“Some parts of Okinawa feel like mainland Japan, but you also really see the difference,” says Chardin. “The vegetation has more of a tropical look, with tree ferns, palm trees, and colorful flowers, and the sea has a turquoise tone that ranges from crystalline to deep blue. These hues can be found everywhere on the island—on building walls, ceramics, and signs.” Chardin snapped the above photo of a tree-lined residential street in Naha. Photo 3 of 7 in Pauline Chardin’s Week of Bakeries and Beaches in Okinawa, Japan

Pauline Chardin’s Week of Bakeries and Beaches in Okinawa, Japan

3 of 7

"Some parts of Okinawa feel like mainland Japan, but you also really see the difference," Chardin says. "The vegetation has more of a tropical look, with tree ferns, palm trees, and colorful flowers, and the sea has a turquoise tone that ranges from crystalline to deep blue. These hues can be found everywhere on the island—on building walls, ceramics, and signs."