Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
acts as “toastmaster” and makes a short speech related to the evening's celebration or par-
ticular event being observed. He or she pours
awamori
for the neighboring person and each
around the group fills his or her small
awamor
i glass. All drink. The next person then repeats
the process. This can go on all night. It's said that it's never polite to leave. The only escape is
feigning a trip to the restroom and then running or stumbling out the back door.
Miyako is an interesting island and there is more to see and do than it might at first ap-
pear. It can take a day or two to see it all and it's large enough that you'll probably want to rent
a car, scooter or bike to get around. That's easily done as there are numerous vehicle rental
places in Hirara. If you are planning on touring the island by car or bike, it's most efficient to
circle it counter-clockwise. That way you'll see the south and east coasts in morning light and
the northern and western shores in the afternoon and evening light.
To accomplish this, in one relatively long day, we'll track along all three sides of the
triangle-shaped Miyako. Starting in Hirara and driving south we'll then follow the island's
southern coast from west to east. That's about 21 miles (34 kilometers). Then we'll drive from
the southeastern tip at Cape Higashi-Henna to Miyako's northern end at Cape Nishi-Henna,
which is also approximately 21 miles (34 kilometers). From there we'll head south along the
island's west coast, ending back at Hirara, about another 9 miles (14 kilometers).
Starting in Hirara, you might begin with the Hakuai Monument (
博愛記念碑
; Hakuai
kinen-hi). Designated as a “Monument of Humanity,” this large memorial stone is dedicated
to German-Japanese friendship. It's inscribed with thanks from German Kaiser Wilhelm I
(1797-1888) to the people of Miyako. It's located in the center of town, not far from the port,
but tucked away in an overgrown park and looking a bit forlorn.
In 1873, the
J. R. Robertson
, a German merchant ship, ran aground off Miyako in a
typhoon while sailing from Australia to China. The islanders took care of the sailors for a
month and then sent them home via China. In 1876, another German ship arrived, this one
carrying the stone expressing the gratitude of the German emperor. The inscription is in both
German and Chinese, the lingua franca of the Ryukyus at the time, but hard to make out. It
describes the distress and rescue of the shipwreck.
Ever since that time there has been a particular bond between this small island and Ger-
many. In 2000, at the time of the Okinawa G-8 Summit, then Chancellor Gerhard Schröder
and his wife made a special visit to Miyako to renew the friendship alliance between these two
far-apart places. On July 21 of 2000, a road was dedicated to Chancellor Gerhard Schröder-
Strasse (
シュ レーダー通りの碑
; Shurēdā-dōri no ishibumi), which runs out past the airport
on the way to the Ueno German Culture Village.
