Market in Naha
This item appears on page 36 of the February 2008 issue.
Busy Kokusaidori (Kokusai Street) in Naha, Okinawa, Japan, has many open-faced stores, bright gaudy colors and scads of neon signs. The enormous city market is situated off the main street and is something like an endless maze. On our visit we were tempted to drop bread crumbs like Hansel and Gretel in order to find our way back to the start.
Your choices are many, from souvenirs to fabric to wigs (I was surprised to find one displayed on an old mannequin with wrinkles and bags under the eyes — a welcome advertising realism we aren’t accustomed to in the U.S.).
If you find something you like, you should buy it, as chances are you will not find your way back to the same shop!
ARLENE J. GOODHEAD
La Jolla, CA