In April 2023, as foreign tourists began to return to Japan, I visited Okinawa, which is known as the place where you can experience the most diverse culture in Japan.

In April 2023, as foreign tourists began to return to Japan, I visited Okinawa, which is known as the place where you can experience the most diverse culture in Japan. When people think of Okinawa, they often imagine “colorful” things such as blue skies, emerald green seas, and orange rooftops.

However, Okinawa’s skies, seas, and architecture are so beautiful that they cannot be fully described without color.

This time, I decided to set aside these beautiful colors and attempted to capture “Okinawa landscapes from my perspective in monochrome.”

Although I love the beautiful colors of Okinawa, I wanted to explore a new way of looking at Okinawa that is not influenced by colors by removing the colors.

I am well aware that it may seem like a waste to suppress the beautiful colors of Okinawa. However, the charm of Okinawa is not just its colors.

There are things that can only be seen in monochrome.

For equipment, I brought along the SIGMA 45mm F2.8 DG DN lens, which is easy to carry and has a great sense of ownership.

I used the Panasonic LUMIX S5 camera body to capture the scenes of Okinawa. I used the “L.Monochrome” and “L.Monochrome D” photo styles.

Interpreting the azure landscapes of Okinawa in black and white.

Despite the excitement that should come with travel, I find myself praying for the flight to end quickly due to my fear of flying… Distracting myself with reading.

In the crisp blue sky, fluffy white clouds drift lazily, while the azure sea is lined with vegetation unseen in mainland Japan. I’ve arrived in the Ryukyu Islands. Here, I can’t help but feel that this is almost like a different country from Japan. (In fact, historically speaking, it was a different country.)

Near Naha Airport, it’s natural for aircraft takeoffs and landings to be very frequent, and the proximity to airplanes is such that they fly directly overhead. Additionally, there are many fighter jets like the F-15.

In fact, being near the U.S. military bases, one can’t help but feel, in various ways, that they have been living side by side with America.

When I come to Okinawa, I feel a sense of foreignness that is different from Japan. I often feel this foreignness when I see plants or nature that are not found in mainland Japan.

While it’s nice to take a leisurely trip to Okinawa and be naturally healed by the sea, I also enjoy visiting cafes and places I’ve had my eye on.

The cafes I visited this time were located in spacious areas not often found in mainland Japan, where cafes, food, apparel, bicycles, and shared spaces are all gathered together in one place.

In today’s world, where many stores are labeled as “specialty shops,” it’s rare to see various items brought together while still maintaining a unified look. This is exactly because I feel that these stores have a clear corporate identity, and that is properly reflected in their store management.

At the end of the journey. The sight of my wife from behind, just after getting off the plane – surprisingly, this photo is my favorite.

We explored many unseen landscapes together, were inspired by various experiences, and although we’re determined to do our best starting tomorrow, intense Okinawa blues well up within me.

While travel undoubtedly offers relaxation and vacation aspects, it also allows us to broaden our horizons by experiencing unseen landscapes and new perspectives. Moreover, it enables us to reevaluate our own living area through the lens of our travels.

That’s why I can’t stop traveling.