Journeys for Knowledge

It has become apparent that a PhD leaves me far too occupied to even explore the island of Okinawa around me. Fortunately the occasional external force comes along to encourage me to really get out of the lab, and campus. In this case my friend Shalmalee had come to visit me in Okinawa, so naturally we went to explore many parts of the island I had neglected in my previous travels, including many major tourist spots.

The biggest of these tourist spots in Shuri Castle in Naha, close to downtown and one of the few remaining structures from the era when Okinawa was an independent kingdom. Thus the castle is atypical for a Japanese castle, but offers a wonderful view of the city of Naha. We only had a brief time to spend in Naha before resting for the day, but the next morning we set off to the north.  Unlike the busy urban south, the northern part of Okinawa is mostly wild and uninhabited, with the exception for a couple small towns and the major aquarium. Kouri Island is one such outpost in the north, connected by the longest bridge in Okinawa. Despite being small enough to drive around within an hour, the island offered many secluded coves to play in, and many sea urchins to go with them. I advise though when walking on the slippery rocks, it is best not to also be trying to capture a picture.

Moving inland now, we hiked deep into the forest to find the popular site Hiji falls. While not the most impressive falls I have ever seen, they were remarkably pristine and offered an interesting look into how the rocks had been carved over the centuries by this small river. However what was far more impressive lay further north, just before the northern tip of Cape Hedo, Dai Sekirinzan, a national park. The view from up here was breathtaking, and the rock formations littering the park belied an untouched pristine nature that controls the north. Okinawa is much older than many people realize, and gems like Dai Seikirinzan and Gyokusendo Cave are reminders of a deep geologic history that the island hide.

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