Naha, Yui and Kokusai

We took a day trip down to Naha to ride the Yui monorail and visit Kokusai street today. On Sundays the street is closed off and with no traffic, smog, or horns blaring it is a fun place to explore. I took a load of pictures and have a bunch I want to share, so this may get long. Grab a drink and bag of chips or bowl of edamame if you please.
This morning we told the boys we were going on an adventure, and it was a secret. That always gets them excited. I only gave 1 hint. It started with the letter Y. Keegans only guess was a Yak...if I knew where to find a yak, we would have went there instead.
We had to park and walk a block to the big surprise....

The Yui Monorail is a monorail train that goes above Naha City in downtown Okinawa. We parked, walked to the train station and bought all day passes for everyone so we could ride all the way through and see the city from a birds eye view.




See the Shisa on the side of the building?


We got off the monorail at Kokusai Street, also known as the Miracle Mile. It is the shopping district in Naha. A huge touristy place. Lots of shopping, food, and a few games for the kids.

Star sand in a bottle. There is a story behind the star sand. But I can't remember it, maybe next time. It can only be found on a few beaches and it's cute. That much I do know.

We bought lots of this, so if you live in the states and have a birthday coming up, this may be what you get...act surprised.

Since 1982!? Me too! December 23rd 1982 to be exact, remember that, I expect gifts, and you can't give me the star sand back.


Random Japanese fact: All restaurants have a nice glass case out front displaying an EXACT replica of what the food you may order will look like. It is really nice for those of us that can't read Kanji. We just point and voila, we get the food we want.


Kokosai street was filled with the prettiest Shisa I have seen so far. Thomas didn't like them though. He prefers the more traditional design.

Dayton is a crowd favorite, especially when we get away from the base where the locals don't see American babies all the time.



We found a little shop where the kids could paint their own Shisa. These are the prettiest ones now.




Since the street is closed off, that means no taxis. Their solution, the taxi trike. We didn't ride one this time, maybe next.


While the street is closed off the kids can play with bubbles, water toys and chalk on the pavement.



Look at the size of this bubble!


Another taxi trike..

Habu Sake

Albino Habu?


Creepy mannequins


A broom whistle.

We stopped to get ice cream. Keegans was blackberry and oh so good, until it fell off the cone.
Japanese and their randomness....

Thomas contemplating his next move.


Yeah, we weren't real sure what his act was suppose to be.

Taiko shoes.

Don't get your hand caught in the door!

Thomas, getting irritated with me.

What you see here is rain, what you don't see is how soaked we were after having to walk from the train station back to our parking garage.


On our way home I asked the boys what their favorite part of the day was. Bradens instant response was "Playing in the rain!" Keegans was painting the Shisa, that was mine too.