** NOTE: The captions for the photos in this article incorrectly identify the false killer whale (pseudorca crassidens) in the Okichan Theatre performance (NOT a pilot whale) & the fossil jaws of the megalodon shark (NOT of a great white).
Lance Cpl. Richard Blumenstein
okinawa marine staff
Averaging 25 feet in length, weighing up to 15 tons, with huge mouths that can open up to 4-feet wide, whale sharks are the largest fish on earth.
They are also a key attraction at Okinawa’s Ocean Expo Park, and the giant fish made a lasting impression on a group of people who visited the park during a trip to the park hosted by Marine Corps Community Services April 11.
Cpl. Matthew J. Vasquez and his wife Wilikinia both said the giant fish were the park’s most awe-inspiring attractions, and most in the group echoed their sentiment.
Ocean Expo Park, located on the western edge of Okinawa’s Motobu peninsula, is a major tourist attraction on Okinawa and is home to several subsections, including the Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium.
One of the aquarium’s main displays, the Kuroshio (Black Current) Sea tank, is massive. It is 10 meters deep (about 33 feet), 35 meters wide (about 115 feet) and 27 meters long (about 89 feet). Aside from the whale sharks, the tank contains a number of aquatic animals native to the Kuroshio (the warm undersea ocean current that supports the Okinawa underwater ecosystem) depth region including manta rays, sea turtles and countless schools of tropical fish.
The tank is constructed with a transparent wall, 35 meters wide (about 115 feet) and 60 centimeters thick (about two feet), that allows visitors see an amazing view of the ocean life.
“The whale sharks made me seem like an ant,” said 12-year old Jariah Tolbert. “They were amazing.”
Ocean Expo Park was the site of the Okinawa International Ocean Exposition, a 1975 event concerning oceanographic cultures, technology, and marine life. The park features several areas of interest, each containing distinctive themes focused on aquatic life, history and nature. The vast park has many exhibits and shows that can keep patrons busy all day.
On the MCCS tour, visitors all started with a trip through the aquarium but then went their separate ways. Some continued to explore the aquarium in depth while others ventured off into other areas including the Oceanic Culture Museum, the Native Okinawan Village, Emerald Beach, the Tropical Dream Center and the Tropical & Subtropical Arboretum.
For most of the children, and a few others on the tour, the comical antics of dolphin species, such as the pilot whale, at the aquarium’s Okichan Theater proved to be another favorite.
“It was pretty cool when the dolphin actually came on stage and stuck his tongue out,” Army Capt. Jeremy B. Robert said. “I’d never seen anything like that before.”
Elsewhere in the park, close encounters with in the Shark Research Lab was the highlight for 6-year old Daniel Locke III.
The lab houses an aquatic tank full of various kinds of sharks and is full of shark skeletons, including the jaw of a great white shark.
“I’d never been that close to a shark before,” Daniel said. “It was cool.”
In the Okinawan Village, the Vasquezes got hands-on experience in mastering one of their favorite lullabies on a Sanshin, a traditional Okinawan instrument similar to a banjo.
“We spent most of our time in the Okinawan Village,” Wilikinia said. “They taught us how to play ‘Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star’.”
The village replicates Ryukyuan dwellings found on Okinawa during the 17th and 18th centuries and presents visitors with a chance to experience ancient Okinawan culture and explore the ancient homes.
There is no fee to enter Ocean Expo Park, but aquarium tickets are ¥1,800 for adults and ¥1,200 for high-school students. A few other attractions in the park also have admission
fees. A complete list of attractions, show times and admission fees are available on the park’s
Web site at http://www.kaiyouhaku.com/en/index.html.
To get to the park, take the Okinawa Expressway north to its final exit near Nago City. Exit on Highway 58 and follow the signs to the park.
2008-05-02
Ocean Expo Park offers rare peek at aquatic life
2008-04-26
Lily Festival on Ie Island
Have ever witnessed a sight so spectacular that you transcend time and space and lose yourself in that moment? The tropical island on which we live provides us with many of those opportunities, and only a ferry boat ride away lies another paradise—le Island. On Saturday, April 26 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., MCCS Tours+ will take you to that paradise.
Each year, le Island blooms a blanket of teppoyuri, or Easter lilies, during which locals celebrate the Yuri Matsuri (Lily Festival). “This is a famous festival that many people come from around Japan to see," says Heather Allen of Tours+. “People should not miss the chance to go see this festival while living right here on Okinawa.”
Board a ferry to le Island, and spend the day enjoying the awesome view at Lily Field Park, which is filled with more than a million of these lilies in full bloom. Also enjoy a variety of local entertainment, including drum shows, Japanese music, and Ryukyu dance.
There’s something for everyone to enjoy. "For children, there is the petting zoo," Allen says. “There will also be lots of good food and games. It is a terrific time to meet new people and experience one of the more famous festivals of Okinawa." Bring yen for food and spending money. Tour prices are $32 for adults, $18 for children ages 6 to 11, $11 for children ages 3 to 4, and $5 for children ages 2 and under.
2008-04-04
A walk back in time
Story and Photos by Keith T. Graff
In Motobu Town, right next to the Expo Park sits the quaint and sleepy little village of Bise. It’s a step back through time, offering a small glimpse of what Okinawa used to be like. Here, even on a busy day, life moves in low gear.
