Okinawa, Japan 3: Hedo Misaki
Written & Directed by James Knott

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Hedo Misaki is the northernmost point on the island of Okinawa. You can see the Pacific Ocean, the China Sea and a monument to the reversion of Okinawa to Japan. There is also a great little shop where you can have some tasty Okinawa soba.

OKINAWA, JAPAN

Okinawa is Japan's southernmost prefecture. Over 1.25 million people are scattered across nearly 150 islands.

Okinawa has a unique culture that goes back several hundred years to when it was an independent country known as the Ryukyu Kingdom. This kingdom was known to trade frequently with China and as a result adopted much more from the Chinese than the rest of Japan.

The main island, Okinawa-honto, is surrounded by vivid, bright blue ocean and coral reefs. It is densely populated and urbanized in the south, while the the mountainous northern part of the island consists of just a few fishing villages and dense forests.

The beautiful, sub-tropical setting combined with historical roots that are more intertwined with China than Japan, have created a wonderful culture that is distinctly Okinawan.

TRANSCRIPT
Okinawa, Japan 3: Hedo Misaki

The powerful blue ocean crashes into the determined rocks.

I view the China Sea to my right and the Pacific Ocean to my left.

“Hedo Misaki – Okinawa Hontos northern-most point -
the views here are simply spectacular.  There’s not many people here.  It’s sparsely populated.”

Hedo means “cape” in Japanese and this cape is marked by a unique monument – the Memorial Tower for the Reversion of Okinawa.  It commemorates the 1972 return of Okinawa to Japan after more than 25 years of U.S. Military rule following WW2.

It is one of the few structures here at Hedo Misaki.

“The five or six buildings that are just beyond the camera are the only ones that I’m able to find.  I think that’s the entire town”

There is one place to eat, and lucky for me, it is cheap and delicious.  I chow down on the island’s most famous dish – Okinawa soba.

“I’d love to stay here all day, but I’ve got a long walk back to Hentona”

I take a few last looks at the epic views and prepare for the daunting journey to come.