Why Go To Okinawa?
By Sam Larioza (3rd dan, Ohana Dojo, Michigan, USA)
Here we go again! For the third time in my life I find myself sitting in an American Airlines Boeing 777 settling in for a 12 ½ hour flight to Tokyo on the way to Naha, Okinawa for the 2008 Budosai. Why do I go to Okinawa? I know my answer so in this article I want to answer a more important question “Why should you go to Okinawa?”
I have been to the last three budosai but this one was the best one yet. What made it special was that my teenage son, Jake and my daughter, Joyce, joined me. This was a trip of a lifetime for all of us. One we will never forget. The best way to put the difference is like this. A parent will easily understand that you can go to Disney World by yourself but by going with your children something totally different happens. You experience the magic of Disney World “through” your kids.
Now back to the question, “Why go to Okinawa?” First, just the experience of traveling overseas is priceless. I have always believed that visiting a foreign country is one of the best life and learning experiences you will ever have. I have been fortunate to have traveled and lived overseas. Experiencing different cultures and people opens your heart, your mind and your thinking. If you love karate you are also a part of a “living history”. Okinawa is karate and karate is Okinawa. Goju-Ryu karatedo has a long rich heritage and history. I recommend that you read Sensei’s “History of Karate” book right before you get here. By understanding, experiencing and seeing that culture, tradition and history you will immensely enrich your study and journey in karatedo. What follows is a guide for when you go to Okinawa.
The Warning: Be forewarned. If you have never traveled to a foreign country, it is an experience on to itself. Be ready to be uncomfortable and constantly pushed out of your comfort zone. Expect the unexpected. If you like predictability, comfort and certainty you better leave it all in the U.S. It starts with the flight, sitting in a chair for almost 13 hours with 350 other people! The first 11 hours are okay. It’s the last two hours that are torture! Then comes the heat, then no one speaks English, then comes the food you cannot recognize, then you get lost because you cannot read the signs, then you cannot order at a restaurant because they do not have pictures, then the song on the monorail that you cannot get out of your head, then the 11 hour time difference, then the funny money, … then to top it all off they drive on the “wrong” side of the road? But, to me this is what makes traveling fun. The feeling of sitting back and saying, “This is absolutely crazy! I love it here!” But don’t worry, just for you, they do have Starbucks, McDonalds, and KFC here.
The Island of Okinawa. You may come here for the karate but make sure you see the rest of the island. It is only about 80 miles long and three miles wide at its narrowest point. By the end of this trip my daughter said to me “Dad, is there any part of Okinawa that we haven’t seen?!” Okinawa is the #1 tourist destination for the Japanese. It is like the Bahamas or Cancun to us. It has beaches and resort hotels all up and down its coast that rival anything I have seen in Florida or the Caribbean. You’ll enjoy the clear blue coral-filled waters. Make sure you visit one of the outer islands. You will take a ferry and spend the day lying out on the beach and snorkeling in the fish-filled reefs. I fondly remember just sitting back, looking out over the light blue water, a cool drink in my hand thinking “Can life get any better then this?” Other things not to miss are Kokusai Dori (International Street) for shopping, Shuri Castle, and the Churaumi Aquarium. Make sure you see the rest of the island and just walk the city streets. One very nice thing about Okinawa is that it is amazingly clean and safe. You can walk anywhere at any hour of the day or night.
If you love history, as I do, you will also want to see the many monuments and museums about Okinawan history and in particular World War Two. It is amazing to see what the Okinawa people and Chojun Miyagi Sensei went through during the war. Whenever I see photos or video of this island during the Battle of Okinawa I find it almost unrecognizable and unbelievable. It is just a pile of dirt without a tree or structure in sight. You can easily understand why the Okinawan people never want to see war again. Particularly touching was a monument and museum at the southern end of the island dedicated to a group of schoolgirls that commitment suicide just before the Americans came during the Battle of Okinawa. On a lighter note, if you really want an adventure then rent a car. They are inexpensive; but if you have never driven on the “wrong” side of the road the experience is priceless!
