2014 Ecospirit Ride and Walk in Nanjo City

On Sunday, February 23rd on a day so sunny it would make you sweat the 2014 Ecospirit Ride and Walk in Nanjo City took place.
 
Nanjo has Sefa Utaki that was registered as a world heritage site along Shuri Castle in 200, the island of the gods Kudaka Island and cafes in picturesque areas. The first sunrise of the year at Chinen Cliff Park that was talked about Okinawa Clip was also in Nanjo.

The Ecospirit Ride and Walk starts from at signal at Yuinchi Hotel Nanjo and people go around the famous sightseeing spots on bike or by foot.

There are four riding courses and five walking courses for a total of nine courses, so parents with children, friends and couples can choose how they have fun.    

The course included a lot of famous place but for the participants the Niraikanai Bridge had to be the highlight, right?

Just seeing the riders going down the bridge on their bicycles is refreshing! When going toward the tunnel you get a glimpse of the ocean but the moment you get through the tunnel you get a huge panoramic view all to yourself and then just like that you go down the winding bridge cutting through the wind.

The 100km bicycle course starts at 6:45am. The sunrise on that day was at 6:59am. They go at full speed towards the blood red morning sun in the eastern horizon. It looks like a scene in the climax of a road movie, and is a rare sight for the early starting riders and you could some of them stop to take pictures.
 
The ancient Okinawa religion they worshipped nature like the sun and fire and ancestor, in that religion the sea in the east where the sun rose was called Niraikanai and it was believe the gods lived there. This is why Kudaka Island which looks like it’s floating in the sea where the sun rises from Shuri Castle and Sefa Utagi which is close to Kudaka are seen as special places.

Sefa Utaki is still respected for giving praise to nature and is treasured and has a strict yet tranquil atmosphere. On the stone pathways were the light filters through the leaves is perfect for walking at a step-by-step pace.

If the people of the Ryukyu dynasty saw Sefa Utaki and Kudaka Island as representative of the gods then Kakinohana Spring and Nakandakari Spring was seen as a jacuzzi for where people could get the blessings of nature.

It is said that when baths were seen a luxury, the people of the hamlet would bath in the springs. It did not dry up from the ground and the sound of them continuing to flow had a healing effect.

Just by pushing on the pedal while right you may just pass a famous play without noticing there are that many modest but truly famous places in Nanjo.

 
The participants receive power from nature and utaki as they get through the course. After the goal both the sunlight and the smiles of are warm at the outdoor market where there is a mini-concert of eisa and sanshin to be enjoyed.  
 
Ecospirit Ride and Walk will continue to be held. So how about getting out of mainland and visit and participate and feeling spring a bit earlier?

2014 Ecospirit Ride and Walk in Nanjo City
Date: Sunday, 23 February 2014
Place:Around Nanjo, the southern part of Okinawa Island, Naha *Start and Goal Yuichi Hotel Nanjo
Application Date: Friday, 8 November 2013-Friday, 24 January 2014
Applicant Limit: 2000 persons

Ecospirit Ride and Walk Office
Ride Office (In Okinawa Times)
2-2-2 Kumoji, Naha-shi, Okinawa
TEL: 098-860-3573（Weekdays: 10:00am-6:00pm）
FAX: 098-860-3488

Walk Office (Nanajo City Hall City Development Promotion Division)
TEL: 098-948-7110（Weekdays: 10:00am-5:00pm)

Okinawa Clip Photowriter Aya Asakura