What makes Bise so unique is not only its serenity, but all the houses are surrounded by a very important form of protection known as the "fukugi” tree. By having the ability to bend with the wind, they protect homes from the many typhoons that frequent the region.
Many of the streets in Bise, if you want to call them that, are more like paths. Most are very narrow and unpaved. The fukugi trees surround virtually every home and as a result, also line all of the quaint little streets that give the village its ambiance. Adding to this charm, is the cleanliness. Here, the residents take great pride in their neighborhood and daily sweep the streets themselves.
You’ll find a few houses that have been converted into coffee houses or “kissaten’s” and a few small parlors offer ice cream and cold drinks to provide relief from the sweltering summer heat. If it’s too hot for a stroll, for a small fee you can ride old fashioned style on pony-drawn cart.
A smart way to see the village is to incorporate it into a visit to Expo Park where the parking is free. Once inside the park you can ride the tram or take a leisurely stroll and follow the signs to Emerald beach on the north end of the park. Just past the beach area is where you’ll find the back gate to the park which just so happens is right next to the main thoroughfare leading into Bise.
Turn left; the road is the only one that is paved. Go straight and once you start seeing the old style Okinawan houses surrounded by fukugi trees, you’ll know you are there.
Be sure to get off the main road and walk the shaded side streets, check out the seawall and whatever you do, be careful not to hurry. This is a place to relax and enjoy yourself; civilization will still be waiting for you when you get back.
Expo Park: For the kid in all of us
Story and Photo by Keith I. Graff
The weekend is here and the weather is nice. So why not pack up the whole family in the car and go to the Expo Park in Motobu!
The Churaumi Aquarium is the first stop for most folks and an excellent choice. You and your kids can not only see all of the aquatic life on display in relative comfort, but there’s even a few interactive displays where they can get their hands wet and touch the sea life or even pose for a photo in the gigantic jaws of a prehistoric shark.
Afterward, most folks make their way clown the hill to the whale and dolphin shows at the Okichan Theater. If there is any wait for the show to start, ice cream and snacks are on the menu and readily available.
After the show, chances are that you will have a bunch of kids who are excited from the visual stimulation — and a highly toxic sugar overdose. So what can you do to keep the kids from bouncing around like a pack of raging hyenas on the long drive back in bumper—to—bumper traffic?
A new play land recently opened just up the hill from the Churaumi Aquarium. While the temptation will be great, quickly whisk the kids past this area and visit it last on your agenda. After you’ve had the chance to see all that you want to see first; then you can turn them loose to burn, pillage and destroy.
The play land is chock full of equipment for little ones up to age 12 and there is plenty of room to roam. Virtually everything there is padded including the ground in some areas. And for added safety, parents are required to stay and observe their children. Shaded areas are provided.
With the kids all burned out and exhausted for the ride home, you might even be able to concentrate on the traffic or hold a coherent conversation with your spouse or friends. It’s a win—win situation for the whole family. But, don’t just take my word for it. Go to the Expo Park in Motobu and check it out for yourself.
2008-02-01
Nago Cherry Blossom Festival attracts thousands
Lance Cpl. Kevin M. Knallay
OKINAWA MARINE STAFFThousands of festival goers searched for the first signs of spring in the blossoms of cherry trees lining the streets of Nago City and Nago Central Park during the 46th Annual Nago Cherry Blossom Festival Jan. 26-27.
Some of the festival highlights included performances by local schools’ brass bands and cultural performers such as Eisa dancers and taiko drummers. Parades, competitions, karaoke, carnival games and food vendors were also attractions for the visitors.
A popular activity at the festival was “hanami,” or flower viewing. Festival goers toured the park, where they had a scenic view of approximately 20,000 pink Taiwanese cherry trees blooming.
Lance Cpl. Anette Tran, a motor transportation mechanic with Combat Logistics Regiment 3, 3rd Marine Logistics Battalion, joined others at the festival who walked the hundreds of steps up to the Nago Castle ruins in Nago Central Park. Once at the top, she was rewarded with a scenic view of the trees and Nago’s coast.
“It was definitely worth going up so many stairs,” Tran said. “Most of the trees are starting to get to full bloom up there. The further you walked, the more beautiful it got.”
The blossoms have been celebrated for many centuries and are a prominent tradition in Japanese culture. Many festivals around Okinawa involve them as the center for celebration. The Nakijiin Castle Cherry Festival and the annual Motobu Yaedake Cherry Blossom Festival, which last until Feb. 10, are just a handful of the other locales where festivals are being held.
The festivals’ peak blossoming period is projected to last from Jan. 26 to Feb. 10 depending on where you visit. Typically, the trees bloom from north to south on Okinawa during the Sakura Zensen, or cherry blossom front.
The blossoms, however pretty, have a short season. Once the first few blossoms open, it takes roughly one week for them to be in full bloom. About a week later, and sometimes less due to weather conditions, the blossoms begin to fall.
In addition to the blossoms, the Nago festival was a stage for many service members to experience the Okinawan atmosphere.
“Along with the cherry blossoms, it’s great being out in the culture, checking out the entertainment, and being in such a friendly environment,” said Pfc. Diogo Delgado, a customer service representative with the Marine Corps Base Camp Butler Supply Office.
Those wishing to go to the Nago Castle ruins should take the expressway north until it turns into Highway 58. Follow the signs on 58 to Central Nago and turn right at the Nago Central Park sign.
