Okinawa, Japan 5: Hentona to Ogimi
Written & Directed by James Knott

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James hikes a little further on Route 58 in Okinawa - this time from Hentona to Ogimi by way of Okuma. See Japan's largest spider, the unique tombs and the beautiful blue beaches.

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 5: Hentona to Ogimi

I leave the hotel in Hentona early the next day to walk along the coast to Ogimi.  The ocean summons me to the shore. Wading in the calm sea, I pause to appreciate my surroundings.  Weathered fragments of coral mix with the sand.

I’m heading out onto a sugarcane covered peninsula.  If you look closely in the quiet surroundings, you can find some interesting creatures. 

This giant wood spider is not only the largest spider in Japan it also spins the largest web.  It’s legspan is about the size of my open hand. 

At the tip of the peninsula is Okuma.

SOT “I just walked through Okuma where a military recreation area is.  I’m on my way to Ogimi next.  Got about 15 kilometers to walk. Sound familiar?”

Besides the Okuma Military Recreation Facility, which you cannot enter.  There is a J-A-L resort with inviting beaches that is popular with Japanese tourists.  Okuma is a quaint village with a few houses and gardens.

As I get closer to Ogimi, I encounter villages more often, but there is still plenty of undeveloped wilderness along the side of the road.

Occasionally, you will see a path heading up the side of the hill.  You will almost always find a tomb, or haka as it’s known in japanese, buried in the side of the hill.  These haka are scattered all over the hillsides and along roads throughout Okinawa – usually in small groups or cemeteries, known as bochi. 

There is usually an alter of some sort at the entrance and many times you can find gifts that are left for the ancestors to enjoy.  Ancestoral worship is a huge part of Okinawan religious beliefs.

With the steamy, sub-tropical air and abundance of open beaches, I’m shocked that I never see any swimmers.

But, I don’t let that stop me from cooling off.

SOT “I still can’t get over how blue this water is.  It’s so inviting I think I’m going to have to go take a dip.”

The water on my feet is very soothing after two days of walking.

I arrive in Ogimi, which is known for having the highest concentration of hundred year old people on earth.

It’s still early, so I decide to take a bus to Nakijin village to see my family.