -- no noise.

Thinking, they had all died, he became disappointed and said, "Akisamiyo."

He opened the box and, all the mosquitoes flew away !

The Insects Are Everywhere Now

 

 

Before long, the bugs were singing throughout the Ryukyu Island Chain.

And, people learned, soon enough, they suck the blood out of you, too.

If you visit Kakinohana, don't forget to bring some bug spray !




REFERENCE:

Okinawa Folk Stories ISBN978-4-99009-146-0


OTHER OKINAWAN FOLKTALES

Surviving the Great Gajan Attack of 2014

Gajan -- Local Dialect for Mosquito

 

 

It all started around 6PM on today's date.

The door to the office was open and, an open window across the room gave a nice breeze.

There's no sense, turning the air conditioning on, while temperatures are still tolerable.

A squadron of these suicidal rascals bombarded me.

Excuse the messy display.  It could have been much worse. You won't see the bloody parts.

There Were at Least a Dozen of Them

 

Once, I realized what was going down, I closed the window and door.

The first three, were easy pickings. I snatch them out of mid air and toss them on the floor.

Fly swatters, don't work.  These guys will outmaneuver them somehow.

You have to be quick. Grab one and throw it, real hard, on the floor.

Sometimes, it's hard to tell, if you caught one or, not.

Just toss, on the floor.  If you got one, it will be writhing in pain or, stunned stupid.

If you missed, don't worry.  They'll be back again and again.

The ones that bite you, they are bitches.  I'm told male gajan, don't bite.

Things Took a Bad Turn for Awhile 

Standing up, it's easy to spot them buzzing around and, they can be snatched out of the air.

Collecting the casualties, on the grey floor, isn't so simple.

Finding them is impossible, without reading glasses so, I put the things on.

Then, while, I'm picking up the stunned and wounded, the rest of them attack from the rear.

We Really Don't Need Bloodshed Around Here

 

But, that's what started to happen.

The little backstabbers, know right where to get you.

They somehow, figured out, an old guy can't reach the middle of his back.

So, that's where they land.  And, start sucking the blood out of you.

Those Bastards Had to Be Taken Care of Quickly

Get up off the floor.  Throw the reading glasses on the desk. Fight back !

Kill them all and, worry about casualties later or, you will become one.

Jumping up, I kept looking around, to see if any more would try a frontal attack.

The only way to get the ones on my back was, crush them against the wall.

So, I was bouncing against my white-painted walls.

And, swinging, snatching and chucking the others, buzzing around in front of me.

All Is Well Now

 

There isn't a single mosquito, alive in this office.  I am the only survivor.

Some bloodstains got on the walls and, the back is a little sore.

A few of the dirty dozen that lived, tried to escape, while I set up a camera.

So, there's a little blood on my flip-flop.  I used it to finish them off.

The Yin and Yang of It

 

 

Those gajan tried to ruin my day and, they were partly successful at it.

They just didn't know who they were messing with.

They did provide me with some blog material, though. They gave me an idea.

 When I searched Snow White and the Dozen Dwarfs, I learned something.

There was only seven of them.  Guess, I forgot.

Anyway, I threw the bloody ones away but, still had one leftover.

It's all over, now. Peace has been declared in my office.

Time to grab a beer.

Friday Travel Photos from Motobu, Okinawa

Trees Must Have Been Today's Theme

 

 

 

Bamboo is what you'll get to see for today. And, maybe one bird photo.

 

While the Map It Okinawa Dude went uphill at some sacred site, I went in here.

Bamboo is an interesting subject so, I experimented with a few different compositions.



Crunching around on dry leaves, I woke up a few hundred mosquitoes.

Hundreds more images of various trees, will wait in my pending files.

This Kingfisher, down by the river, was the only bird photo I took today.

Trees, are great but, birds in the wild, you just can't beat.

If you ever get a chance to visit Motobu Peninsula, don't do what I did today.

Dagnabbit.  I left the bug repellant and 500mm lens at home !

RETRACTION STATEMENT:

 

The photos above were erroneously reported as taken on Motobu Peninsula.

Actually,  they came from the northern area of Okinawa off HWY58.

More About This Error



The Moon Is the Only Light You See--Full Moon July 2013

Photos from Last Night's Full Moon Shoot

 

The July 2013 Full Moon was easy pickings, in Okinawa, Japan last night.

All I did was sit on the front steps to my office in Kin Town with a camera and tripod.

Not to bore people who aren't photography freaks with details, I found this music.

They have plenty of Ben E. King videos with over a million views.

But, this one has the best sound, I think.

When I'm out there shooting the moon, that's really the only light I see.

So, that Stand By Me tune has been going around in my head, all day today.

On the camera, I play around with exposure settings.

Shooting with an aperture of f/11, f/16 or f/22, I adjust shutter speed to underxpose.

Every once in awhile a big truck would drive by and rattle the sidewalk.

Or, a flock of mosquitoes would come by and start munching on me.

I just yell stuff like, "Dogdammit" cuz I'm tryin' to cut down on my cussin'.

Then, get back to the business of shooting.

Back in the office, I develop the photos and put the moon wherever I want it in the frame.

If you really concentrate, some of the photos are going to come out alright.

Usually, I take 20 or, so but, last night I only shot eleven.

Now, I can't get that tune out of my head.

"When the night has come....."

Here's hoping you enjoyed it as much as I do !