Since our time on Okinawa is coming to an end, we are spending every weekend exploring the things we haven't made it to in the past. Two weekends ago, we stopped for lunch at Bikuri Donki before our trip down to the Former Japanese Navy Underground Headquarters.
Bikuri Donki is by far one of my favorite restaurants on island. I've asked my Japanese friends about the silly name, but none had an explanation and even stranger, the building itself looks like a rundown shack! Anyway- it is unique in that it only serves one thing, hanbagu. Hanbagu is defined by the Japanese as a hamburger steak, but in my opinion it's the most delicious meatloaf shaped like a hamburger, definitely not a chopped steak. The food is great and the decor is even better. Just take a look at the faucet in the ladies bathroom!
After lunch, we made our trek down to the Navy Underground Headquarters. This site is significant in that it was part of the last battle of WWII, the Battle of Okinawa. As the Navy Admiral saw his end was near, he sent a telegram to mainland Japan telling of the heroism of the Okinawan people. And after writing a farewell message on the wall, he and 175 of his staff committed suicide rather than be killed or captured by the Americans. Not an uplifting place, but incredibly interesting. There are miles of tunnels underground that were dug using only a pick ax and hoe! Having toured the Cu-Chi tunnels in Vietnam and now these, it is amazing the ingenuity we have as humans.
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