Bike Tour thru Naha

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Bike Tour thru Naha

Today I biked around downtown Naha using a guide I found online (it was for little kids but who cares). It took me thru a few parts I had already seen but most of it was new. I'll probably go back to a few of the places I visited again just so I can take it all in a little more instead of trying to navigate while riding a bike.

After leaving Camp Kinser, I biked down Route 58 and made a left at Route 29. The first stop I made was at the Sogenji Ishimon, which translates to stone gate. Unfortunately I don't know have any information about this structure or why it's there but today it functions as a gateway into a small park. Once I was inside the stone walls everything was real peaceful. There were only a few people in the park; one sleeping under some trees, 1 old couple sitting and talking, and 2 men building something. There was a HUGE banyan tree growing in the park, and what made it really neat looking were the roots that had grown around a stone wall.

I went back west and crossed over Nakayoshi Bridge (only about a block away), rode along the cannal for about a block and then turned left onto Okiei Street. I continued on Okiei Street until I reached Mutsumibashi Intersection. Mutsumibashi Intersection is located along Kokusai Dori. Connected along the western side of this intersection were two arcades (narrow streets with overhead covering where people sold their goods). One was called Mutsumibashi Street and the other was Ichiba-hondori Street. I dismounted my bike (since it was pedestrian traffic only) and walked thru Ichiba-hondori Street. People were selling meat, fish, fruits vegetables, tea sets, baked goods, clothes, candy, toys, book...pretty much everything. I was just browsing and I happened to walk alongside a gentleman selling books. I noticed a book called "Folktales of Okinawa" and instantly knew I'd have to buy it since I had been wanting to find something like it for the past few weeks. Luckily there is no such thing as bargaining in Okinawa so I didn't have to act like the book wasn't something I really wanted. I'll likely go back to Ichiba-honori street because I never visited the fish market (which is supposed to be the largest in Japan) and there were some stores I couldn't really go into because of my bike (the arcade was extremely narrow so it was best that I just go with the flow instead of trying to park it somewhere where it would have been in the way). I didn't snap any photos but when I go back again I'll make sure to take lots.

I came out of Ichiba-hondori street and peddled around a bit till I managed to come Tsuboya Yachimun Street (which I visited last week). This week I went inside some of the shops to view the items they were selling and it was really cool. Lots of different kinds of bowls, plates, cups, chopstick holders, shisa lions were on display. There were several items I liked but to buy them I'll need to do some budgeting.

I took Tsuboya Yachimun Street to Route 330 and went south. I went into a school parking lot which had a baseball park adjacent to it. Some kids who were probably 8 or 9 were practicing and they were really good! They were pulling off double plays and hitting the ball almost out of the park. In the late afternoons often you'll see young kids and some adults walking around the streets in baseball unforms. It's a HUGE sport over here. I'm going to try to go see a game at some point. After the park I went back west to Kokusai Street. I didn't spend much time here but did take a video of the waving cat above a store (apparently it's famous).

I took a right onto Kumoji Street (Kumoji Street became Matsuyama Street) and followed it west until I reached the water. Along the way I stopped at Matsuyama Park. There were some need banyan trees within it and a few statues. An Okinawa legend states that Matsuyama Park is home to the Kijimuna tree fairy.

When I arrived at Nami no Ue Beach it was closed off because of construction. Oh well! No swimming for me. I headed back home up Route 43 which turned into Route 58 and went back to the BOQ.

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Photos

Sogenji Ishimon
Looking out onto the street