Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
In fact, there are a number of nice beaches here and there scattered all over Kudaka, and
one of the nicest is very close to the harbor. You can literally step of the ferry and walk a few
hundred feet and you're on Megihama Beach (
メーギ浜
; Mēgi-hama). It's on the island's west
coast, between Tokujin Port and the fishing port. You can't miss it. In fact, you'll see it when
arriving on the ferry. Funny thing though, you may hear that Kudaka is known for its sea
snakes. Sure enough, on a casual snorkeling trip there, right at the harbor, I saw more Erabu
sea snakes than in any other place at any other time in over 10 years of diving in Okinawa. So
it's true, they are there. Of course, they're generally harmless so this isn't too big a deal. They
are actually quite fascinating to watch.
Kudaka is said to be the “Isle of the Gods” and many Japanese and Okinawan tourists
make a day trip to this island because of its sacred sites. In Okinawan mythology, it's the place
that Amamikiyo or Amamiko (
アマミ キヨ
or
アマミコ
), the creator goddess of the Ok-
inawa Islands and the goddess of ancestor worship, descended from the sky and first set foot.
Amamikiyo is credited with bringing an abundant harvest. The Amami Island group takes its
name from this goddess.
The small uninhabited islet of Kumakajima lies of the eastern end of the Chinen Peninsula.
The most sacred spot on the island is Kubo Utaki (
クボー御嶽
; Kubō Utaki, also pro-
nounced and spelled
フボー御嶽
; Fubō Utaki). It's a grove, perhaps a couple of hundred
square meters in size, about two-thirds of the way up the western side of Kudaka, between
the road and the Uganhama shoreline (
ウガン浜
; Ugan-hama). There's a short path from the
road to the entrance to the site. Visitors walk to the entrance, pray, leave coins, burn incense
and depart. No one is allowed to enter the site. There is a small plaque, in Japanese only, that
gives a brief description of the place, but that's it. This is truly something you probably have
to be Okinawan to appreciate.
Only a few hundred meters south of the Kubo Utaki site, also on the Uganhama coast and
close by to a small secluded beach, is another interesting little sacred spot, and this is one that
