The mix of Japanese brands, German and Okinawan ceramics, and smart accessories was the best I’ve seen anywhere of late – surpassing even Tokyo and Seoul. But that’s what happened when I made a right through the door at South Store. I wasn’t expecting to walk into one of the best menswear shops in Asia along a canal in Naha. Japan’s tourism authorities and hotel owners are missing a trick (read: revenue) by not embracing the sea rather than scaring away tourists, not to mention locals. I thanked him, grabbed a towel and jumped in anyway. When I pressed the beach boss for a clear reason why, he mumbled something about fish, rocks and that it was no longer summer. Though I’m quite familiar with Japan’s obsession with often illogical rules, the idea that there’s a cut-off date for swimming when this stretch of Pacific is warmer than much of the Med in high summer truly stumped me. “It’s winter and you can’t swim,” he said. ‘The sea is closed.’ So said the man at our hotel when I asked where it is best to swim along the beach. More butch and boxy than similar models from Volkswagen and Audi, Toyota should get this handsome little runabout on European streets sooner rather than later. One set of wheels that seems to dominate Okinawa’s roads is Toyota’s small-scale Raize SUV and its Daihatsu sibling. There is a high concentration of kei cars (that special breed of super cute, boxy compacts), Toyota Alphards and surf boys in old school Land Cruisers. Compared to Tokyo, with its vintage Jags, big-wheel Mercedes G-Class wagons, Bentleys and BMWs, Okinawa is almost exclusively a domestic affair. Below are a few more observations from the mall, beach, balcony and Naha’s side streets. Add to this stretches of modernist bungalows, abundant greenery, hidden bars and cool cafés, and a minimum sea temperature of about 24C at the end of November, and you know why living on Kadena Air Force Base probably beats life at Fort Liberty. Military operations are drawing in more listed personnel and contractors, and improved connectivity (Naha Airport is a dream) brings it closer to its allies in Taiwan, South Korea and The Philippines. But as tensions in the region continue to heat up, the city is now starting to punch above its weight. It’s for these reasons, and many more, that we ranked Naha at the top of our Small City Index in the current issue of The Forecast, which is on newsstands and available to order now. Up the western coast, old motor inns are being overhauled and it seems that most major luxury hotel groups either have projects under development or are looking for land to start constructing villas and spa facilities. While the tropical breezes and gentle pace of life continue to attract entrepreneurs from Sapporo and Tokyo looking for a warmer, easier place to start new ventures or manage existing ones, Okinawa is upgrading, with new highway extensions, bridge refurbishments and housing developments. The last time I touched down on Okinawa was more than 10 years ago and, while it looks pretty much the same on the way into Naha from the airport, it doesn’t take long to feel that the place is moving. Now, if you could spin the globe, where would you want to be based? Would it be a stint at the sprawling naval facility on Crete, or is that a bit too remote during the winter months? Would Ramstein Air Base be more attractive – heart of Europe and all? Or maybe being on home turf is easier? Tampa? Norfolk? San Diego? I asked myself these questions as I wandered around the massive Parco City mall on Friday afternoon, observing hundreds of American service personnel and their families enjoying the Thanksgiving long weekend and pondering whether they all thought that their assignment on Okinawa was the best gig on offer from the Pentagon. Or what about a DJ for AFN radio or a tank commander with the army. Or maybe you’re an air-traffic controller in the USAF. Perhaps you’re flying a chopper for the US Marines. Let’s pretend for a brief moment that you’re an officer in the US military.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |