It used to be common to hang a grapevine, ivy or other greenery, “bush”,  outside an inn or public house to advertise the availability of drink.

Notice bush hanging outside pub. Yay Bruegel!

If the drink is good, it is not necessary to advertize it – good wine needs no bush.

Outside Sake brewery – big bush.

Before I go to the airport I am quickly taken to an adjacent sake brewery.

I never drink sake. The drink in Okinawa is Awamori. This visit however was an eye opener.

I learnt how  good sake is made and I will do my best to drink it henceforth out of respect for the extreme care and craftsmanship involved in its manufacture.

Barrels of sake advertized by bush

I have to buy a bottle,

Aregato

I zoom back to Okinawa and leaving the airport, I stop off at the stinking pond. This is the home, sometimes, of a very rare bird. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black-faced_spoonbill

This one’s bill is not very black. A Hybrid?

Good luck. I hope your race survives.

That spoon, that spoon, that spoonbill.

I must go to mainland Japan more often. There is so much to discover.