b"TALK TO OUR EXPERTAkshay Magguakshay@enchantingtravels.com+1 720 310 3884Shurijo CastleCape Manzamo limestone cliffs, Onna coastluxury hotels, including the oceanfront Hoshinoya Okinawa on Cape Zanpa, where I attended a wonderful cultural ceremony with scenic views over the water. This included making bukubuku, L a traditional Okinawan tea of bubbles I and froth, and a Ryukyu dance. The V dancers moved to a folk melody from I the traditional sanshin, a three-stringed N Okinawan musical instrument. Guests can play golf nearby, rent e-bikes to ride Garound the island, go on sunset cruises, I or eat at different restaurants.N Frothy and bubbly Farmer'sI stayed at a beautiful modern property, traditional bukubuku tea harvest Halekulani, with a mile-long coastline Hand rooms with picturesque views of the Aemerald sea and beach. At Halekulani, RMI had a kaiseki meal, a multi-course Otreat spread over three hours. Like Nmost things in Japan, the food was very Yaesthetically presented and pleased the eye as much as it thrilled my taste buds.While Okinawas beaches are pristine, and there are plenty of activities to enjoy in the warm months, I found that its really a year-round destination because PHOTOS: ANAND BIST, ROBERT YANG ON PEXELS (CAPE MANAZAMO)it has so much on offer culturally. There is, for instance, the revival of Okinawas traditional stenciled-dyeing art called Visit to karate school Ryukyu bingata. I was lucky to witness the fine craftsmanship of artisans using class I attended, run by three generationsthis old technique to make fabric for of women in the family of chef-teacherkimonos. Visitors can also observe the Yukie Miyagun at the Yakuzen Ryukamaking of Kijoka bashofu, a traditional cooking experience. We learned how toOkinawan cloth made from banana fiber, cook numerous medicinal dishes fromknown for its soft texture and kasuri traditional Ryukyu cuisine, with thepatterns. Okinawa is also the birthplace chef explaining every detail about theof karate, and visitors can visit a karate ingredients, why we were cooking them,school and enjoy a demonstration, go and their health benefits. It was such anfor a nature walk in the Yambaru Forest, enriching experience for me to cook tour the UNESCO-listed Shurijo Castle, with this family in their traditionalor visit a local village communitythe house and gain a tiny insight into thisoptions are unlimited. Lunch at Emi-no-Mise fascinating culture.Okinawas main island has many fineenchantingtravels.com/japanENCHANTING TRAVELS\x1a33"