Reflections of a School Sports Day in Okinawa

An Undokai is a Big Family Event

The annual Sports Day at a middle school is sort of a family picnic. 

Normally, tents are pitched to shelter everyone from the blazing hot Okinawa sun.

This year things were a little different. The tents served as umbrellas. It rained.

Once it stopped pouring buckets of water from the sky, children hit the athletic field.

It looked almost as if they were standing on a mirror.

This character is a Chondara, sort of a clown in the Eisa group.

Normally, dust would be flying as the Eisa dancing takes place on the dirt field.

Today, I didn't mind slipping and sliding around in my flip-flops. No dust on my lens!

This Chondara, you might say, was outstanding in his field.

Several photos were taken, trying to get compositions, where he was separated from the group.

Once a Chodara gets in with the rest of the dancers, they're difficult to catch with a camera.

For a few minutes, a bit of blue sky poked through the clouds but, it wouldn't last.

A couple of hundred students romping around would drain some of the mud off the field.

Here's a GIF to show some of the unusual relay races the students execute.

It seemed as if the rain might hold off for the rest of the day but, it didn't.

Shortly after the relays were finished and, before lunchtime, the event was canceled.

More stormy weather was on the way so, I left quickly.

On the way home, I grabbed a takeout steak dinner.

Not a bad days work!

15 Photos from Koza Music Town Eisa Museum

Things to Do on Rainy Days

With unpredictable humid, rainy/sunny weather this is a great spot to visit.

Nearby, we found a parking garage where the car wouldn't be exposed to any sun.

Many times, after we make plans for indoor activity, the weather takes a sudden turn.

It's worth some pocket change, to keep our ride in the shade.

Looking up at the sky before going in, was a good idea.

After about an hour visit inside the museum, the sky got completely whited out with clouds.

That blue-winged guitar is a good landmark for those in search of Koza Music Town.

Take the next left and, you find the parking garage attached to the building.

This little Eisa drummer caught my eye when I walked in the door.

It wasn't until photo processing time, I noticed the drum is a postbox!

In the lobby, there is a gift shop with musical instruments and assorted trinkets.

They probably have postcards you can stuff in the little guy's drum.

It's always a good idea, to take photos when you come across things like this.

We got English and Japanese history of Eisa, right off the museum walls.

Politicians and professors lie sometimes but, walls shouldn't.

So, I shot the writing on the walls.

This museum gives you plenty of information about this traditional dance.

You can learn the names of instruments used and different villages Eisa styles.

Upstairs

Just in case you forgot to pay the 300 Yen, let me tell you. Don't go up those stairs.

There's somebody up there who will want to see your ticket.

Here you get a view of costumes and some of the instruments.

Doc Graff and I were the only customers so, it was fairly quiet in the place.

There's plenty of room for you to stretch and practice Eisa if, you want to.

Someone on the staff can show you how to play the instruments.

They will come over and help you get dressed in an Eisa uniform.

They even have small costumes for children.

Imagine a school field trip visiting that place and the racket they could make.

This bilingual sign gives us a "maybe" history of the origins of Eisa.

A little history of the Chondara is given here.

If all history books were this short, I could be a historian.

They have programs for viewing in several languages for guests.

Whether you're studying Eisa or, want to learn how to perform, this is the place to go.

Wordless Wednesday: Lost Souls

3 Symptoms of a Lost Soul

7 Tattoo Shops in Kin Town

Places to Have Your Skin Etched

Within about a quarter mile of my home, I could get my skin engraved.

Little sisters and elder ones, don't fret. It ain't gonna happen.

Something reminded me today, to go out and count tattoo parlors in the neighborhood.

It was a thunderstorms-guaranteed-sort of an afternoon so, I hurried through town.

Names of establishments and open hours, you have to figure out yourself.

For some of the photos, I had to stand in the middle of the highway.

Years ago, there were only two tattoo parlors in this town.

If you didn't like what they had to offer, you'd have to go to a big city for tattoos.

Or, get a sewing needle and some ink, to have a Do-It-Yourself tattoo.

It's hard for me to imagine why anyone would want a permanent tattoo.

Once, I got one of those kids tattoos and stuck it on my forehead.

The darn thing took three days to wash off my skin. 

I couldn't go to work with Minnie Mouse painted on my face!

The tattoo shop owners are always offering to give me some free inking.

But, I'm not interested. I'd take free beers if, they offered.

The people doing tattoos are some talented artists. I've seen their designs.

Many of my friends have tattoos. Some places in Japan don't appreciate body art.

They may have you cover tattoos up so, the public can't see them.

In the USA it's been reported, women are more likely to get tattooed than men.

That's the exact opposite of the statistics in Japan.

In less than half an hour, I shot photos of the 7 tattoo parlors.

One of these days, I'll go back with a wide angle lens and get some indoor images.

If we can catch a lady being tattooed, you may get a special treat.

The rains came. I went home...


Tattooed Women Outnumber Men

Kin Town Thermal Power Station Images

Monday Morning Camera Stroll

More than eight photos were downloaded today but they weren't power plant photos.

The original plan was to shoot some bird photos with 70 -700 MM of glass.

That smokestack at the power station is sort of a landmark in town so, I shot it.

For wildlife, the lens would be stretched all the way out to 700 MM.

But, scenes like the power plant smokestack, required more of a wide angle.

It's been a long time since I've taken a long walk with a heavy lens and tripod.

So, I left the office well before sunup, to take advantage of the cool air.

My first shot of the power plant was taken at 5:59 AM.

Not far past the Kin Town Library was the location used in this composition.

At that hour, lighting wasn't terrific so, ISO had to be bumped up to 1600.

Just when you think the weather couldn't be better, it gets worse!

But, we have a saying in Okinawa. If, you don't like the weather, wait for 5 minutes.

It always changes. Another thing you could do is drive over to the other side of the island.

It was 6:34 AM when this scene was captured.

At 6:36 AM I had to zoom in to catch this Cattle Egret flying towards the smokestack.

More images of these birds (close up) will be posted at a later date.

By 7:22 the sun was higher in the sky and, I got the urge to do this.

Put some banana trees in the foreground, to show the smokestack isn't in the city.

At 8:03 this composition was made showing some pine trees in the foreground.

We don't get Autumn coloring in the landscape around here.

Just some of the pines turn reddish from Pine Beetles. A year-round event.

A bypass, under construction, posed in this photo for me.  It was 8:29 AM.

Hopefully, the construction will be completed this year and, I can walk across the top of it.

That would give a great view of the bird locations and the sea at Blue Beach below.

This photo was taken at 8:39 while hiking uphill alongside the bypass being fabricated.

Knowing the sun would be blazing hot after 9 AM, I was headed back into town.

The image at the top of this page turned out to be one of my favorite.

That was composed at 8:50 and, half an hour later, I would reach the office.

Which photo would you select if, you had to select one as a landmark for Kin Town?