Tag Archives: Naha

(Mini-)Food Report: Coffee and Dessert at Hands Cafe (Naha, Okinawa, Japan)

This quick café stop in the Okinawan capital almost didn’t make the cut – in blogging terms, anyway – as I didn’t gather quite enough material to compose a proper Food Report with. That said, I’ve already rolled out a couple of (Mini-)Food Reports in recent weeks, so why not one more? (Besides, I’m sureContinue reading “(Mini-)Food Report: Coffee and Dessert at Hands Cafe (Naha, Okinawa, Japan)”

Field Report: Shikina-en Royal Garden, Naha, Japan (08 May 2018)

For the moment, let’s skip over our second full day in Okinawa – though I do hope to tell that tale in due course – and move straight into the third, when we visited a large garden that was the setting for a secondary palace of the Ryūkyūan royal family. Not a place where EastContinue reading “Field Report: Shikina-en Royal Garden, Naha, Japan (08 May 2018)”

Field Report: A Sunny Sunday in Sunny Naha, Okinawa, Japan (06 May 2018)

Japan’s Okinawa Prefecture is famous for its beaches, but what’s a chap to do when he hates going to the beach? No worries – there’s plenty to see, do, and taste in the capital city of Naha, even for someone who loathes the sea and sand.

Field Report: Tamaudun Royal Mausoleum, Naha, Japan (06 May 2018)

The elegant splendour of Shuri Castle allows us to imagine the pampered lives that the Kings of Ryūkyū once led. At the same time, the royal mausoleum of Tamaudun – located just a short walk away – invites visitors to reflect on something altogether different: the solemn, sombre rituals that accompanied them to the grave.

Field Report: Shuri Castle, Naha, Japan – Part Two (06 and 09 May 2018)

Our exploration of Naha’s iconic Shuri Castle continues from my previous post – though we’ll be spending more time outdoors on this occasion. Let’s have a look at some of the outlying structures that played an important role in the spiritual, ceremonial, and official affairs of those who once resided within these walls.

Field Report: Shuri Castle, Naha, Japan – Part One (06 May 2018)

Before Okinawa was Okinawa, it was the Kingdom of Ryūkyū: an independent nation with its own system of government and unique way of life. That realm was once ruled from within the stately confines of Shuri Castle, one of the most iconic landmarks in the prefectural capital of Naha – a royal residence whose architectureContinue reading “Field Report: Shuri Castle, Naha, Japan – Part One (06 May 2018)”

Food Report: Traditional Okinawan Tea and Sweets at Sasunoma (Naha, Japan)

A couple of winters ago, I sampled recreations of tea and confectionery that the Joseon-era kings of Korea once enjoyed … and I did so right inside their own palace. More than a year later, I was served yet more royal treats, except that the setting was Shuri Castle (in Japan’s Okinawa Prefecture) and theContinue reading “Food Report: Traditional Okinawan Tea and Sweets at Sasunoma (Naha, Japan)”

(Mini-)Food Report: Gyoza and Ramen at Osaka Ohsho (Naha, Japan)

Today’s offering will not be a detailed Food Report. Instead, we’ll be snacking on a highly abbreviated share-post with a swirl of pictures, a sprinkling of details, and a dash of very limited commentary. The subject of this review: a lunchtime feast of gyōza and rāmen at a popular chain restaurant in Okinawa’s capital. WelcomeContinue reading “(Mini-)Food Report: Gyoza and Ramen at Osaka Ohsho (Naha, Japan)”