20 Photos Taken at a Folklore Museum in Nago Okinawa

Signs on the Road May Trick You

 

 

It may seem just like another, one of the hundreds, of Okinawa Soba noodle shops.

This one, is tucked away on the outskirts of the big city of Nago, Okinawa.

There's a parking lot, alongside the highway and, you can walk right on in.

This, isn't one of those fancy, municipal museums, run by the government.

A sort of, down-to-earth guy and, his family, run this operation.

It's a great place, to take a camera, when the weather outdoors won't cooperate.

Every type of container, for holding liquids is on display along with baskets.

Some of those things look like musical instruments but, could be kitchen tools.

If you haven't already guessed, I'll tell you.  I ain't no archaeologist.

Pots and pans, water pitcher and a pump, I recognize and, some cobbler's tools.

Does anybody, have a shoemaker, in their neck of the woods, these days ?

This glass case contains some very ancient, paper money.

Tools, kitchen accessories and, meat grinders, I guess, we're looking at here. 

This sort of reminds me, of the back room, in my office. Neat !

There's no telling, how old some of these cameras and lenses might be.

For sure, I know there, aren't any digital cameras, in that glass case.

This must be the laundry and ironing department, from back in the old days.

Aren't you glad, we have electricity, these days ? And, permanent-press clothing, too ?

 It must have been, like having a barbecue, every day, way back when.

 A wood or, charcoal fire, was used to heat everything, even a cup of tea.

 If you don't know the RCA Victor dog, Nipper, you must be, way younger than, me.

It's hard to tell if, this sewing machine was electric, or human powered.

 Some, were designed, to work both ways, for people, who didn't have electricity, I bet.

It probably wasn't a luxury, sailing one of these ships but, I think, they're cool.

Few people, have record players like this, anymore.  Notice, the hand crank.

Someone, improvised and, built this boat out of war salvage.

Well, I didn't get all the details, on these busts of women, I discovered.

But, I noticed, the artist made sure, their belly buttons showed.

Plenty of famous Japanese recording artists can be found over the soba shop.

It looks like, they saved a record of Hitler's favorite marching tunes, too !

Wide awake and alert, Doc Graff, pointed this out to me and, I got a good laugh.

Remember, Clint Eastwood and his early years, making spaghetti westerns ?

Well, on this album cover, call them macaroni style westerns !   LOL

The ceiling of the room above the soba shop, has all these kerosene lamps.

It's a Little Tricky Getting There

 

This was my second visit to the museum and soba shop and, I'll be going again.

So, I did some research and, saved it on a map.

 That way, I can Click Here for directions so, I don't get lost, again.

More Images Will Be Added to a Facebook Album

Under the Bridge (GIF) Photos of Creatures

One End Of the Kouri-jima Bridge

 

 

 The plan today was to do some bridge photography but it was cloudy and rained.

This little pony was staked out  in the shade, along the beach, under the bridge.

Not sure who was more surprised, the pony or, me.

Over on Kouri-jima Side

 

There were busloads of tourists, visiting the shops and the beach and, the sun came out.

The coolest spot on the island was under that bridge so, that's where I went.

This tern was diving or, pretending it was going to dive but, never got wet.

A rumor, reached my ears, about some girls in bikini suits, posing on the beach.

There's no way, I'd go over there and, shoot them unless, they paid me big bucks.

Critters, I shoot for free !

Okinawa Folktale: Mibai and Octopus

Sketch by Atsushi Maezato

Unhealthy Widow and Caring Son

A feeble, ailing woman lived on the island, with her only son. As man of the house, it was his obligation, to provide medical support and nourishment for his sickly mother.

A talented outdoors-man, he would go to the mountains and hunt wild boar. The pork was nutritious and, one pig could sustain the family for weeks. He wasn't much of a farmer but, knew his mother had other dietary needs. She, tended a small vegetable garden. He, would gather the roots and bark of certain trees and, pluck fuchi-baa (mugwort) for her, to use in cooking and making herbal teas, while on his daily outings.  

He knew shellfish and fresh seafood were an important supplement in the Ryukyu diet. Sometimes, he would go, at low tide and, collect mollusks, bringing a small bucket of shells home for diner. He just, wasn't enthusiastic about the scent of the ocean, during the cycles of the tide, at that part of the day.

When the Tide Is Right

Late one afternoon a cool breeze and the sounds of the surf, jogged the lad's memory. He recalled the days when his father would say, “This is the best time, to land a fat, fresh fish, to bring home for supper.” Conditions seemed perfect.

There wasn't much fishing tackle, left from the days his father walked the earth. The boy hurried, to the shed, to see what he could use, to land some fresh fish. All, he could find was a coil of fishing line and one hook. His father, had called it, “The lucky fishing hook.”

