Kouri Island

Hi, this is Shizuka.

Here is one of my favorite places in Okinawa, 'Kouri Island'.
It is located in the northern part of the main island of Okinawa.
It is a small island of elevated coral reef .
 We cross 'Kouri Ohashi Bridge' to the island.



Look at  this picture! When you cross the bridge which stretches straight ahead, you feel as if you walk on the surface of water.
'Kouri Ohasi Bridge' is toll-free and the longest in Japan.
I recommend you to  cross the bridge when weather is great. I want you to see the unbelievably beautiful sea and sky! You will be moved as I was to see this stunning scenery.



Kouri island is famous for Okinawan version of 'Adam and Eve' tale.
Long long time ago, there were a boy and a girl in the island.They floated down from the sky and  naked. From the sky, rice cakes would  fall down everyday, and they ate them and lived very happilly.
They grew up into adults and one day they thought  'If rice cakes won't fall down to us, what should we do?' 
So the couple started to store them. Soon after, the rice cakes stopped falling down...
They sung to the moon and prayed for the food, but rice cakes never fell down to them again.
That made them realize how blessed they were before to live without labor.

One day, when they went to the beach as usual, they saw a pair of dugong copulating .Then they realized the difference of men and women, and understood what procreation is. Then they started having children. They were blessed with a lot of  offsprings.   


According to the legend and myth, the couple's descendants were Ryukyuan(the ancient name of Okinawan people).



Kouri island became famous as one of the tourist spots of Okinawa.
In the island's pristine environment, you can feel you are part of the nature.
The picture above is red hibiscus taken in Kouri island. Its bright red makes us happy, doesn't it?
You can see the flower everywhere in Okinawa. Also you can feel the atmosphere of the southern tropical island, warm even in winter. 
Please enjoy your stay in Okinawa.

Well, I wish all of you a very merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!!　


With love,

Shizuka.