Typhoon Bolaven hits Okinawa, Japan

Well, it has been a wild and wet couple of days here in Okinawa Japan, but finally things are calming down. Typhoon Bolaven, the largest typhoon to hit Okinawa in recent years just blew in and blew out. Although the typhoon traveled right over the top of us with a max pressure of 910hPa, it did minimal damage to the island, as far as I can see.

Okinawa is affected and often hit directly by many typhoons each year, according to many locals I have spoken with, recent years have been quite mild, although we were struck by a typhoon last year that lasted several days, caused mass power outages and did considerable damage to the islands infrastructure. Bolaven was expected to be much worse then it actually was, with only short power outages and very little actual damage, it seems that this super typhoon was worse on paper than in reality. Don't get me wrong, I am very happy that it wasn't a disaster area, but with all the press leading up to the typhoon, as a photographer and writer I was somewhat excited to get out there in it and capture the drama...In the end it felt more like a tropical storm and so I sit here at my computer, after a day in the wind and rain to bring you a few images from during and after the event.

Self portrait in high winds. My hood was slapping the hell outta my face

Roofs along the coastlines suffered minor damage

Fallen trees were moonlighting as traffic control

Angry seas at the normally peaceful Manza mo view point

Mountains of water moving past cape Zanpa; one of the most dangerous points on Okinawa

Zanpa lighthouse, winds nearly took me off my feet

Looking straight into the wind at zanpa...ouch!

The beach was migrating to the streets

Angry seas coast to coast

The clean up begins

Orion Beer Festival 2011: Okinawa Japan

The Orion Beer Festival and Eisa is a yearly event here in Okinawa. I grabbed my Nikon DSLR this year and headed on down to take some photos. I was so glad I did, this is one cool event...If you have spent anytime on Japan's mainland, then imagine the coolest Matsuri you attended and then imagine it was held in paradise, where the locals painted their faces, wore traditional clothing, there was not a suit in sight and the weather was that perfect level of warmth and humidity that makes beer taste oh so good!...for those of you yet to experience Japan, just imagine a large park full of drunk people in face paint and traditional dress, partying all day and night and not one fight breaking out, kids running freely with out a care and the beer is cheap. There are also a string of musical performances from local artists to keep the mood, this year however one act stole the show for me. Her name is Manami, she is basically the campaign girl for Orion right now, and not only is she cute, but boy can she sing! Between, mingling with the locals, swilling down beer and drooling over Manami the party was nothing short of awesomely awesome...ness... But, that is what happens on one side of the park, on the other it is all about the Eisa!

The Eisa is a traditional Okinawan dance, usually it is run as a state wide contest between all the various groups, who spend months training for a few weeks of contests and street festivals. While the Eisa is performed throughout the year, it is most concentrated in July as a way of marking the end of Okinawa's Obon (ceremony of the dead). The dancers and musicans (often as many as 30 per group) combine singing folk songs, whistling and drums to create the music of the Eisa dance. Usually their are a couple of dancers, with heavy face painting carrying a flask of Awamori (local alcohol) and engaging the crowd. Eisa is vibrant, impressive, passionate and a fantastic part of the rich and unique culture of the Ryukyu islands. Be sure to experience it if you are ever in Okinawa!

Here are the shots I got from the Orion Beer festival & Eisa 2011…Enjoy.