by michael-r-lynch: Worshipping Nature in Okinawa, Japan

Grab a backpack, tent and get into the spirit of Okinawa;mingle with the locals. Hike the mountain trails, dive or kayak in the emerald oceans. Pitch-in and help a farmer cut sugarcane or harvest sweet, mouthwatering pineapples or a fisherman pull a net loaded with the day's catch. Eco-friendly isn’t a catch phrase in the Ryukyu Island chain (160 islands), it’s a way of life. You could end-up being invited to one of the many centuries-old rituals where the mountain and sea gods are thanked for the bounty and asked for continued blessings!