Diversions - cheesy tourist destinations

Unfortunately, Okinawa has its share of sites dedicated to the package bus tour trade. Among these are the oft-described Ocean Expo Park, Pineapple winery, Ryukyu Mura, etc. This post describes sites that seemed potentially fun, but turned out to be interesting only for the cultural experience of seeing Japanese tour groups in action.

*Manzamo - Onna village off the 58

This is reported to be a large grassy field sitting on dramatic sheer cliffs I imagined it would be a scenic place to lay out a picnic blanket and appreciate the views and the sunset. Instead, it is a horrible place that has become a checkbox on tour bus itineraries. When we went, there was a line of cars 20 long just waiting to get a parking place (we went down a side street and parked in front of a farm). There are two long rows of souvenir stalls. The grassy plain is roped off, and you are funnelled around the perimeter on a paved walkway. There are girls in kimonos at the end where for 300Y you can have a photo taken to commemorate the experience. Yikes.

*Southeast Botanical gardens

For almost 1000 yen (can't remember exactly how many) you purchase admission to the park, which is a weird place. There are some pretty flowers, most notably a bunch of different water lily species. But the gardens are dotted with structures designed for people to take souvenir photos. There is a fake wood canoe, a fake tropical hammock area, and a fake waterfall with enough chairs in front of it to have an entire office photographed. There is also a carp pond with nearby carp-food vending machines. There is a restaurant in the park, which gives patrons a time to report back for their seating. Across the parking lot is a satellite garden, where you redeem part of your purchase price for a token, which you then spend at a couple of sad food stalls (where all items are the price of a token) or gift shops. We got a couple if gristly yakitori and a pineapple shake. Such a wasted opportunity, because Okinawa is a botanical smorgasbord.

*Wild bird sanctuary

This place is on the east coast, at the mouth of the Tengan river in Gushikawa.

You get the feeling this was someone's grand scheme to set aside this land for some selfish purpose other than the wild birds. There is a small homeless encampment, an "observatory" which is closed to the public, and a couple paths which lead to lookouts over the river and port. There is also a sweeping view over the power plant to the north. We did not see a bird.