Okinawa: the island of longevity and the birthplace of karate

There are plenty of places on our planet where beaches are almost as white as clouds, outlandish fruits fall to your feet by themselves, and ocean water is transparent like Murano glass. Many people call such corners paradise on earth. Maybe this is true, because paradise, as you know, is a place where a person reaches absolute bliss.

But what is bliss? Only the eternal bliss and bodily ecstasy? In fact, the Seychelles or, say, the Dominican Republic cannot offer anything else. Only the body is saturated there, while the mind, in the broad sense of the word, goes into sleep mode.

What if we say that we know a land in which absolutely idyllic nature is interspersed with the richest culture and spirituality? Won't you believe it? In vain! It really exists and is called Okinawa Island.

(8 photos in total)

Okinawa is the largest island of the Japanese Ryukyu Archipelago, located hundreds of kilometers south of the main part of the country. It was subordinated to the crown only at the end of the XIX century and, due to its remoteness, to this day retains an elusive originality, features unusual for Japan as we know it.

This unique place is known primarily for the fact that it conceals the secret of longevity. Nowhere in the world on such a small patch of land (the area of the island is half the area of Moscow) does so many people over a hundred years old live anywhere near. "60 years is just a bud. 80 years — the flower has bloomed," the old—timers of the island like to say.

Here every house has a garden. Women grow herbs and vegetables that formed the basis of the diet of their ancestors, and they pass the same recipes to their children and grandchildren. Citrus and hibiscus salad as a guarantee of good blood circulation may seem strange to us, but it is a special diet that locals call the main reason for their longevity.

Unlike the vast majority of other tourist destinations, beliefs and customs in Okinawa are not fake. Islanders do not let dust in their eyes, sitting for hours at the potter's wheel. Observing the movement of the wheel, they say, is akin to meditation.

Street musicians performing an intricate melody on a traditional shamisen musical instrument never put their hat in front of them. They play primarily for themselves.

At the same time, the locals are always ready to devote visitors to the subtleties of their culture. Every day, yoga classes are held by gurus at the foot of Katzuren Castle, which is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

And even the most sophisticated fighters come to Okinawa to comprehend the full depth of the art of karate. After all, this island is the birthplace of the Okinawa—te martial art, which served as the beginning of most karate styles.

As for the nature of Okinawa, it hardly makes sense to try to find epithets that can convey all its splendor. It is better to see once than to hear a hundred times. Watch the video prepared as part of the image campaign Life, by Okinawa.