Okinawa

Of the many places around the globe I would love to visit, one of the most desired is Okinawa, Japan. One of the key reasons this place is appealing to me is that it is my father's birth place. Although he was the son of American parents, they were stationed at the Military Base in Okinawa.

Okinawa is Japan's southernmost prefecture and consists of a few dozen, small islands in the southern half of the Nansei Shoto, the island chain which stretches over about one thousand kilometers from Kyushu to Taiwan.

The climate in Okinawa is subtropical, with temperatures barely falling below 15 degrees in winter. The seas surrounding the islands are considered among the world's most beautiful with coral reefs and abundant marine wildlife. Snorkeling and scuba diving are among Okinawa's top attractions. Rare blue corals are found off of Ishigaki and Miyako islands as are numerous species throughout the chain.

Okinawa boasts amazing wildlife. Sea turtles return yearly to the southern islands of Okinawa to lay their eggs. The forested area of northern Okinawa island is home to many species that cannot be found anywhere else in the world. These include the Okinawa woodpecker; the rail, a flightless water bird discovered in 1981; the large five to six centimeter-long long armed beetle; the Oritzuru violet, which is thought to be a relic of an extinct plant type; and many species of wild orchids.

Okinawa is a land rich in culture, history and people maintaining a strong tradition of pottery, textiles, and glass making. Other prominent examples of Okinawan culture include sanshin-a three-stringed Okinawan instrument, similiar to a banjo.

Okinawa was a key staging point for the United States, in its military operations directed towards North Vietnam. Because my father passed when I was younger, I've only seen pictures of him. Many pictures of him in his childhood were taken in Okinawa.

I would love to visit this interesting place due to its picturesque elegance and fascinating history, but most of all to walk the landmark-footsteps of my own father.