Just before Xmas, we
made a very brief trip to Okinawa...I had to attend some meetings
there, so Kay and the kids went with me. It was way to brief -
we went down on Friday and returned on Tuesday - but is was
good to see some family members before the holidays.
Because our time was limited,
I didn't get out to take many pictures, but I did get some shots of
a couple of items that are truly Okinawan - gajimaru trees and
shisa.
Now, what are those, you ask?
Here's a brief description of
the gajimaru tree, courtesy of the Itoman City website (http://www.city.itoman.okinawa.jp/english/introduce/symbol.html):
The Banyan tree is
known as Gajimaru in Okinawa. It is a strong evergreen tree able
to withstand any kind of wind and rain due to having many roots
firmly planted in the ground. Despite being a robust tree the
Banyan Tree maintains a look of grace and simplicity. The Banyan
was chosen as the City's tree because, like the Banyan Tree,
Itoman's people have strong roots - that is links with their
history and ancestors - and they firmly believe there is
prospect for growth and development.
The gajimaru is, by far, my
favorite tree. It really is incredible, as you can see in the
photos.
The shisa are a lion-dog
figure that has been used since ancient times to ward off evil
spirits. They are commonly placed at the gates of villages
and also on rooftops or at the front entrance of buildings to
protect the inhabitants. I think that I've posted this in a
previous blog, but there is a really good history of the shisa here:
http://www.wonder-okinawa.jp/011/english/index.html.
The shisa in the photos I've
posted
were taken at the Okinawa Friendship Plaza, which was recently built
at the Gate 2 entrance of Kadena Air Base.