Unfulfilled Okinawa Dream Turned into a Journey of Discovery--Churaumi Aquarium,Tokashiki Island,Senaga Island

At the end of 2019, I bought a ticket to Okinawa in March of the following year, and then... nothing happened. Four years have passed, and Okinawa remains an unfilled puzzle piece in my heart. It's spring, and it's time to miss the sea again. So, fill in the pieces of the puzzle!
I saw blogger Milu Porter’s words about moving to Okinawa before, and I deeply agree with him. In terms of living experience, the climate is no less than 10 degrees throughout the year, rich products, and you can see the sea at any time. These are all reasons to live in Okinawa. Culturally, Okinawa is far away from the mainland and has its own Ryukyu culture. In addition, it was ruled by the United States during the war, and there are still US military bases and many Americans living there, making this land full of exotic customs and becoming a mini version. "global village". As a foreigner, you don't have to carefully abide by the rules of big cities like Tokyo and Osaka, and people will be more tolerant.

The essence of Okinawa is not the main island, but the outlying islands. In recent years, those islands such as Ishigaki Island and Hateruma Island that need to be visited by small planes have become popular among diving enthusiasts. However, because I The number of days to stay was limited, and because I was not familiar with the water, I chose Tokashiki Island, which can be reached by boat. There are fast boat (30min) and slow boat (70min) to choose from in Tomo Port. I was not in a hurry and was afraid that the fast boat would be too rocky, so I chose the slow boat. In the off-season, you can go directly to the pier to buy tickets on the same day. In the peak season, it is recommended to go online. reserve.

After arriving at Tokashiki Island, you need to take a shuttle bus to the local Apolen Beach. You can see the jelly sea that is unique to the outlying islands. It is different from most deep blue seas. The sea water is a sapphire color like Tiffany blue, and the sea water is crystal clear.
After having a simple lunch at Umi House, I planned to hike to Teruyama Observation Deck to overlook the entire Kerama Nagisa Island. When I was buying ice cream, I asked the shop owner about the distance. The boss suddenly asked me in a low voice: "Isn't your time important? If you are willing to wait, I will close the store in a while and drive you to the west The view from the observation deck is even more beautiful. I’ll take you back to the port after watching.” Seeing my hesitation, he quickly added: “It doesn’t cost anything. If you want, just buy me a bottle of coffee.” There is no doubt that people on the island and in the town are always more welcoming than people in the city. Unfortunately, we were too full and wanted to eat on foot, so we had no choice but to decline the boss's offer.

Climbing to the observatory is a constant climbing process. Although it is very tiring, being in nature, the fatigue seems to be taken away by the birds in the sky. Both sides of the road are lined with flowers and plants that are rare to see in the city. After living in Naha City for a few days, I also noticed that the number of green plants here is much more than in other Japanese cities I have been to. Sit on the observation deck and take in the panoramic view of the mountains. Take out the juice and desserts you bought at the convenience store and enjoy the beautiful scenery of the sea and mountains to yourself. We can’t swim and have no interest in sea sports, but we can still enjoy the sea in many ways.

The other Senaga Island is much closer to the city and can be reached by bus. Because it is adjacent to the airport, you can observe dozens of planes taking off and landing overhead. Many cafes have been built along the coast. They are all white and remind people of Jeju Island. Senaga Island is for lovers. Couples may take a walk on the beach, or sit in a cafe and lean on the railing to look out. There is even a "Love Observation Deck" where you can tie an Ema full of heart to ring the bell of happiness. , May love be as eternal as the sea.

The sea is a perfect match for lovers

Churaumi Aquarium is located near the sea It is built and located in the seaside park. In addition to the aquarium, other facilities in the park such as the turtle hall, walrus hall, dolphin show, etc. can be enjoyed for free. The Dolphin Theater is located on a mountain by the sea. In front of you are the wonderful performances of dolphins, and in the distance is the endless blue sea. The mood is beautiful and a little sad. I wonder if these captive dolphins sensed their real homeland a few hundred meters behind them the moment they jumped out of the water?

Dolly: Who am I? Where am I?

The garden eel is very popular in Japan.

Thanks to the unique resources of the Pacific Ocean, the biological species of Churaumi Aquarium are much richer than other aquariums, especially tropical fish, which can be found in one tank after another until you get tired of seeing them. The biggest attraction is the Kuroshio Sea, a huge reservoir in Gaomi. Whale sharks are the largest fish in the world. Two whale sharks, one male and one female, were once artificially bred here. However, the female shark fell ill and died in 2021, and the male shark has been alone since then.
The whale shark is like a submarine, passing people slowly but shockingly. In front of it, humans seem small and insignificant. Sitting in the viewing seat and staring blankly for an hour, my mood gradually evolved from the lightness and joy of tropical fish to a feeling of loneliness. It just circles around the water tank in a meaningless circle. Even though the aquarium has spent huge sums of money to build a super large tank with a length of 35 meters, a width of 27 meters and a height of 10 meters, it is still a small dwelling for this ocean overlord.

During feeding time, the whale shark opens its large mouth to filter food by pumping. The length of its body when vertical is up to 8 meters
Later, during the process of checking information, I learned that the aquarium Most of the dolphins and whale sharks were rescued. Some creatures that were able to adapt to the ocean again were released, while others remained in aquariums forever. Although life has been extended, the price is not being able to return to the ocean again. Is this lucky or unfortunate?

Eating in Okinawa is also an important part of Travel. Seafood, brown sugar, salt, island tofu, Ishigaki beef, Agu pig, and tropical fruits make Okinawa a "food paradise", and many cooking methods can have a glimpse of Chinese cuisine, such as bitter melon scrambled eggs, braised pork, and stewed pig. Feet and stewed pig ears are down-to-earth dishes that are unlikely to be eaten elsewhere in Japan.
As usual, here is the food list for this Trip.

Among them, Agu pig (Agu pig) is the most common ingredient on this trip. Agu pig is a local black pig in Okinawa. It is famous for its soft texture, sweetness and not fishy meat. There is a chain store "Me Naha" in Naha City, which is divided into yakiniku restaurant and shabu-shabu restaurant. It is high-quality and low-priced, and is highly recommended. I chose the shabu-shabu set meal. The pork that was served to two people was at least a pound and a half, which was quite a lot.

If you have an appetite in the morning, you can go to Marutama before 10 o'clock to try the limited miso pork soup set. The small bowls are filled with the taste of home cooking. A bowl of warm soup + rice in the morning It feels so comfortable.

After seeing a lot of the sea, I still feel Not Enough.
The sea is the eternal theme of Okinawa. During the few days here, I encountered the sea with different colors and expressions every day. Whether it’s the sea on a sunny day or the sea on a cloudy day, you will still feel moved by the color blue.