The Food. Ahhhhh the food! I have to be honest with you. The only real reason I like to travel is the food. Actually if you ever want to truly see and understand a culture seek out what and where they eat! To learn about a people quickly find their main food market. Your first stop should be the Central Food Market on Kokusai Dori Street. It is an amazing place. You enter an air-conditioned building hidden behind all the shops and you are immediately welcomed by the sight, smell, sounds and activity of a food market. Like Sam’s Club there are many vendors offering you samples. Try them all and get a quick culinary tour of Okinawa. From the savory braised pork belly (bacon) to the fresh, sweet pineapple to the hot pickled green onions. You can get a “taste” of this rich culture all in one place.
The Okinawans love their pork. Every part is edible! One photo you have to take is of the pig’s head with the sunglasses (Okinawan humor I guess?) The seafood section is phenomenal. You can tell it’s fresh because real fresh seafood does not smell like fish. It smells like the sweet smell of the ocean. We saw the largest lobster I have ever seen. It had to be at least two and a half feet long. Make sure you get a photo next to the bin with all the big fish eyes. In small plastic boxes you will find these single black crabs. They looked very lonely. When we asked the vendors why they were in the boxes they said that these crab could cut your finger off with their claws.
If you want to take the next step up the “food adventure ladder” just hop on the elevator to the second floor of the market. Here you have numerous small restaurant stalls where you can take the seafood you have purchased and have them prepare it for you. Or you can just play it safe and just order off the menu. While many of the upscale restaurants in Naha cater to the mainland Japanese tourists (darn foreigners), here you can see what the local Okinawan people are like. You will see young couples sharing a lunch like no one else is there. You will see families with hungry hyperactive kids in baseball uniforms. You will see a bunch of guys out on the town. Watch what they order and do the same. The fresh lobster sashimi seemed to be very popular. If you like sushi and sashimi you are in paradise. I have never eaten so much raw seafood in my life. It was cheap and good!
Two other things to put on your list are Kobe beef and goya. If you like red meat you have never in your life tasted anything even close to Kobe beef! It comes from special beef cattle that are given sake and massaged everyday to produce a meat that is tender and finely marbled with fat. I won’t even try to describe the sensation. It melts in your mouth. This is one of the things you have to try before you die.
Then there is goya. If you want a taste of Okinawa here it is. To put its significance on the map, when Sensei Higaonna welcomed everybody to Okinawa during the first training session he gave everyone some very serious advice. He said “Make sure you drink plenty of water, make sure you walk around with a hat on, and make sure you eat your goya!” Goya is a vegetable specific to the Okinawans. Most Japanese don’t really care for it. It is a bumpy dark green very bitter tasting squash-like vegetable. I actually like it myself. It is very rich in vitamins and very good for you. Okinawans love their goya. You will see goya souvenirs all over the place from goya stuff animals to goya key chains to goya toys. You can even get dried goya to bring home with you!
There are two other dishes I have to recommend. First comes soba, a traditional noodle soup. Soba shops are all over the place. They even like to eat Soba for breakfast. It is a meal on to itself. We pretty much had soba for every lunch. You can get anything from beef to vegetables to shrimp tempura in your soba. Finally if you want to taste Okinawa there is a very traditional stew made with pig knuckles, white radish and other vegetables. Very Okinawan.
The People. When I travel, a very close second to food is the people. The Okinawans are fascinating. They are very different from the mainland Japanese. It is no wonder why they live so long. They are very happy and friendly. You do not need a watch or cell phone here. Take the time to interact with the locals. It is fun to ask the waiter’s for their recommendations. The kids playing baseball are as curious about you as you are of them. When riding a taxi you will often find an older man that will fondly tell you stories about when he used to work as a civilian for the U.S. Army. The people are extremely nice, friendly and polite. I remember a taxi driver who did not speak English that immediately tuned his radio to the local U.S. Armed Forces network and gave us a big smile.
