This time, our guide around Kumejima was Masayuki Sesoko, a writer known for his books such as "New Okinawa Travel" and "New Remote Island Travel." Sesoko has visited many remote islands, so please come and experience the charms he discovered while walking around Kumejima.
Photo and text: Sesoko Masayuki
Discover the scenery you can only encounter on a walking trip
It's often said that if you live in Okinawa, you "stop walking." There are few trains, and it's hot outside, so you leave the house, get in the car, and get off when you get to your destination. I've been feeling that way since moving here. However, traveling to remote islands is a different story. Looking back, I walk a lot when I travel to remote islands. It could be because there are few means of transportation, but I like the scenery of remote islands that you can only see by walking.
Kumejima can be reached in about 30 minutes by plane from the main island of Okinawa. It is a beautiful island with deep greenery and an abundance of water, which is rare for an island, and hydroponic farming has long been popular there. It is also known as the "Kumi Island" (Kumi means "rice" in the local dialect). Like other islands, one of its charms is the sparkling blue sea, and many people probably remember Hatenohama as a place with a spectacular view that they would like to visit someday. However, this time I would like to shift my perspective and go there to find a different charm in my own way.
Not just the sea, but walking through rich nature
The streams and wetlands of Mt. Uegusuku, a Ramsar site
If you go to a remote island with only an image of the sea in mind, you may be surprised by the deep, jungle-like nature that appears unexpectedly. Iriomote Island is well-known, but Kumejima is actually one such island. Not only is the entire island designated as a prefectural natural park, but the rivers and wetlands of Mt. Uegusuku are so rich in nature that they are registered under the Ramsar Convention, an international treaty to protect wetland ecosystems.
There is a walking trail near the scenic Darumayama Garden, which leads into the mountains and the stream. However, if you go deep into the area, there are places where even cell phone signals do not reach, so for your safety, we recommend that you participate in the Nibuchi Forest Walking Program run by the Kumejima Tourist Association. You may encounter rare wildlife such as the Kikuzato Sawa snake, Japan's only freshwater snake, and the Kumejima firefly.
Interact with locals at Uezu House, the oldest private home in Okinawa
Wife of the 15th generation of the Uezu family
After being healed by nature, enjoy interacting with the people of the island. The Uezu House is the oldest private house in Okinawa Prefecture, built in 1754 and designated as an Important Cultural Property by the government. You can enter the house after paying the entrance fee. Currently, it is managed by the 15th generation, and when his wife is "minding the shop," she will talk to you about the origins of the house. The house was designed with feng shui in mind, which is why there are no shisa lions. There are nine tatami mats, which means "if there is something missing from ten, people will try to make up for it," and there are separate entrances for men and women, which is why the "hinpun" (a screen between the gate and the main house) is L-shaped. It is also fun to sit on the veranda and enjoy a leisurely conversation while feeling the breeze blowing through the house.
| The Uezu family | ||
|---|---|---|
| business hours | ： | 9：00〜18：00 |
| Closed Day | ： | Irregular holidays |
| address | ： | 816 Nishimei, Kumejima-cho, Shimajiri-gun, Okinawa Prefecture |
| web | ： | http://www.kanko-kumejima.com/archives/members/uezu-residence |
Walk around Kumejima's tourist spots and surrounding areas
Popular Okinawa soba restaurant "Yang-gaa"
There is a popular Okinawa soba restaurant called "Yanguu" on Kumejima. After enjoying the specialty "Miso Moyashi Soba", take a walk around the area. It's so much fun to stop at the colorful flowers blooming on the roadside and take a picture of the townscape that is different from the town where you live.
Yanko's specialty "Miso bean sprout soba"
| Young Small (Yanggaa) | ||
|---|---|---|
| business hours | ： | 12：00～15：00 |
| Closed Day | ： | Wednesday |
| address | ： | 509 Nakadomari, Kumejimacho |
| web | ： | https://www.churashima.net/shima/kume/special/yan/ |
I feel happy when I can cut out my favorite scenery from among the scenery that is surely commonplace to the islanders. The area around Yan Elementary School is relatively "town" in Kumejima, but there are no tall buildings, just rows of concrete shops, and the quiet flow of time stirs up the traveler's feelings.
Another place I would like to recommend is the area around Eef Beach. Eef Beach is a pure white sand beach that represents Kumejima and has been selected as one of the "100 Best Beaches in Japan." Small guesthouses and restaurants are lined up around this beautiful natural beach that stretches for 2km, but the "desolate feeling" of the place is indescribably nice.
There are landscapes that can only be seen by walking, and in my search for such encounters, I find a place to park my car and wander around for as long as time allows. By the time the sun sets, I may be exhausted, but that tiredness somehow feels good for my body.
Masayuki Sesoko
Masayuki is an editor and writer living in Okinawa. After working as a magazine editor, he worked in print media editing and event planning and management at Tegamisha before moving to Okinawa in 2012 to become independent. He spreads the charms of Okinawa from his own unique perspective through editing, writing and photography in a variety of media. He is the editor-in-chief of the tourist information website "Okinawa CLIP". His books include "New Okinawa Travel", "New Remote Island Travel", "New Hokkaido Travel" (all published by WAVE Publishing), and "New Forms of Migration" (Mynavi Publishing), and he has planned and produced "Minna no Okinawa" (Shufunotomosha). http://masayukisesoko.com
■ Related articles on Kumejima
Let's go on a trip to a fascinating remote island.
*Some content was updated on August 9, 2019.
The contents published are accurate at the time of publication and are subject to change.
