WATER WALK FOR LIFE-walk for all victims of war-

The walk started from Northern tip to Down South of Okinawa island.

It took 2 weeks non-stop walking in a heat & in a rain.

Northern Okinawa, Yambaru Forest is a Jungle Area with Trees, Flowers, Butterfly, Birds, Bores, and more & more small creatures...  Walking in Beauty...

Central Okinawa, Military Bases and Concrete Jungle... Hardest part of the walk.

But Majority people live in this are, so Need to Walk & Pray.

Southern Okinawa is where hardest battle was happened during the Battle of Okinawa on 1945.

Over 200000 died US, J.P. and Okinawans just in 5 months.

Many Memorial sites in Southern Okinawa. Also June 23rd, Ceremony is held at Mabuni Peace Memorial Park each year with attending of Prime Minister of Japan and Governor of Okinawa.

Start from ASHIMUI UTAKI the sacred site.

Top of the mountain over view the island of Okinawa with Full Moon & Sunrise.

                                      It was Full Moon Day. Some how...

             It says that "the beauty of sacred site is the beauty of Okinawan people".
  

                                                       Oku river

                      Ryukyu Yamagame, Endemic species to Okinawa northern Jungle.

                                                       Fern Tree. Edible.

                                Walk was covered by Okinawan News Paper.

                                        Arrival at Henoko, Camp Schwab.

                                                        Henoko Bay.  

                                              Water from the mountains.
   

                                               Cooking a lunch for walkers.

                               With members of All Okinawa Council in Gnoza.

                                     Another water spring with Kids @ Kin Town.

                                         Natural cave at Buddhist Temple.

                           One of the oldest Buddhist Temple in Okinawa at Kin Town.

                                         CAMP HANSEN, USMC at Kin Town.

Isamu Nagamine shared his story when Onna Village success to stop US Base expansion on 70's.
Villagers were more connected to the village and nature, There-fore, all villagers could be united.

                                                      We are all wet.  

                                    Zakimi Castle Ruin at Yomitan Village.

            Torii Station, US Army Special Combat. These red gates are for Japanese Shrine.
                  How US Disrespect Native Culture of other lands? This is not acceptable.

                                Rain Rain Rain, Wet Wet Wet. Yes, Rainy Season.

                                                      Walk in Naha.

                     Yuko Chibana brought lunch for 2 days. A farmer in Ginowan City.

                                                Chinen Castle Ruin.

                                        Prayer site in Chinen Castle ruin.

                                     Chinen Ukka, Water from mountains.

Hamagawa Utaki sacred site. Where Amamikiyo the First Woman came to Okinawa, she stayed a few nights at this rocks.

Yahara Tsukasa sacred site. Where Amamikiyo the First Woman stepped on Okinawa first time.

                 Southern Okinawa where thousands of thousands humans killed each other.

At Himeyuri Memorial site. In a battle of Okinawa, students both men & woman pulled in to Japanese Army and many of them were killed.

                   Hokekyoji Temple. Okinawa woman sing a song with Sanshin instrument.

                    Each year, Buddhist Monks from Main land come & offer the prayer.

Shi-sa. Protector of a House.

Koba-san. He walked all way. He is 74, Okinawan elder. We are so honor to walk with him.

Survivor of the Mass suicide in Kerama islands talked about his life on the day of 23rd June.
23rd June is a Memorial day for the Battle of Okinawa. It's a holiday in Okinawa. However, people in Main land don't know about this day. Hiroshima, Nagasaki Day is nation wide ceremony, but intentionally Japanese people keet Okinawa away from main land. It's a discrimination but Japanese people even don't realize that they are discriminate Okinawa. It means, Do nothing for Okinawa is a helping the discrimination by Japanese government to Okinawa.

Mass suicide happened because of brain washing by Japanese government that if you are captured by US soldiers, you will be raped or tortured to death. but this wasn't true. This was true by Japanese soldiers to Asian people.

So, Okinawan & Japanese people were taught to die rather than being captured.
It means Okinawan people were killed by not only American forces but also Japanese soldiers, too.