Okinawa, in southwest Japan, is an area with their own unique culture. Historically, these islands were the birthplace of traditional arts like kumiodori dance and karate, the martial art so popular worldwide. Today, the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University leads the world with projects such as environmental DNA technology for coral reef cultivation, in hopes to mitigate climate change. Shuri Castle, premier symbol of Okinawan culture, was destroyed by fire in 2019 but is rapidly being restored. We meet local high-schoolers using virtual reality technology to allow tourists to remotely visit their castle during its reconstruction.

Video by Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan