Bank of the Rykuyus

I'm not sure exactly what I was seeking in Okinawa.

Last year, on my maiden trip to Japan, I thought about coming due to this island being the home of Karate. I wanted to experience Karate in its origin for a more authentic experience of the great martial art. But it was too far away from the mainland. Since then, I watched a Netflix series on 'blue-zones' (Live to 100: Secrets of the Blue Zones) - global locations with extreme life longevity. I was interested in perhaps seeing what a vegetarian or otherwise Okinawan diet would look like. Beni-imo (purple sweet potato) for this and other reasons has become important to me also. On the Okinawan lifestyle, do the people walk everywhere? Will I see a tonne of centenarians? I guess, perhaps more simply put, I wanted to continue the theme of last year of visiting the breadth of this beautiful country.

But I'm sat at Naha airport now, heading back to Tokyo after 5 days here. It rained for some of it, and was grey mostly. I didn't meet any older people. All I saw were cars, much more than many other parts of Japan - density wise. I didn't take nay snorkelling or rural excursion and was mostly confined to Naha - the capital urban area. I didn't even see a single beni-imo!?

Although I walked around the castle ruins, and climbed the pebbled steps, and trawled down the Oly Navy underground bunkers - it wasn't much of a 4-day itinerary here. But I have no regrets.

However, the time here will stick with me for a long while. It's here where some of my ideas have been crystallised. Some admin work weighing on me got sorted. Anxieties for the future allayed. Work performance escalated to new heights. Motivation rekindled, I had time to think. I was thinking about business a lot.

In Tokyo, I don't have much time to think. Even on the days I slowed down. This trip made me slow down.

Oddly, there wasn't anything in the waters - well I don't think. No salt in the air - I didn't even head to the beaches.

But this is where, in 5, 10, 40 years' time I'll be like, 'Yes, I was walking around Okinawa when I thought of that'. 'Ah yes, I received the final version, got that positive phone call, and shaped the business plan when I was sat in a café in Okinawa and;

'Ultimately, that was where it all came together for me'.