The Ideal Life - Blog Post 1

When I imagine ‘Okinawa’, I’m picturing a scenic ocean view in front of me with the wind brushing across my face. My thoughts are occupied by the blue waters and nothing is bothering me. This is my impression of the life I can have in Okinawa. 

Image from Visit Okinawa Japan

In an excerpt on the Official Okinawa Travel Guide, it talks about the longetivity of the people living in the Ogimi Village in Okinawa. To no surprise, concepts such as healthy foods like tofu, vegetables, “mineral-rich” diets popped up. Their lifestyle is also coined as “without worry or hurry”, an important attribute to the relaxing and calm nature of their lives. As seen in the picture, official websites like to use images of the clear blue skies and oceans to create an image of a beautiful holiday spot. They also like to emphasise on the natural aspects of Okinawa such as its beaches and waters. 

While this leads me to believe that it’s the physical aspects of Okinawa (the scenery, food, lack of a ‘hustle’ life etc.), I start to question if this is just a surface level impression, and is this merely a stereotype that travel guides want us to believe. Is there something deeper that I don’t know about the life in Okinawa? 

As an anime enjoyer since young, an anime that stuck with me is ”Nagi-Asu: A Lull in the Sea”. I’m not going to dive deep into the symbolism of the anime here, but it basically talks about how the children of the sea are forced to study on land and the tensions between land and sea. It also explored concept of loneliness and loss, which can be issues faced by people living in more rural areas. Perhaps there could also be conflict arising from tourism, where tourism disrupts the peace and lifestyle of the people living in such villages in Okinawa.

This is why I think that sometimes official websites use images like clear oceans or blue skies to appeal to the tourist gaze, while often disregarding the humanistic side of an area. It would be amazing to see more about the stories, lives, and sentiments of the actual citizens living there rather than a glorified vacation-worthy utopia. 




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