He hurried, down to an outcropping of rocks, baited the hook and, tossed it into the sea. The sounds of the waves, gently breaking against the coral was relaxing. He felt as if, he could sit there, inhaling the salty air, forever. It was like receiving some sort of ocean-side therapy. It was comfortably calm.

Before, a minute went by, he felt a ferocious yank on the fishing line. If he hadn't braced himself quickly, he would have been hauled into the sea. The fish, taking the bait was a monster, thrashing wildly, left and right, nearly pulling the boy off the rocks. He didn't have a rod and reel. He struggled with the line, reeling it in, by wrapping it around his left hand, as he fought, to bring the fish ashore.

A few times, he caught a glimpse of what, he had caught. Centimeters, at at time he, was pulling the fish towards the rocks. He started thinking, of the smiles, it would bring mama; smelling this catch, roasting over the coals, hearing it sizzle, over tonight's fire. It was exciting. Just a few more tugs on the line. He hauled it up, until its tail, came out of the water and, got salty spray in his eyes. But, suddenly, his hopes and dreams, were dashed. The fish-line broke and, the thing, got away, with his one and only fish hook.

God Heard His Cries

The young man thought, how disappointed his mother would be and, he cried. All the boy would, return home with, was a broken string, wrapped around his hand, no fish for diner and, no more lucky fishing hook.

The Ryukyu God appeared and asked the youngster, why he was crying. The boy, told him the story, about the fish which, had escaped, with the hook. God, knew the son had always done, the best he could, in caring for his sickly mother.

All Inhabitants of the Sea

The God went off onto the sea and commanded all ocean-dwellers, to assemble in front of him.

Every form of sea-life, showed-up promptly, except for one creature. The mibai (grouper) was missing.

God, wanted to know why. An octopus, raised an appendage and gave an excuse, for the missing mibai. “The fish, asked me, to tell you, he isn't feeling well so, couldn't answer your call.”

The Ryukyu God, didn't believe the octopus's story and, let him know. “Get me that rascal fish, right now.” Red-faced, the octopus swam away and, soon returned with the mibai. God, asked if the fish, had taken a hook, away from the boy, who was trying to get food for his sickly mother. The mibai, admitted, “Yes God but, it's stuck inside my cheek.” God, took his walking stick, pried the fish's mouth open and, twisted the fish hook free.

Next, it was time, to punish the octopus, for telling a lie. He took his staff and, whacked all the octopus's arms, beating them to a pulp.

Ever since that time, the octopus, has no bones in its tentacles. And, mibai fish, have big mouths.

The Ryukyu God, returned the lucky fishing hook to the young boy. His mother, overcame her sickness and, the son became a highly successful fisherman.

REFERENCE:

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

Adapted from: The Story of the Mibai and the Octopus P.180


MORE OKINAWA FOLKLORE

A Blue Triangle Butterfly (GIF) for Wordless Wednesday

Related Posts:

Canon G12 on a Dog Walk Nabs a Butterfly

Blue Triangle Butterfly

Entering a Tunnel (GIF) Up in Nago City

It's Some Sort of Bypass

 

 

After leaving the Hydrangea flower viewing in the mountains, it started to rain.

Good buddy Doc Graff was driving and, I started fooling with the camera.

We were bouncing around a bit, cruising down the highway.

The speed limit, posted, is probably, a good idea. It said "50" and, that's what we did.

Er, maybe just a little bit more because, we're not tourists. We live here.

Pentax K1 Spoils Me

 

It has this GPS feature, I turn on and, it Geo-tags all my images.

That way if, I upload them to Google Maps, it saves me lots of work.

Well, sonovagun if, the K1 wasn't in the back seat and, I used my old camera.

Usually, I would carry a Garmin handheld GPS device, when using the Pentax K3.

But, the batteries were removed and, it  stays in my office, these days.

Now, I have to fool around with translation services and maps, to Geo-tag this image.

Futami Suwaehisa Tunnel

 

That happens to be, all I have had translated about this tunnel, so far. 

Looking a maps, can get a guy lost so, I quit doing it for the time being.

The translation, looks a bit strange, to me so, here's what I'll do next.

Take a screenshot of it with my smartphone and, go bar hopping.

If 5 or 6 people, drinking beer, agree with that translation, I'll be good to go.

The thing will be called Futami Suwaehisa tunnel, from then on ! 

An Update

 

The translation above, was almost perfect; just drop the "e" from Suwaehisa.

And, you get the Futami By-pass Tunnel or, Futami Suwahisa Tunnel.