Travel

If your idea of a holiday is the sound of the spinnaker flapping in the breeze or the gentle waves lapping while you are making your sand castle kingdom, then put Aharen village on the west coast of the Kerama islands on top of your list for your next holiday.

In the next couple of weeks, you may see colorfully clad dancers parading through the streets of Okinawa, our people in summer kimonos dancing in local parks or lots amid festive lanterns in mainland Japan. In either case, the air will be filled with the sound of folk music celebrating Eisa and Bon Odori, respectively.

Taketomi, a tiny island in the Yaeyama Islands of Okinawa, is the perfect place for catching a glimpse of traditional Ryukyu culture, which has been well-preserved here.

Legend has it that two villages came upon a beached whale. The whale was a gift from gods as it could feed the villagers for a long time, provide whale bones for tools, and oil for lamps.

You know that book titled, “We’re Going on a Bear Hunt?” Well, that’s what our family felt like doing on a recent lazy Sunday afternoon. We saw a bridge and decided to drive over it and see where it led us. Well, this particular bridge led us to Ojima Island.

An amazing experience awaits nature lovers and curious travelers alike in the Hakkoda Mountains. Breathtaking vistas amid snowcapped mountains and emerald forests are guaranteed to inspire, while crisp air, babbling streams and chirping birds refresh. Then there are all the old-world hot springs.