parallels just above Route 619. You’ll see signs here and there for a couple of miles/kilometers along this section of shoreline for Tonbizaki “Beach” (トンビ崎海岸; Tonbi-zaki kaigan). Despite the signs, there is no beach. The better translation of the Kanji characters would be coast, not beach. It may have some interest to visitors, but it’s more a long stretch of rather desolate coral stone and tidal basins on the northwest coast of Kikai.
Karimata Spring, a sacred fresh water spring.
Now driving southwest, you’ll soon come to the village of Onotsu (小野津; Onotsu). There is one minor attraction here and one nearby.
It so happens that the 130th East Longitude Meridian Line (東経130度線 - 子午線 モニュメント; Tōkei 130 (sha ku tan jie) do-sen-Shigosen Monyumento) runs through Kikai’s northern end. To celebrate this invisible meridian, there’s a small marker and a couple of yellow lines in the road. It’s right on the shore of town, perhaps 330 feet (100 meters) to the west of the fishing port and overlooking the ocean. Naturally, the line would continue across the island and indeed continue around the world from the North to the South Pole. It exits Kikai someplace near the east coast village of Sōmachi (早町; Sōmachi) but there’s nothing special over there to mark it although it is indicated where it passes through Hyakunodai Park.
Let’s admit it, there are longitude and latitude lines all over the face of the earth, at least on maps. We don’t normally pay too much attention to them unless they are, for example, the Greenwich Prime Meridian, International Date Line, Equator, Arctic Circle or something like that. But this is Kikai and things are on a slightly smaller scale here. Embrace it.
From Onotsu it’s just a bit up the hill leaving town and you’ll see a sign for the Karimata Spring (雁股の泉; Karimata-no izumi). Again, it’s nothing too, too special, but one can easily imagine that it was something special a few hundred years ago. Miraculously flowing fresh water supplies on small islands surrounded by the un-drinkable ocean are always special, usually revered. The Japanese town website reports that there is a wealth of legend surrounding this particular fountain and thus it is a sacred place. If fresh water springs interest you, there is another one, which includes a small waterfall, in the village of Ōasato (大朝戸; Ōasato), which is approximately in the center of the island, on the east side. Its waters are brilliantly clear.
Not far from the Ōasato Spring, perhaps less than three-quarters of a mile (1 kilometer), you’ll come to the last place we’ll visit on Kikai, the Ufuyaguchi Limestone Caverns (ウフヤグチ鐘乳洞; Ufu yaguchi shōn yūdō). It’s a little difficult to find. There are only a couple of small signs and they are only in Japanese. Watch for the last Kanji character “洞” as it means cave or cavern. There’s a small parking area on the side of the road and then a short walk up a hill leads you there. The caverns are not commercialized and therefore entry is free.
Pachinko (パチンコ)
Okinawa and the Ryukyus may be another world, and they are, but they are still Japan, and that means Pachinko. Like Sumo wrestling and Kabuki theater, Pachinko is wholly unique to this country and found nowhere else. Superficially, a Pachinko machine resembles pinball, but it’s vertical and there are no levers (flippers) for the player. Also, the steel balls are much smaller than those used in pinball. The player initiates the ball’s speed, but then has no further control over it. The ball travels downwards through a maze of pins, in most cases, to be lost at the bottom. But some, by chance, are diverted to side pockets, which then generate more balls for the player. As gambling is illegal in Japan, that’s essentially the payout: more balls and thus more playing time. Patrons may while away countless hours in brightly lit, smoke-filled Pachinko Parlors, where the sound levels are always a deafening cacophony of machine noise. Not so surprisingly perhaps, you’ll find fairly large Pachinko Parlors on even some of the smallest islands in the Ryukyus. It may be a little difficult for a gaijin (外人) (foreigner) to understand, but after all, what’s a sugar cane farmer to do in the off season?
The Ufuyaguchi site is a good example of the difference between a cave and a cavern. Rather than a tunnel or some narrow, confined space, this opening into the earth is large—“cavernous.” There are several chambers and they may be reached from several entrances. You’ll need a flashlight, so bring one. There’s usually no one around and it’s a little spooky. Watch your step. In a couple of places there are vents in the ceilings allowing some light to stream in. There are few stalactites or stalagmites but there are some limestone formations. Altogether the caverns are fairly large. It’s no Kentucky Mammoth Cave, but it is impressive enough.
A chamber in the Ufuyaguchi Limestone Caverns.
From either the Ōasato Spring or the Ufuyaguchi Limestone Caverns, you’re only about 2.4 miles (4 kilometers) east of Kikai Town. You can either head back over the local roads or turn north, back on to the coast, and take the last section of Route 619, completing this big circle we’ve made around the island.
Kikai is a surprising place, a lovely, peaceful island that seems to have fallen off the radar screen. No doubt the town fathers would like to promote tourism. The widely available free island map and directory (only in Japanese) is nicely put together and comprehensive. Yet, few people seem to have heard of the place. Most travelers, if they get to the northern Ryukyus at all, never leave Amami-Ōshima. That’s understandable for it takes an extra flight or ferry ride to reach Kikaijima.
Nonetheless, it’s worth the effort. Finally, it’s also worth mentioning that Kikai is one of the few Ryukyu Islands that does not have habu snakes. For whatever reason, they’re not part of the island’s indigenous wildlife. Among the Ryukyus, only Kikai, Okinoerabu and Yoron share this distinction.
The marine terminal at Kametoku Port.
4 TOKUNOSHIMA 徳之島
For the Ryukyus, Tokunoshima (徳之島; Tokuno-shima) is a fairly large island (the second largest of the Amamis) as it has an area of 96 square miles (248 square kilometers) and a circumference of 52 miles (84 kilometers). Depending on your point of view, it’s a rectangle or an oval. It spans almost exactly 15 miles (24 kilometers) from north to south and anywhere from 5–8 miles (8–13 kilometers) east to west. Tokuno also has a large population of about 26,750. The island is divided administratively into three “towns” : Tokunoshima (徳之島町; Tokunoshima-chō), Amagi (天城町; Amagi-chō), and Isen (伊仙町; Isen-chō). The largest is Tokunoshima Town whose village is called Kametsu (亀津; Kamétsu). This is where the main port is located and where most of the island’s hotels, restaurants and other services are found. It’s on Tokuno’s Pacific Ocean side.
Tokuno Island has a small airport, (徳之 島空港; Tokuno-shima-kūkō), which is located on the island’s northwest side, approximately 15 miles (24 kilometers) driving distance from Kametsu. There are two flights a day to Amami-Ōshima (25 minutes) and two daily flights to Kagoshima (one hour). There is occasional service to Naha, Okinawa through Okinoerabu.
Tokunoshima’s air terminal and control tower.
The island is well served by the alternating “A” Line and Marix Ferries,
