Okinawa
 

I will shortly be spending 4 days in Okinawa. Any suggestions on what I should do?

I found Naha itself to be a very ugly city. The market was my favourite "sight" there. Outside of Naha, things are prettier in parts. My next trip will be to one of the less populated islands.

DAY 1
Visit the Tamaudun mausoleum and reconstruction of Shuri Castle
Visit the market which is just off Kokusai-Dori in central Naha
Eat pigs face and "umi-budou" (sea grapes) seaweed.
Find a place to hear some live okinawan folk music or pop music.

DAY 2
Hire a car and do a tour of the Peace Park and the ruins of "gusuku" castles which are dotted around the island.
Eat Okinawa soba.

DAY 3
Go to a beach.
Get drunk on awamori and make rude signs at some US marines.
Start running.

DAY 4
Visit one of the smaller islands for a more laid-back okinawan experience.
Eat goya champuru.

Okinawan food is fantastic. In Naha, there is a great sashimi restaurant called Tomaya (098-861-9252). The owner likes to concentrate on preparing the fish, so if you want a beer or an awamori you have to get it yourself. You even have to put your own money in the register -- and take your own change!! There's also a good Okinawan kaiseki restaurant run by the family of the man who created Ultraman (Shofuen; 098-889-3471)

In Nago there's a wonderful place called Okame (Tel: 0980-52-4920). It's delicious Okinawan food and is a very small counter restaurant so booking is essential (it's closed on Sundays) For reservations best to call the owner's mobile (in Japanese): 090-5025-3901. It's close to the Orion brewery (I recommend the tour). These are all small places so it helps if you speak some Japanese.

I don't know whether your interested in arts and crafts but it may be worth stopping off in Yomitan if you are. Yomitan Community Store On Route 58 (main road) is a one-stop shop for all things crafty (good for Okinawan shisa lions) 098-958-1020; map.

Yuntanza Yaki Kyodo Gama is a climbing kiln (nobori gama) in Yomitan shared by four potters including Yamada Shinman who is excellent but very expensive and Omine Jissei who has interesting and diverse work and who is a pleasant man who will give you a cup of tea or a glass of sake if you are nice to him. The kiln is a little difficult to find (here is a not particularly helpful map) but everybody in the village knows where the nobori gama is and you can easily get directions from the Community Store above. There's also a good craft store in Naha next to Mitsukoshi.

Okinawan music is also interesting. Shokichi Kina (now a Japanese MP!) has a club on Naha's Kokusai-dori called Chakura (098-869-0283)

Anmd if you already haven't decided were to stay I can heartily recommend the Busena Terrace . Make sure you ask for an ocean view room.

There is also a really good magazine (in Japanese) about all things Okinawan called Churashima. Website here.

Photos
 

Thanks to all for your advice. Can say that Okinawa is great! Just a few pics on there from my long weekend visit. :)

http://www.photobox.co.uk/album/2640645

PS - Click on slideshow to view!