Exploring Miyagi
No, not Mr. Miyagi, but Miyagi Island :) HA
“On a day when the wind is perfect, the sail just needs to open and the world is full of beauty. Today is such a day.” - Rumi
Okinawa main island has at least 10 much smaller islands that you are able to explore by car. They surround all sides of the island and have some beautiful bridges and scenery while you cross the water.
Last week I woke up with the urge to explore, opened my map and decided to head back to Miyagi Island. Miyagi Island is one of the eight Yokatsu Islands off the east coast of Uruma. It is home to about 800 residents and though it has some tourism, it is mostly use to grow..... you guessed it, sugar cane! (there is so much sugar cane on Okinawa it's really insane). Wade and I had been to Miyagi a few times before to check out the small beaches that dot the coast. While trying to navigate to the beaches we came across a few signs for sites that I kept meaning to come back to.
The Small Park leading to the overlook .
Sinugu Do Cliff was my first stop on my little exploration. While driving on the east side of the island you will see a sign pointing up a long winding road. Keep going... keep going... go all the way to the top and across from some sugar cane fields you will see a small park. The grass is well kept, there is a stone picnic table and a path leading to this view....
It was incredibly stunning !!
This site is actually home to some thousands year old rock dwellings that were discovered in 1933. Though you are unable to see the dwelling remains now ( the dwellings were buried to preserve them), there is information on their findings and a large rock dedicating this site as sacred to Okinawa's history.
As you head back down the winding road you will see a sign for The Yan Spring on your right. It is off the side of the road at the entrance of a village. Upon walking towards it, it didn't seem like much but after spending some quiet time there, taking photos and reading the history it was really serene. The dragonflies skirted the water and the spring green colored plant life made it very peaceful, regardless that you are 10 feet from a main road.
Miyagi Island is known for its natural springs. They are many scattered throughout the island. With the mix of a heavy limestone soil and different geography compared to other islands, Miyagi has the perfect atmosphere to create lots of clean water. The water from this spring was used is ceremonies for the new year and giving birth.
If you are wondering... YES, I did drink the water. :)
The Okinawan Salt Factory, A.K.A Nuchi Una is also found on Miyagi. Wade and I came across it by accident when we were trying to find food before heading home from the beach. The factory has a gift shop, a restaurant with great views and a tour of their factory. They claim their salt is healthier for you due to their very simple process with no additives or extras. Wade and I tried to gather some information but unfortunately with language barriers and time constraints we couldn't see the factory. We did explore the grounds though.
You can see Hamahiga Island and its bridge in the distance!
If you walked to the left of the parking lot and up a small path you can enjoy this view of the pacific ocean!
Jaw dropping right!?!
On my way to sites I came across a sunflower field, which isn't unusual for Okinawa but I'm never going to pass up an opportunity to spend time with some flowers. This field ended up being a maze! I'm not sure if it is here every year but it was quite fun navigating it!
There is still a few more spots I need to check out here including another small spring I learned of that is within walking distance of The Yan spring and Tonnaha Beach.
