Hibiscus, ヒビスカス or 赤花, is a vibrant red flower native to warm-temperate, subtropical and tropical regions throughout the world. They are found throughout Okinawa, and the nearby Yaeyama islands.
The flowers themselves only last for a day, and then curl up and fall off. The high turnover rate means that the shrubs continually have numerous flowers, so unless you specifically look for the same flower the following day, you may not notice its absence.
Two symbols of Okinawa
Whilst on holiday, we tried "hibiscus beer" , which was Orion (pronounced the Japanese way; orry-on) mixed with hibiscus extract. It was extremely tasty, and quickly became a favourite way to cool down in the hot afternoons. It's responsible for our recent quest for fruit beer since returning to Tokyo.