Okinawa and the Ryukyu Islands. Robert Walker
taking a local flight to Ishigaki. In fact, because Ishigaki happens to be a particularly popular place, there are some direct flights to there from Tokyo but that’s not usually the case with most islands.
The “A” Line’s Akebono
Both the “A” and “Marix” Lines sail daily from Okinawa’s Naha and Motobu ports to the Amami Islands and on to Kagoshima on the Japanese mainland. As it takes twelve hours from Naha to reach Amami-Ōshima and then another twelve to reach Kagoshima, a total of four ships alternate on the route so that all islands are served twice daily, one from the north and one from the south. The service is 24/7/365 and only interrupted in the event of typhoons or other severe inclement weather.
Why Some Islands Are Uninhabited
Although many of the inhabited Ryukyu are very small, sometimes only 2–3 miles (4–5 kilometers) or less in diameter, they are for the most part arable and suitable for cultivation and habitation, although adequate fresh water supplies are always a challenge. In general, uninhabited islands are uninhabited for a reason: they are either too small, too lowlying, too rocky or possess no fresh water—or all of the above.
Traditional Okinawan Houses
A classic Okinawan house is usually encircled by a coral stone wall or fugaki trees for protection against winds and typhoon damage. It has a ceramic tiled roof often sporting a shīsā dog and is raised off the ground on stones for to guard against dampness and insects. It is surrounded by an overhanging roof supported by wooden pillars for shade protection from the sun and for air circulation. It’s a structure that’s been completely adapted over the centuries to perfectly fit into its environment.
The Shīsā Lion Dog (シーサー)
Symbol of Okinawa, good luck charm of the Ryukyu kingdom and defender of the home from evil spirits, shīsā originated in the early blend of Chinese and Ryukyuan cultures. They’re placed at the entrance of homes, shrines and graves and on rooftops. Often set in pairs, the one with the open mouth summons good fortune, the one with the closed mouth prevents its escape. Together they keep evil from coming into the house.
One thing that’s definitely not possible by air, unless you pilot or charter your own plane, is island hopping in a straight line from one island to another. For that, you’re going to have to get your feet wet, figuratively, not literally. In other words, to island hop, you’ll have to take an ocean cruise or, more precisely, one of the many sea ferry voyages that run throughout the Ryukyus.
Don’t worry, for this is no hardship and is indeed a great way to meet the people of the Ryukyus and discover their wonderful way of life. Although any sailing will take longer than an air flight, the opportunity to live life as the people who live here do will be un-surpassed and worth every minute of your time. One final consideration: in many cases, you’ve got no choice but to sail. There are no airports and thus no flights to many of the Ryukyu Islands. So, for example, if you wish to navigate and explore the Amazon of Japan, the Urauchi-gawa, the longest river in Okinawa, on Iriomotejima Island, then you’ll have to take a local ferry from Ishigaki. There’s simply no other way to get there.
Every day throughout the year in the Ryukyus there are scores of ships shuttling around from one island to another. Carrying `assengers and hauling vehicles and freight, the Japanese ferry service is the lifeline of the Nansei-shotō. Short distances, under an hour or two, are handled by local ferries. Generally, these are small ships, under 50–60 feet (15–20 meters) in length. For islands further than two, three or four hours sailing time from Kagoshima or Okinawa, larger ships of 330 feet (100 meters) and more, are used. As for the expense, naturally the longer the sailing distance, the more remote the island, the less frequent and more expensive the ferry service will be. Ferries are not inexpensive but they can sometimes be a good deal less than airfares to the same destinations.
As a very rough approximation of fares, a journey of an hour will cost around $10–$15. A longer trip of two hours will run to $25. A four–six hour sailing will set you back about $50–$75, and an overnight journey will cost around $100–$125. Halve those numbers for your bicycle, if you bring one. Figure about the same amount as the passenger fare for a motorcycle, and double those numbers for your car
Cafeteria on the ferry “Akebono.”
Welcome aboard an “A” Line ferry!
Larger ships used for longer sailings always have a cafeteria on board. By and large, the food is good and not unreasonably priced. For trips over twelve hours, more comfortable overnight accommodations are available—at a price. All the ships on the longer routes offer a variety of cabins: for two, for four and for eight. Private cabins generally have their own TV sitting area and more comfortable berths than the tatami mats, but of course the mats are free.
On all large ferries, you can always bring along your car or bike. That’s one good reason to take the ferry. However, because Japanese ferries are expensive, especially for vehicles, on longer trips it’s worth considering sailing without your vehicle (or flying) and then renting a car, scooter or bicycle once there. On all of Okinawa’s larger islands, you’ll find car rentals and usually bicycle rentals. Scooters are more problematic. Sometimes they’re available, sometimes not. And if available, the dealer may or may not want a motorcycle license from you.
Roads are often small but they’re usually well maintained and safe. Island traffic is always light. Driving in the Ryukyus, except for Okinawa main island, never poses the same challenges as it does in Tokyo. Finally, on larger islands, taxicabs are usually available and can always be hired by the hour or the day. But they’re never cheap. Count on 10,000 Yen (US $125) for a half day. And don’t forget to negotiate your fare before climbing in!
Passengers board an ANA Air Next flight at Ishigaki Airport.
The Ryukyus In Depth
We’ll start again in the north and work our way south, this time taking our time to discuss in more detail each island’s general characteristics, any special or unusual features and how to reach them. As the Ryukyu’s axis is generally north–south, the eastern shores of the islands greet the sun each morning, rising up out of the Pacific Ocean (太平洋; Taiheiyō), while their western shores see the sun set each evening into the East China Sea (東シナ海 or 東支那海; Higashi Shina Kai).
Recall that the Ryukyu Archipelago (琉球列島; Ryūkyū-rettō) or Southwest Islands (南西諸島; Nansei-shotō) is a 684-mile (1,100-kilometer)-long north to southwest arc of roughly 150 islands, approximately 75 of which are inhabited, divided in two halves: the Satsunan group (Satsunan-shotō) and the Ryukyu group (Ryukyu-shotō). Let’s get going!
Island Nomenclature
In English, a chain or cluster of islands is properly called an archipelago. It comes to us from the Greek arkhi (ἄρχι), meaning “chief,” and pélagos (πέλαγος) which means “the sea.” The term describes a group of islands. In Japanese, there are several words with the meaning of archipelago. Quite commonly used is shoto (諸島; shotō), which describes any group of islands. Also widely used is retto (列島; rettō), which again means a group of islands but has the added sense of a line or an arc of islands. Finally, a third term, gunto (群島; guntō), is used to describe a mixed or round cluster of islands.
As a practical matter, all three