DyLon McClary and Michael Martin Murasaki Mura is one of those places that simply must be visited. Yes, it's a tourist attraction but it's a good one. There are over 100 things to do and see, 32 of which are workshops of various Ryukyu culture. This is the place that was left behind in 1992 when NHK Television finished filming Ryukyu no Kaze; Wind of the Ryukyus. You can participate in things such as glass-blowing, bingata and pottery - create and paint your own personal shisa if you want to! There are crafts workshops and you can learn to play a sanshin. If you're into small animals you might wanna check out the petting zoo. I fed a goat. Whew! So, let's get to it... Coming into the place there's a comfortable air-conditioned reception hall with information about the attractions, displays, and things to do. There are also a couple other nice amenities, like a restaurant and, of course, a gift shop Upon arrival, Michael took us through a building where I had never been in my previous stops at this theme park. As we made our way through the building we could hear music playing. The younger children were being taught some songs and dances on an outside stage. The little one in the gray hoodie was a real kick! Just loved her energy and smile. Moving out into the park Michael explained that we had missed the Lantern Festival by a week or two. It must have been a very impressive sight when, after dark, the lanterns were glowing. We were at the theme park at the same time as a group of students from Mainland Japan were visiting. They were a fun bunch of kids and Michael especially enjoyed interacting with them. With Michael Martin as our guide we went through areas of the park where I had never been before. This is a great example of how a guy can go to a place and not see it all. I'm pretty sure that this was my third time at Murasaki Mura since 2013. I think that we got to see things from this fresh new perspective because of Michael's expertise - owing to the fact the he lives on the island and has had plenty of opportunities to know the lay of the land at this attraction. I especially enjoyed this next episode because Namihira-san, the guy conducting the sanshin lesson, is the same fella with whom I ate a bento a few years ago while he played and his wife (who is also the cook) danced while their daughter looked on. Here's the 2014 visit of "Bento and a Show" HERE are photos and videos from that 2014 visit. (When you click "HERE" a new browser window will launch) A little ways further into the park we came across some goats. They commanded our attention - and got it. After leaving the goats we headed across a field to some of the attractions for the little kids.and the arts & crafts. DyLon climbed up into a tree house that the kids had there in their play yard and got some nice shots. It was a treat to meet Kevin, a Brit who owns and operates a karate dojo in the park. He allowed a peek or two... Back to ClickOkinawa.com ©2017 Contact: ClickOkinawa.com