People live by its time, whose ticks are the breath of the moon. That bountiful lifestyle seems to be there in Okinawa, even where modern lifestyles have become mainstream.

The old, traditional island ways still live in the hearts of the people.

Work hard and play hard. The average Okinawan's work hours rank near the top nationally. That may explain how well they use their off-days for recreation; drinking with friends, taking lessons for self-improvement, fishing and shellfish gathering, camping and partying at the beach. Without a doubt, Okinawans love to play outdoors.

A teapot full of tea or ice-coffee is served along with light snacks, Tenpura or Hirayachi (Okinawan pancake), etc., and people gather around to chat. Whether at home, in the workplace, under a parasol or in a leafy farmland shade, people spend the short afternoon break in their own styles. If at home, one might expect a visit from grandma in the neighborhood with her proud and delicious dish. If it is at the workplace, each person might bring something for everyone to munch on or they might chip in to buy some Tenpura - either way, it ends up with a table full of snacks.

And even if it is just an elderly sitting on the veranda, drinking jasmine tea with brown sugar lumps, the siesta seems luxuriously elegant. "Three o'clock tea" could very well be a custom that symbolizes the Okinawan lifestyle.

People living naturally, taking things as they are, without resisting the climate of the islands -- this is also the appeal of Okinawa.