The banners are up, the temporary bridge over the creek (just out of view) is ready and the temporary stage (foreground) is all thats left to ready this little village for their big annual celebration.
Tiny Oku village puts on their annual display of Koi banners. With over 500 Koi swimming with the winds, they out number the village population by nearly two to one!
Koi no Bori "Carp Banners" float lazily in the breeze in the tiny village of Oku on the far northern coast of Okinawa Japan.
Photo Essay written 25 April 2008
A rare opportunity to see practitioners of ancient rites in action is captured on camera.
Keith Graff has been a member since 7 April 2008 and goes by docgraff.
Currently in Okinawa.
I am a retired Navy Chief Petty Officer living as an expatriate in Okinawa Japan. I supplement my retirement as a freelance writer and photographer for Stripes Okinawa, a weekly supplement to the Stars and Stripes Newspaper. This is the ideal job as each week I travel around this island paradise and look for interesting sights to see and things to do for the many service men and women stationed here. As far as my photography goes, I would classify myself as a beginner amateur.
You can also find Keith at www.keithgraff.com.