We debated about riding the rugged and remote northern half of Okinawa. It is rugged with few services. We would be heading north on the west side to Cape Hedo and then down the East coast. It isn’t a great distance…about 120 km. The problems we had to consider however changed our mind. The timing was not ideal as many things are closed due to the New Year’s break, accomodation needs to be booked ahead and contacting owners was a challenge. There are also no Conbinis which means we would need a lot of cash, but the clincher was that motorcycles love this route…there may be fewer cars but we don’t relish sharing the road with hordes of motorcyclists enjoying the holiday…often in groups of 20 or more riders. Some are friendly, but they can be fast, loud and dominate the road. Our compromise was to head north on the west side and connect with a road that would take us across Okinawa to Higashi area. This will give us a taste of the beauty and rugged nature of the north. Problem solved.
Before we headed out of Nago, we rode by the Shrine. Crowds are a bit thinner but the lineups continue for the important first visit of the New Yesr.
A shop selling traditional Okinawan instruments…like the Sanshin on the right. It is considered to be the soul of Okinawan music and most Okinawan homes have a Sanshin which is played by all ages. Its appearance is similar to a banjo but it has 3 strings and is usually covered in sna,skin.
We visited the last Conbini which will be available to us for a few days. We sat on our trikes and had a snack, all the while being watched by this cat.
We know we include a lot of photos of Shisas, but we do find them fascinating. They come in many sizes and materials, but they are emblematic of Okinawan culture.
We keep seeing these black traps/boxes along the road, spaced about 50 m apart. When we got to our accommodation, we asked what they are for as the opening is too small for a rat. They are used to trap the aggressive and dangerous Taiwanese Pit Viper. Glad we aren’t camping.
As well, we frequently saw these white box traps. They are here to trap Mongoose who were introduced to Okinawa in 1910 in an attempt to control the population of venomous snakes. The problem is, the Habu snake is nocturnal and the mongoose hunts during the day. They never meet. The other reason to trap the Mongoose is that they are killing the endangered Okinawan bird, the Rail. This bird is only found in the Yonbaru forest in northern Okinawa.
The Okinawa Rail was only discovered by scientists in 1981. It is a flightless bird and only lives in the Yanbaru forest in Northern Okinawa. It is Japan’s most endangered bird. It has become a symbol for this part of Okinawa.
Scott AndersonWhat a beautiful animal. I assume this was downloaded from somewhere, but if you shot this yourself that’s really astonishing. Reply to this comment 1 week ago
Barry BartlettWould love to say this is our photo. But, as you suggested, Barry got it online. Aren’t they incredible? Reply to this comment 1 week ago
In the area where we are riding, the fence at the road has been installed and it is designed to keep the Mongoose from moving north from the south. The fence is meticulously attached to the ground and reinforced.
The Taiwanese Pit Piper. This snake was introduced to Okinawa in the 1970’s for exhibitions and medical purposes. Somehow, a few escaped and have since populated the island. The local government is actively trying to eliminate this invasive snake. It is highly aggressive and venomous. We encountered Pit Vipers on South Korea on the bike path sunbathing. They can also be aggressive and are very deadly.
We had a problem when we checked in at our hotel, Hundred Days Hotel. Sometimes our credit card does not work at some businesses in Japan and unfortunately that was the case here. We had to use up much of our cash to pay the bill and we didn’t feel up to a long ride to another place to buy food where we could use cards, so went to a local Variety Shop…a scaled down Conbini to put it lightly. But we got enough for a simple dinner. A cultural experience.
The shop was full of photos of the woman who ran the shop. We were able to get some bread, instant soups and beer,
There is little commerce or village where this hotel is located. Its location on the water is lovely and it offers accommodation to people who have toured the north loop. A young woman who hails from Tokyo and had great success on Instagram and TikTok bought this run down older property and rebuilt it. It took One Hundred Days, hence the hotel’s name. She has created a wonderful hotel with wonderful amenities, spacious rooms and large balconies overlooking the sea. Worth the trip.
