Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
The causeway and gated entrance to Adjijima, one of Okinawa's most unusual tiny islands because it is
privately owned. A helipad is marked on the causeway in front of the gate.
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ADOCHIJIMA
アドチ島
Returning to Kudakajima and Azama Port, it is 5 miles (8 kilometers) south on the coastal
road (Route 331) to Yamazato (
山里
; Yama-zato), a small village. It would appear that
the village is particularly prosperous—or at least well-regarded in the Prefecture's legis-
lature—because it has on its shoreline a substantial collection of modern infrastructure
amenites: a sports field, a nice-sized port and a white sand beach with ample parking,
showers and changing rooms. All of these facilities are man-made; they've been constructed
and they're not old. Moreover, the whole complex is protected by a couple of large concrete
tsunami barriers, seen in the photo opposite.
From the barriers you could swim or perhaps walk at low tide to Adochijima (
アドチ島
;
Adochi-jima), a small, green uninhabited islet just offshore. It's about 1,640 feet (500 meters)
of the coast of Okinawa, but only around 410 feet (125 meters) from the end of the port's
tsunami breakers. It is a fairly symmetrical rectangle, about 660 feet (200 meters) long by 230
(70 kilometers) wide. It has a nice beach on the side that fronts Yamazato's harbor. It's com-
pletely covered in dense vegetation.
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TAMATAIWA
タマタ岩
Perhaps a bit less than a mile (1.25 kilometers) east of Adochi, maybe a third of the way from
the shore to Kumakajima, you'll find a little set of rocks, Tamataiwa (
タマタ 岩
; Tamata-
iwa). Altogether, there are about a dozen of them, none larger than about 65 feet (20 meters)
across. As they could be easily enough run into on some early morning or nighttime sailing,
there is a signal light warning beacon on one of them.
