“I’m currently in Nago waiting for a bus, so I can go up north to the unpopulated area of the island.”
Over a million people live on the island of Okinawa, but most of them live in the south near the capitol city of Naha, and near the military bases around Okinawa City.
I want to know why nobody chooses to live in Northern Okinawa.
I take the number 67 bus and head through the streets of Nago, whose main attraction is the Orion Beer factory. Orion is by far the number one beer in Okinawa.
A little beyond Nago, the road hugs the coastline, we pass a few small villages on the way to Hentona where we have to switch buses. Hentona is the last major village before heading to the tip of the island Hedo Misaki.
The bus leaves us in Hentona, a quiet town with a few small stores, restaurants and hotels.
Thousands of miles from home, I run in to someone from my home state of Ohio, who knows my mother-in-law, Satoko.
My new friends and I board the next bus to Hedo Misaki. My plan is take the bus to Hedo Misaki and hike back to Hentona, which looks to be about 15 kilometers on the map.
“We’re currently on a bus to Hedo Misaki. The ocean outside is more beautiful than I have ever seen.”
Looking out the window it quickly becomes apparent why no one lives up north. The rocky landscape crashes quickly into the ocean, leaving no room for building houses or farming.
The scenery is beautiful and I’m looking forward to reaching the northern tip of the island, Hedo Misaki.
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