Tomer's Website: Japan Trip, Spring 2002


May 7

Shun / Shirokuma / Ferry for Okinawa

The Youth Hostel allowed me to leave some of my luggage there, since I didn't figure I'd need it all for Okinawa, and I'd have to be coming back this way later anyways. I left behind my bike clothes, cooking gear, and (unfortunately) rain gear - since Okinawa's weather report was: clear, clear, clear.

I went into Kagoshima with Shun, and we hung out for a while, since my ferry and his flight, were both in the evening. As soon as we got off the boat, he stole a bike from the ferry terminal's bike parking. Well, nothing else for me to do but pump up his tires. We first ate at Mos Burger (Japan's best burger chain). If you go, definately order the Yaki Niku Rice Burger. The bun is made of rice, and the inside are good. We next went to watch Black Hawk Down, and then went to get some "kakigori". It is a shaved ice like treat, not too different from Halo-Halo (from the Phillipines). Here they have a chain called Shirokuma, which is Japanese for "polar bear". They have many flavors to choose from, and the one I took was chocolate: lots of shaves ice with chocolate syrup and corn flakes, with yummy beans and jelly thingies at the bottom.

After this, Shun and I split up, I went and bought my ferry ticket, and then spent the next 3 hours unsuccessfully trying to take money out of 3 different ATM machines across the city. The ferry ticket wiped me out, so I was starting to worry until I remembered my secret stash for emergencies.

So, using some of my last funds I got some food goods for the long ferry ride (takes 24 hours to reach Okinawa), and then went to the ship. The boarding process was pretty un-touristy and obscure, but I eventually found the boat and got on, and got to my room, which had 7 other bunk beds.

As it turns out, the ferry itself was a bit disappointing. The only other ferry ride I had gone on had something called "Biking" (which, oddly enough, is the word they use for the ferry's all-you-can-eat buffet), and a nice hot tub. This one had unfriendly service, no Biking, and I was finally able to find its hottub (since the Kanji they use were different than the ones I'm used to), after it had already closed.

The ferry didn't turn out crowded, though, and so only 3 of the 8 beds were used. One of my roommates was Inamoto-san, who is going on a motorbike tour of Okinawa. So we talked a little bit, and although friendly, he wasn't an especially talkative guy. I did get lots of useful information from him, including Okinawa camping info which he had printed out from the internet. I have since found japanupdate.com, a website with information on Okinawan beaches and some nice maps as well (all in English, too).


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This page created by Tomer Gurantz
Content last modified 27 June 2002