Christian's Travel Blog

Camping for two weeks at Yaeyama islands passed quickly. Whereas I was weatherwise somewhat lucky on Iriomote-jima, the Inoda Campground on Ishigaki-jima confirmed to be on the wet eastcoast - 5 days and a grey rainy sky did not allow for one morning sunrise shot. Yesterday I had my one-hour flight to Naha, Okinawa, up north. There are no more ferries these days connecting the Yaeyamas with Okinawa. And my plan was to walk straight to Tomari port to catch the last ferry to Zamami-jima, my next remote camping destination. Rushing in rain from Miebashi monorail station to Tomari port, the ticket office was closed ... and the last ferry departed 20 minutes ago. A late plane and wrong departure information upfront, and you find yourself on a rainy day in search for a cheap place to stay. I have to add here, that I do not have a local sim-card to access internet ... hence walking out there into a grey, wet late afternoon. Yep, moral was low. Finally I deci...

Although I toured the globe with a tent in my backpack for decades - preferably on my motorbike - this is my first camping experience in Japan. I spent now two weeks on Iriomote-jima and Ishigaki-jima at three out of five listed campgrounds. Three campsites are on Iriomote and two on Ishigaki, whereas the supposed best located campground on Yonehara Beach continues to be closed since last year. Don't be fooled, as still a busline 'Yonehara Campground Line' runs daily from the airport to the west coast. Therefore Inoda Auto Campground was the only option on Ishigaki - spacious and directly located in dense native bush right at Inoda Beach. There is a reception and reasonable facilities, like a sanitation block with hot showers, covered cooking facilities and a mini-shop. End of March temperatures are still around 20 degrees and weather - probably all year round - is rather changeable. Too early for swimming, except you have a wetsuit for some of the b...

A solo traveler too needs protection from evil spirits - be it from jellyfish in tropical coral gardens, Habu snakes on a trail in dense rainforest, or be it simply an exotic food experience. However, long before offering me that 'good luck charm', the Shīsā Lion Dog has been tasked in the Ryukyu kingdoms to prevent evil from coming into a home. Already at that time construction of buildings was restricted by rank. Encircled by a coral limestone wall and trees, a classic wooden house has a ceramic tiled roof and is raised off the ground. In addition it is surrounded by an overhanging roof for protection and air circulation to enhance living quality. Nowadays concrete buildings substitute the classic residences, but the farer you depart from the main island Okinawa, you'll still find those structures fit into their environment - some of them built before the Meiji period.