Okinawa was the Ryukyu Kingdom until 1879, and it has its own language, music, food and gods. Shisa lions guard the rooftops. Sanshin music drifts out of open doors.
The main island carries a heavy history and a lot of traffic. We spend a little time there and then go south, to the Yaeyama islands, where buffalo carts still cross the shallows.
On Taketomi, the sand streets are swept each morning. After the last ferry, it is just the stars and the crickets.
Want to spend longer here? Most people do.
Plan with us