The Other Karateka. Besides Okinawans you also get to meet fellow IOGKF karateka from all over the globe. It really is like the Olympics of the karate world. While we are all uniquely different we do share a common love (more like a passion) and experience called karate. Despite the occasional language barrier it is easy to swap stories especially while sharing a glass of the local Orion beer. Hey, it’s like one big karate party. The Sayonara Party on the last night is always memorable. It is a little sad because it is the last event but it is also a wonderful time as everyone feels the ache, pains and memories of the past week. Sensei always likes each country to perform a skit or song displaying their unique culture during the party. The South Africans gave a stirring rendition of a nationalistic hymn that was actually really good and had everyone on their feet. The group from Denmark later stole the show when they came on stage and said “We’re from Denmark and we like to party!” then did an impressively choreographed routine to the “Barbie Girl” song, “I’m a Barbie Girl in a Barbie World . . . . . . .” It was very good. I want to go to Denmark next!
The Karate. I have not devoted much of this article to the training. The reason is because I cannot do justice in trying to describe the training in mere words. The karate here is a given. It’s second to none. As you would expect the training is exceptional and there is plenty of it. If you have not had the chance to train with Higaonna Sensei that is reason enough on its own to come to Okinawa. Bring plenty of gi. Drink plenty of water. The typical day would start out with the entire group doing junbi undo and other basic exercises and kata. It is very impressive to see over a thousand karateka all lined up moving and kiai’ing in unison. Just like those Bruce Lee movies. After the first hour came three one-hour sessions where they broke us up into to very small groups based on belt rank. We got to experience instruction from the top instructors in the IOGKF. I was really surprised at the number of women and kyu grade karateka attending this year.
Grading for your Black Belt in Okinawa. This year 72 karateka graded for their black belt. I graded for my shodan in Okinawa back in 1998. I waited an extra two years to grade here. It was well worth it! You can grade in the birthplace of karate, in Sensei’s hometown, in front of the top IOGKF Sensei’s and the top black belts in the IOGKF. I tell my students, “If you are a mountain climber why would you climb the second highest peak in the world?” Go for it all and go for the top. If you are due to grade around 2012 that is the ultimate reason to go to Okinawa!
The Dojo. The Budokan, or Hall of Martial Arts, is an impressive facility itself. However, if you watched Sensei’s appearance on the History Channel’s “Human Weapon” then you have to visit (and may be even train) at Sensei’s dojo. It is located underneath his mother’s home near the north end of Kokusai Dori Street. You will instantly find that its looks a lot bigger on television! You will also find the “rock” that Sensei pounded. For another unique experience you can also join Sensei for the early morning Zen meditation sessions with Sensei’s Zen Roshi at the Zen meditation temple near Shuri Castle.
The Masters’ Demonstration. A highlight of the week was the Masters’ Demonstration. This year we were treated to a large number of students and masters of other styles of karate and martial arts. Sensei has been putting a lot of effort to reach out and unify all of the Okinawan martial arts leaders and groups. As well a number of IOGKF countries and individuals were selected by Sensei to perform. All were exceptional. One performance by John Marrable from New Zealand received the biggest ovation. Sensei Marrable graded for his godan during this budosai but what is more inspiring is that he is a paraplegic. John broke his back in a climbing accident when he as 11 years old. In his demonstration four people attacked him and he performed self-defense techniques from his wheelchair. At the climax of the remarkable display he took down an adversary, even going down to the floor to finish him off. Then he got himself back in his wheelchair to a roaring standing ovation of the entire audience.
Another reason to attend the Masters’ Demonstration is to actually see Higaonna Sensei, Aragaki Sensei and other top sensei perform their kata. I don’t think many of us can truly appreciate the chance to see Sensei perform his kata live and in person. Another highlight was seeing Teriuchi Sensei performing Sanchin with Sensei. I always enjoy watching Sensei perform shime on other people!
Going to Okinawa, its more realistic then you think! Many karateka that I meet think that Okinawa is such a far-off land, that it is too expensive, that they could never go there. I am here to tell you that it is more doable then you think. It is a chance of a lifetime. Frankly it would cost me more per day to go to a gasshuku in a major city like Los Angeles then to train in Okinawa!
