JAWing On – Life on Okinawa

Friday August 26, 2005 [C (9/365) R (2/365) H (16/365) ]

August 2005 Total:
S-sunny (8/365) C-cloudy (9/365) PC-partly cloudy (9/365)
D-drizzle (2/365) R-rainy (2/365)
W-windy (3/365) LW-light winds (14/365) VW-very windy (2/365)
H-humid (16/365) SH-slightly humid (8/365)

This Year�s (June 3, 2005 – June 2, 2006) Total:
S-sunny (21/365) C-cloudy (24/365) PC-partly cloudy (40/365)
D-drizzle (4/365) R-rainy (4/365) SR-scattered rain showers (9/365)
W-windy (24/365) LW-light winds (49/365) VW-very windy (3/365)
H-humid (36/365) SH-slightly humid (47/365)

Having lived on Okinawa since 1973, I have seen many changes in the type of merchandise that the island provides the mainstream tourists. Back in 1973 the mainstay of sales was aimed at the American market. After all there were few large Japanese tourist hotels; numerous American soldiers were stationed on island; and the yen rate was 365 to a dollar. The type of merchandise found in many of the “tourist” gift shops consisted of wooden products mainly from the Philippines; such as hands shaped in the peace sign formation and Hotei. Hotei is still one of the Asian Gods that Westerners confuse with Buddha. He is the fat jolly God of Contentment and Happiness, also known as the Laughing Buddha. Another of my favorite souvenirs included the brass Shisa incense burners. These type of “tourist” souvenirs are not seen as frequently as before as the focus of the island tourist industry has been redirected to the water sports industry. I still have those reminders of less complicated times on island and sometimes I miss seeing those simple, but charming, Asian goods.