Naha is a big city, but being there feels very different from being here in Hino. Naha feels like a village, and it feels close to nature. This is in spite of Hino being a much smaller city with much more open space. (Naha: almost 300,000 people; Hino: almost 150,000 people)
Why? I don't know. It is part of the Okinawan mystique that pervades my novel, Katsuren.
* You know you are in Naha when you are never more than a few steps away from a beautiful tree or shrub in bloom.
* You know you are in Naha when you see and greet people who know you by name, even though you do not live in Naha.
* You know you are in Naha when sky and clouds form a major part of the landscape.
* You know you are in Naha when you are overcome by the urge to walk, and walk, and walk. Even when it's hot.
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