We have lunch at the delightful Tou Cafe and Gallery https://www.facebook.com/pages/category/Restaurant/Tou-cafe-and-gallery-151656035370230/

After the meal we chat a bit by the cars. Short chat as it has been and still is very hot with high humility. I vaguely remember placing my wallet on the car roof. I then drive 6 kms to Toya fishing harbor to buy a fat fish. Trying to pay for the fat fish, I realize my wallet is not in my pocket. I rush back to my car and find my wallet still on the roof of the car! Phew.

Anyway, I go to the dentist to have a crown fitted. This should be the last visit for this tooth, just glue down the new crown. I have had a lot of crowns fitted in various countries and it is normally 15/20 minutes of adjusting and Bob is your uncle. I had forgotten about the attention to detail of Japanese dentistry. Two nurses and a dentist fiddle and file and fit and remove and that sort of thing for over an hour. They then say they are not satisfied and will make a completely new crown; come back next week. Normally, you pay before you leave but they charge me nothing.

After the dentist I head down to Ginowan and visit an amazing wine shop. It is tiny but this is Japan. The owner is the more than delightful Hanada san who is wildly enthusiastic and knowledgeable.

I buy a 2007 Bordeaux. I ask if she sells wine glasses as I have broken all mine. She gives me two as a present.

I have been trying to find an apartment in Ginowan close to the Marina. I am so fed up of driving up and down the island. Arisa san has been super helpful and we have probably visited 10 places, none of which worked out. Mainly because I did not like them but the ones I did like fell through with the message, “We do not rent to foreigners.” I try not to get angry when faced with such clear racism but it was beginning to get to me.

After the wine shop, I went into one of the estate agents’ offices. Saya san says come with me Ryutaro san. She shows me a great place, very old, very Japanese, very close to the boat. I fill in the application. I ask if being a Gaijin would be a problem. She said no. Fingers crossed, I am looking forward to a new phase of Okinawanism.