Break Time for Adults Relaxing Trip to “Tonaki Island”

In an about more than 2 hour-ferry ride from Naha, you will get to Tonaki Island, where the original landscape of Okinawa still remains.
Traditional red tile-roofed houses stand in line, and Fukugi (common garcinia) tree road is so fantastic.
You feel as if you slipped back in time to an old Ryukyu village.

After Taketomi Island, Tonaki Island was designated as one of the Important Preservation Districts for Groups of Traditional Buildings.  
The greatest charm about the island is that rustic buildings and a simple life still exists here as it has not been developed for modern tourism.
All the streets are spread with sand in a time-honored fashion from the east end to the west end of the community for about 600m.  No single trash is found on the street to conserve the scenic beauty of the area.
Walking along the Fukugi tree tunnel will bring you a comfortable and refreshing feeling.

Cars hardly run in the community, so it is very quiet.
You can let loose completely to read books, play the Sanshin (an Okinawan three-stringed musical instrument), etc.
Why don’t you feel the moment of “luxurious life without doing nothing”?

There is an accommodation where you can rent a traditional, red tile-roofed house called “Minshuku Fukugi”, you can secure the private space all to yourself.

Yellow-flowered Nigana (Ixeris dentate, Korean lettuce) and Chomeiso (Japanese name: Botan Bofu, a kind of parsnip) will greet you in the garden. (Picking Experience is also available.) Walking around the community, you will find pretty Kawara Nadeshiko (Dianthus, the village flower) producing light peach-colored flowers.               

After walking through the community from the port in about 15 minutes, you will reach Agarihama Beach, and the beautiful, blue sea spreads freely up to where the eye can reach.

Just spending time doing nothing but gazing at the sea and soaking up the laid-back atmosphere, you will be relieved from fatigue on daily life activities and get a real relaxation and liberation here.

From the bank on the way to Anjelahama Beach from Agarihama Beach, you could see sea turtle swim in the sea at high tide. 

And on top of that, the island is breathtakingly beautiful at sunset.
The best spot to experience stunning sunset is Uenote Observatory on a hill.
It would be highly recommended to visit Yobikonohama Beach in the south to capture the sun setting to the horizon.

A very special view of Tonaki Island after sunset is streets illuminated by foot lights mainly on village road No.1.  It is really romantic that the lights creates a magical atmosphere in the streets.

Early in the morning, you can hear the sounds of brooms sweeping quietly.

 “Early Riser Gathering” for children of the island has a cleaning activity in the community around their school after “Radio Taiso”* which starts at 6:30 AM every Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.  This activity has lasted since Taisho period (from 1912 to 1926).

* Radio Taiso: warm-up calisthenics popular in Japan, which are broadcast to music on public NHK radio early in the morning

That’s how they sustain the unique scenic beauty of the island as well as “the heart of cherishing island” has been cultivated since childhood.

Who gets up even earlier than them?
Shimadofu (Island Tofu) shop starts making shima dofu by hand at 3:00AM every Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.
Characteristically, they don’t use bittern but natural sea water taken from off the coast of Tonaki Islnad.
That is the traditional flavor of this island.

If you make a reservation, you can buy one.
The taste of achikoukou (hot, freshly-cooked) shima dofu is excellent! 

Also at a diner at the ferry terminal around lunch time, you can savor “Goya Champuruu (stir-fried bitter melon) Set Meal” and “Yushi Dofu (soft tofu before it is solidified into tofu) Set Meal” using handmade shimadofu from the shop.

Staying away from the hustle and bustle of the city life, you can truly enjoy a leisured life on Tonaki Island.
This is an “island like your hometown” where you would like to visit on another holiday.

* For more details, please refer to the following site.
 http://cp.okinawastory.jp/ritohaku/post/2680 (The site has lots of information on Tonaki Island!)
(It is written in Japanese, so please ask a Japanese friend of yours for help.)

*”Red tile-roofed Inn Fukugiya”

Address: 1909, Tonaki Village
TEL: 098-989-2900
Accommodation: 7,000 yen per person per night for 2 or more guests staying at one house
(including dinner and breakfast)
(9,000 yen for 1 guest staying at one house)

* For more details, please refer to the official website.
http://www.tonakijima.jp/enjoys/tomaru/
(It is written in Japanese, so please ask a Japanese friend of yours for help.)

*”Bi Toufu Shop Nakashiiya”

TEL: 098-989-2248 (Tobaru San)
*Reservation is required. (Open on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays)  
*Information on Ferry to Tonaki Island:http://cp.okinawastory.jp/ritohaku/15islands/tonaki
(It is written in Japanese, so please ask a Japanese friend of yours for help.)

Okinawa CLIP Photo Writer  Hiroshi Kuwamura(KUWA)