154 wanderlust.co.uk October 2019
T
he archipelago of
Okinawa, made up
of over 160 islands
slung across the
East China Sea, is
a place of chalk-white beaches
and mangrove forests, located
closer to Taiwan than Tokyo.
If you read anything about these
coral-fringed islands, you’ll
quickly find out that diving,
whale-watching and island
hopping are among the best
things to do here. And while
this is certainly true, to focusBEYOND the beaches
The Okinawan archipelago in Japan is one of the prettiest island destinations in the world,
but step away from the shore and you’ll discover the island’s local culture is the real lure...only on the beach activities is to
overlook Okinawa’s real charm:
the traditional Japanese culture
that makes it unlike any other
island chain in the world.THE LOCAL WAY
It is said that Okinawans have
some of the highest life
expectancies in the world.
The archipelago sees a
surprising number of 100th
birthdays, and the islanders
put it down to a philosophy
known as nuchigusui: life’smedicine. Nuchigusui is centred
around mindfulness, spiritual
fulfilment and physical wellbeing.
It’s about eating well, enjoying
the sunshine, getting involved
with the local community and
feeling content.
In Okinawa, everything
revolves around nuchigusui –
and no more so than the food.
Much of the islands’ cuisine uses
herbs and medicinal plants that
are native to the archipelago,
as well as plenty of fermented
foods and soy-based produce,