Street Snap #19 Koza (Okinawa vol.5)

In the warm climate of Okinawa, lush plants grew freely and often took over abandoned buildings. I saw raw concrete walls painted in vivid colors like pink and yellow. These buildings were not carefully decorated. They seemed spontaneous and open, expressing the relaxed spirit of Okinawa.

This roughness felt well balanced with the casual charm of old American styles. Nothing was hidden or corrected. Everything was accepted. It reminded me of the Okinawan word “chanpuru” — a joyful mixture of many things. ■

All photos in this article were taken with a RICOH GR III and edited in Lightroom.

All images are protected by copyright. Please contact me for usage requests.

Explore the full Okinawa series:

Vol.1 Journey to Naha

Vol.2 Naha Tomari Port

Vol.3 Sakaemachi Market

Vol.4 Koza Cityscape-1

Vol.5 Koza Cityscape-2

Vol.6 Koza Park Avenue

Vol.7 Koza Crossroads

Vol.8 Naha Fukushuen Garden

Vol.9 Naha Beach & Departure