Miyakojima, Yokohama, SIGGRAPH Asia 2009
Posted by: Tom Rieke
For many centuries, the Ryukyu Islands were a small kingdom that was strongly influenced by (and sometimes owned by) its much larger neighbors, Japan and China. After the Second World War, the islands were owned by the US, until 1952, and there is still a large US military contingent in Okinawa, the largest island. I wanted to avoid all those Americans, so I traveled on to Miyakojima
Where I discovered beautiful beaches.
Dramatic coastal views. Winding roads through sugar-care fields.
And even a German Culture Village featuring a full-scale replica of a castle overlooking the Rhine Valley near Wiesbaden. It was created to commemorate the German sailors who were rescued by the islanders afrer their ship crashed onto a Miyakojima reef in 1873.
While driving around Miyakojima and nearby islands, I also discovered my favorite official road sign in all of Japan:
Okinawa and the Ryukyu Islands enjoy Japan’s warmest climate, but they also have the nation’s lowest per-capita income. They are the US Virgin Islands or Puerto Rico of Japan. People there speak a southern version of Japanese. The local music is based on a banjo-like three-stringed instrument that people love to dance to. Life is peaceful and quiet. In Miyakojima, people leave their car engines running when they walk into a convenience store.
So I was sad to leave after eight days in tropical Japan and return to a big, cold city. But the design of the 747 that flew me from Okinawa to Tokyo made me smile:
The second edition of SIGGRAPH Asia (computer graphics and interactive techniques) opened on 16 December in Yokohama, which is celebrating 150 years since the first American ships were allowed to enter the port. It was the historic “opening” of Japan to the rest of the world after centuries of isolation. Not total isolation, because the Portuguese and others visited now and then, but they were told to go away and not come back. Today, Yokohama is a huge international port. In the central tourist area, this sailing ship reminds vistors of the 19th century:
I checked into the nearby Intercontinental Yokohama Grand (on right in the photo below) and enjoyed this view from my room:
SIGGRAPH Asia 2009 was in the conference center next door and the Pacifico center across a small plaza.
By most measures, the conference was a success. About 6,500 artists, animators, engineers, scientists, and entrepreneurs met, mingled, and partied for four days. And Q’s graphic design and marketing materials received positive reviews. At the end of the week, we all agreed to meet again next December in Seoul for SIGGRAPH Asia 2010.