First, comes the flight. I have never paid a cent for my flights. I even went first class the last time. I use frequent flyer miles from my air travel and credit cards. Get creative. Even if you do have to pay for a flight you can get to Okinawa for under $1,200.
Your next expense is lodging. You can stay at the many hotels that cater to the “business” travelers for under $50 per night. (Of course you can live in style at any of the luxury resorts). This time we stayed at weekly rental apartments that came to about $30 per person per night for the three of us. The apartments were huge with full kitchens.
The final and smallest expense is food, drink and souvenirs. We ate and drank like kings on less then $25 a day and still lost 10 pounds. All in all it’s a remarkable deal for an unforgettable experience. Here is what you do. Make it a goal. Put it on your calendar. Visualize and see yourself in Okinawa. Skip that Starbucks coffee a few times a week, or just pack your lunch and stash away $12 a week. In four years you will have more then enough to go to Okinawa in style!
What I remember most from Okinawa. Since arriving back from Okinawa I have been asked by many what was the most memorable thing that I will remember from my trip to Okinawa. The first obvious answer would be the very special time had to spend with my two children. They are awesome young adults and the experience is one we will all never forget. I always remember something someone told me one time: When most men die you never hear them say “I wish I had spent more time at work.” But the second answer might surprise you. The most memorable thing about Okinawa was two old ladies.
The Two Old Ladies. I think that I will remember this for the rest of my life. On almost every morning the kids and I would go down to the small city beach in Naha. Nothing fancy. Just a small sandy-bottomed strip. As a matter of fact you cannot even see out into the ocean because of a bridge under construction. But, we would get there at sunrise (our body clocks were still messed up). At even this early hour you find plenty of people out exercising. Doing Tai Chi in the nearby park; Yoga on the sand. People running, walking and swimming. It is no wonder the Okinawan people live so long. They are also so very happy and stress free. What an absolutely wonderful environment to be surrounded by.
On one morning two old ladies who were fully covered from head to toe with cute bonnets, life vests and goggles were swimming near us. I wish I spoke better Japanese because I wanted to ask them how old they were. They had to be at least 70 or 80 years old. Anyway, they are both swimming around having the time of their life. At one point they started getting very excited and gestured for my son to come over. It was just a school of minnows they had found by the netting.
What was amazing and memorable was this. If you closed your eyes you would have thought that these two old ladies were two young school girls laughing and playing in the water! You had to be there. What a refreshing lesson to all of us about life and happiness. It is also a lesson about your thoughts and your state of mind. I will never forget the lessons taught to me by these two old Okinawan ladies. It really helps me put life into perspective.
What a contrast to what we see in the U.S. Back in Michigan I have people who call me all the time and say “But, I think I might be too old to start karate?” I ask them how old they are and they say “I’m 32!” We Americans have much to learn and a long way to go.
The Final Reason to go to Okinawa. Yes, Okinawa is the birthplace of karate. Yes, it is a great place to go because you have “family” there (your karate family). Yes, it is a fun vacation. But here is the ultimate reason to go to Okinawa. Sensei loves karate, he loves people and he loves his home, Okinawa. During the whole week the most treasured thing for me was seeing Sensei smile. Now I have seen Sensei smile many times and while Sensei smiles all the time, this smile was very different. It was different because you could see the intense and sincere joy and pride he felt in seeing us in his homeland. The heartfelt happiness and gratitude that he felt as he yelled “mo ichido” to over a thousand of his students from all over the world here in Okinawa. The ultimate feeling of pleasure and purpose that he felt in seeing a visual representation of what he has given to karate and to this world.
The reason that I now come to Okinawa is to see that smile and to see how amazingly happy and proud Sensei is of his homeland and us. It still chokes me up to see that smile in my memory. He has given so much to us. Yet he asks for very little in return. But, I will take every opportunity to give back. Going to Okinawa is just one small way that can I find to say “Thank you, Sensei, thank you so very much!”
See you in Okinawa in 2012!
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