Hello everyone! Here are the pictures from my recent trip to Okinawa, the beach laden southern islands of Japan. I hope you enjoy some of the pictures.  

Arrival Okinawa! 

War memorial park. One of the many tributes to lost Japanese soldiers during WW2. 

This now serene cliff is infamous as the place where many women and children sadly jumped to their doom to avoid the invading American Forces near the end of WW2.  

Aracnophobes look away now! This enormous spider had a giant web just over my head height in the war memorial park. 

In the hotel room with a view of the ocean. 

On the ferry to one of the many beautiful islands. In this case Ie Island where you will see a picture of me swimming from the previous post below. 

Traditional Okinawaw dancing and music at the Okinawa Land theme park. The music/clothes and overall style are unique to Okinawa and quite different to the rest of Japan. 

Sheesai. Okinawa features these lion/dog/dragon animals on virtually every building. This one is on a preserved building form old Okinawa. Usually in pairs, the male (pictured) has an open mouth to let out bad feelings and evil while the female version has its mouth closed to keep in the good things. 

Sheesai at the castle. 

A drink with bite. This is a real venomous snake left in this Japanese liquor so its skin secretions can add to the flavour! 

Cave 2. 

Inside the huge cave complex at the Okinawa World theme park. 

At the castle gates. 

Okinawa's impressive castle is more Chinese in styling than Japanese. Note all the other posers in this shot. 

Coastline cave. 

Cruising Okinawa. From the hotel it was possible to drive the length and breadth of the main island, especially with the handy navigation system built into the car. 

Sea park Okinawa. To the north of the island is a massive sea life centre that we visited on our penultimate day on the islands. 

Shark tank. 

Replica whale shark and me! 

Giant Aquaruim Tank! This is the biggest single tank in the world, the glass is 60cm thick and it contains a multitude of sea life including sharks, manta rays and enormous whale sharks! 

Manta rays. 

Giant tank, whale shark and girl. 

Giant tank from below. 

Dolphin show!