Sunflowers on a (not so) Sunny Day

The end of January brings the celebration of the sunflowers, the Himawari Matsuri!

It is a perfect destination for a ChapSpouse outing!! 

Bright sunshiny yellow on a very gray day :0)

 

 

 

 

A few of the 'sunflowers' in my life!!

 

 

Toguchi Beach

Following our exploration of the Zakimi Castle site, we ended our gray day at Toguchi Beach.
 

This area is one of my favorites!!

 

 

 

 

 

The camera self-timer comes in handy!! 

 

 

An old "turtle-back" tomb on the grounds above the beach. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It's my understanding this beach was used as one of the landing areas prior to the Battle of Okinawa. 

 

And for the last shot of the day----
a dead eel!!!
 

Zakimi Castle

We took advantage of the Presidents Day holiday to do a bit of adventuring at Zakimi Castle and Toguchi Beach. I had been before and knew that Rodney would enjoy them.
 

I had not been through the museum, so this was a good time to go. Unfortunately, no pictures were allowed inside, so I only was able to snap a couple-- one of the lovely green slippers to wear in the museum (no outside shoes allowed in the exhibit area) and one of the sign inside the bathroom.

 

 

A sugarcane press 

Ossuaries outside the museum

 

 

 

The walkway up to the castle. 

 

There were some cute little visitors at the castle that day!!

 

We found a few photo-op spots around the grounds.
A friend touched up the above pic :0)

 

 

Built in the early 1400s, it seems this is the first castle in the Ryukyu kingdoms to be built with this particular style arch gateway.

 

 

Then we were off to Toguchi Beach
before the rain moved in!!