Journeys in photographs and words.

A little of each town’s story

Motobu, Okinawa

Ie Island and Mt. Gusuku

From: Early cherry blossoms and an Okinawan winter

On the pier with a drink, looking out to Ie Island
On the pier with a drink, looking out to Ie Island

An island about 5 kilometers west of the Motobu Peninsula, forming the village of Ie. The sharp peak rising in its eastern part is Mt. Gusuku, known as the Ie Island Tatchu and the island's symbol; the island's highest point is 172.2 meters. I could see its outline from the pier at Bise and again across the sea at dusk.

Sources: ja.wikipedia.org

This moment in the journey

Drawn by the fukugi trees and the emerald sea

I sat on the veranda and pulled on my boots. Late January, the middle of winter on Honshu. I had long been curious about a cherry blossom festival held at this time of year.

Outside, the sea was shining at the end of the fukugi trees. Halfway along, a cat was sunning itself. Through the tunnel of trees, emerald shallows and a white beach opened out.

A detour to the nearby beach. The kiosk, painted blue, had a menu of shaved ice and coffee hanging outside and a whale shark painted on its wall. I walked out onto the pier and looked at the sea with a cold drink in my hand. Offshore floated Ie Island, with its peak, Mt. Gusuku. Then back along the fukugi path, and on to the festival.

Watch this scene on YouTube1:01

Read this scene in the full journey

Sitting on the veranda, pulling on boots
Sitting on the veranda, pulling on boots
The red-tiled house seen through the garden trees
The red-tiled house seen through the garden trees
The sea shining past the fukugi, a cat on the path
The sea shining past the fukugi, a cat on the path
An emerald sea beyond the tunnel of fukugi
An emerald sea beyond the tunnel of fukugi
A white beach and shallow emerald water
A white beach and shallow emerald water
A blue beach kiosk with a whale shark painted on it
A blue beach kiosk with a whale shark painted on it
Walking along the fukugi path
Walking along the fukugi path