Beni-imo ga DAISUKI

(I just realized that Kazue, Ken & Kai's names all start with 'K')

Touristed through Yomitan Village today with Kazue and Kai. Jiro Kinjo, one of Japan's Living National Treasures, used to live and work there. Kazue told me she actually saw him at work a few times when she came there as a girl. Kinjo-san died in 2004 at the age of 92 but apparently his family still lives and works there.

Although it's called a village, The area is more like a big private neighborhood where numerous ceramic makers and glass blowers all live, work and have their galleries. Though, of course, except for their houses it's not really private and tourists come and go so there are stores where you can buy the product, as well as a cafe and tea house.

The Yomitan potters use traditional Ryukyuan noborigama (wood-burning, up-hill kiln) which was being packed as we went by. It's huge and has separate compartments where pieces are stored as they're made. The first few were already loaded and according to Kazue, firing occurs about every 3 months. That's how long it takes to fill that thing!

As I went through the glass-blowing section I think they thought it was funny that I was taking so many pictures. But glass-blowing has always fascinated me! To think, that somebody actually discovered how to combine sand, minerals and heat into amazing works of art that are both beautiful and functional. Today production isn't as primitive and the artists recycle old glass cold drink bottles into beautiful cups, bowls, plates, vases and lamps.

After Yomitan, we drove to the coast. The area is called Zampa 'Cave', 'Cape' or 'Camp' depending on who you talk to, but I guess as long as you say "Zampa" people know what you're talking about. It was overcast and windy but the beaches still look so beautiful. Some intrepid visitors were actually swimming in the chilly watcher. Kazue just looked and said "mainlanders"--- I guess that really does just say it all .

There was a 'petting zoo' near there, and Kai was fascinated with the bunnies and had to buy carrots to feed them. For some reason, all the animals are kept in one giant caged area so, of course, whenever some kid comes by with food the goats run over; the big ones shoving the little ones, the bunnies scampering away before they're trampled. This did not stop any number of children from running after the bunnies and baby goats while trying to lose the big goats with little to no success. Kai being quite the clever one would throw some carrots far away for the big goats to chase and then feed the little things. I couldn't help thinking (wryly) that those big goats were once babies too--- nobody can resist a baby but once you get to a certain age it's out the door, kicked to the curb, left in the cold. I guess the same could be said of people too.

Anyway, we ventured to the lighthouse at Bolo Point. Looking at it from far away it didn't seem too tall but once we were actually inside and climbing, I could feel my blood rushing and my heart thumping with every step. Once we reached the top, the wind really hit us and I felt an alarming sensation of vertigo as I looked out at the rocks and the ocean. From that view point I noticed some brave (or stupid) fishermen lounging on the cliff side, a few careless meters away from a sharp drop into the volatile sea. Kai was feeling scared so Kazue took him down and I stayed to snap a few pictures, but as the number of people on the little deck increased I began to doubt the adage "safety in numbers". Even though I'm not scared of heights, climbing down was as nerve wracking as climbing up.

As we were walking away from the light house Kazue told me that during typhoon season the area is very dangerous and waves have been known to come past the lighthouse and carry unwary tourists away. Even now in spring, the waters are rough and swimmers and divers are cautioned about the strong tides where lives have been lost! I think for my first experience of Okinawan waters I'll prefer a calmer and shallower area of the coast!

While dangerous, the area is also very beautiful and picturesque. I saw one location where I would love to have some kind of feudal-Japanese photoshoot (think InuYasha or maybe Kenshin). Oops! My obsessive-compulsive cosplay nature is making itself known again.

Anyway, I really wanted to climb through some of the coral/volcanic rocks surrounding the coast but I was definitely not wearing the right kind of shoes for that kind of adventure. So the three of us enjoyed some ice cream at a nearby converted bus-to-concession-stand and I tried my first ever beni-imo (purple sweet potato) ice cream. It sounds like it would be a strange flavour but it was actually very good and a beautiful lavendery colour.

Since it was getting colder we decided to leave, however, driving out of the area we noticed that the cake factory was still open so we stopped off for a quick look around and y'know... free samples. I was so full when we left that I had to forgo dinner or I would pop! The beni-imo sweets and cakes are the best so I will definitely try to send some home. I also tried some strange local seaweed that looks like a string of tiny green bubbles. It tastes strange, though Kai seems to love it. I think it was more the look of it than anything else that made me not like it. Though it was a small experience, it reminded me that no matter what I come across in this year away from home I must endeavor to be more open minded and not afraid to try new things!