{"id":83901,"date":"2021-09-08T18:24:57","date_gmt":"2021-09-08T09:24:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/voyapon.com\/?p=83901"},"modified":"2024-11-25T22:17:35","modified_gmt":"2024-11-25T13:17:35","slug":"yomitan-things-to-do-traditional-village-meet-the-locals-okinawa","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/voyapon.com\/yomitan-things-to-do-traditional-village-meet-the-locals-okinawa\/","title":{"rendered":"Yomitan-son: Visit a Traditional Village and Meet the Locals in Okinawa"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Mensore!<\/em> When you travel to Okinawa Prefecture, you will hear this word often. Mensore<\/em> means “welcome” in the Okinawan dialect, but it is not only a polite greeting, it is also an intrinsic part of the Okinawan culture and way of life. A good example that reflects this concept is Ichariba chode<\/em>, an Okinawan proverb that means “Once we meet, even though by chance, we are family”. It is said that Okinawan people are open-minded and relaxed people, and those who leave Okinawa always end up coming back.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Okinawa prefecture is made up of some 160 islands with a subtropical climate and a diverse ecosystem full of hidden gems to explore. But there is much more to Okinawa than breathtaking sunsets, pristine waters, idyllic beaches, and lush vegetation<\/a>. The archipelago is also home to a unique history, delicious cuisine, and distinctive traditions and culture. On Okinawa Island, the prefecture’s main and largest island, there is one place that is blessed with all of these features.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This place is Yomitan-son (‘son’ means village in Japanese), a traditional Okinawan village where you can delve into the history of the Ryukyu Kingdom, meet the locals, and experience their unique way of life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n