Realizing Small Changes Broadens Your World. Experience the Oki Islands From a New Perspective!
Okinoshima Town is located on the largest inhabited island of the Oki Islands. The island’s size far exceeds that of the other three islands, and the population exceeds 10,000.
When you think of Okinoshima Town, is the expansive blue sea the first thing that comes to mind? Crystal clear waters, delicious seafood, and the variety of marine activities captivate the hearts of visitors. But there is more to the island than just the sea.
If you head to the centre of the island, you can find lush mountains and forests that overwhelm any visitor. When you drive around the island, you will immediately notice how different this island is from the other Oki Islands. Majestic mountains and the deep green forests covering the mountains. The spectacular nature there is enough to make you forget that you are on an island.
One of the most eye-catching trees is the 800-year-old Chichi-sugi Japanese Cedar, which stands on the northern slope of Mt. Daimanji, the highest mountain in the Oki Islands. As its Japanese name suggests, this giant tree has aerial roots resembling the shape of breasts, and it gives a mysterious presence.
↑Chichi-sugi Japanese Cedar is 40m in height, with a circumference of 11m. It branches into 15 branches halfway up the tree trunk.
Okinoshima Town offers a wide range of trekking courses, suitable for everyone from beginners to experienced hikers, and they allow you to fully enjoy its vast natural environment. This time, we asked Ms. Morimoto, a freelancer, to be our tour guide for the trekking experience. In addition to her work as a marine activity guide, such as sea kayaking, Ms. Morimoto also works as an Ama (a female freediver who harvests a wide variety of seafood from the ocean floor), collecting abalone and sazae turban shells. She is a guide who knows both the sea and mountains of the Oki Islands inside and out.
Out of the many trekking courses available, we chose the Washigamine Hiking Trail. The highlight of this trail is the natural forest composed of Japanese cedar trees, known as Shizen-kaiki-no-mori Forest, and you can see the “natural Japanese cedar trees of Oki” here. Also, the area is notable for its strangely shaped rock formations, such as Lizard Rock and Byōbu-iwa Rock (Folding-screen Rock), as well as unique vegetation.
With Ms. Morimoto leading the way, we stepped into the natural forest from the trailhead. Sunlight was filtered through the trees, and the air was cool. A refreshing atmosphere that invites you to take a deep breath spreads throughout the place. After a short walk, we heard the sound of a babbling stream coming from somewhere. “I wonder if there are any today,” said Ms. Morimoto, as she stopped and peered into the water.
“You can observe the larvae of the Oki salamander around here. This salamander is an endemic species that has only been confirmed to live in Okinoshima Town. They breed in the streams in the mountains. When they reach adulthood, they migrate to the surrounding land areas. However, it seems they aren’t around today.”
As we advanced, Ms. Morimoto started to explain about the plants and creatures that caught our eyes. The breadth of the explanations is particularly noteworthy. She beautifully weaves the story of how a particular plant, sometimes as a medicinal herb and sometimes as part of an annual local event, gets connected to the culture and the daily lives of the locals here in the Oki Islands.
I asked her why she knew so much about it.
“There are gains from lectures organised by the geopark, but that’s not all. I learnt about most of the things here from the locals living here. Stories passed down from generations, blessings from nature, and wisdom that is integrated into everyday life are all so fascinating, and there is no end to learning.”
I realised that each story Ms. Morimoto shared was closely connected to the lives and history of the local people. Her depth of knowledge and the way she speaks only served to pique my interest in nature.
As we proceeded along the trail, a strangely shaped rock suddenly appeared between the trees. At first, it looked like just another rock, but its unique shape caught our eye. Upon closer inspection, it looked like a lizard climbing vertically up a cliff. This rock is called “Lizard Rock” and is one of the most impressive rock formations in the Oki Islands. It is hard to tell from a distance, but the rock is said to be around 26 metres long.
The Oki Islands are home to many famous spots created by coastal erosion caused by the rough waves of the Sea of Japan. But Lizard Rock, on the other hand, was formed by erosion on land. Instead of waves, natural forces on land such as wind, rain and river currents have eroded the mountain over many years, causing it to collapse. After years of repetition, this unique shape was created.
Although the altitude is not that high, the slope is unexpectedly steep. The hike is gradually putting strain on my feet.
Feeling a little tired, I pressed on. Suddenly, I noticed a change. The surrounding trees looked different. And before I knew it, tall Japanese cedar trees started to stand out. With their thick trunks, the trees stand majestically, exuding the weight of their growth rings.
“Most of the Japanese cedar trees you see in Japan are afforested. But here, it is one of the few natural forests of the Japanese cedar trees. It is a valuable location. Japanese cedar trees are classified into two types: “omote-sugi”, distributed along the coast facing the Pacific Ocean, and “ura-sugi”, along the coast facing the Sea of Japan. DNA analysis has confirmed that the Japanese cedar trees in the islands’ natural forests and Chichi-sugi are “ura-sugi”. About 20,000 years ago, during the last glacial maximum, the Japanese cedar trees on mainland Japan lost their habitat to the cold weather. The ones on the Oki Islands survived. The Japanese cedar trees in this natural forest still have a high level of genetic diversity, making them precious trees with genes that can only be found here.”
In this area, there are an astounding 800 natural Japanese cedar trees, some of which are 200 to 400 years old. Other tall trees that can be seen here include Japanese thuja, fir, Japanese wingnut and katsura tree.
Ms. Morimoto is not only a trekking tour guide, but also a sea kayaking tour guide. This is because of her career experience. Born in Tokyo, Ms. Morimoto joined the media industry after graduating from university. But she couldn’t suppress her love for the ocean and her desire to work in a job related to the boundless blue. So, she moved to Australia.
Waiting for Ms. Morimoto was the world of ecotourism, with the ocean as its field. She took up a very rare occupation; an adventure guide instructing participants how to swim with wild whale sharks. At the same time, she also contributed to data collection and conduction of ecological surveys. During those four years, she learnt about the existence and connections of creatures living in the ocean, and felt the enormous scale of nature through the way they migrate and live. She said she found joy and excitement in conveying that charm. After returning to Japan, she sought a way to connect with nature in the country and worked as a kayak guide in Wakayama. She was later drawn by the charms of the Oki Islands, and moved here seven years ago.
Her life has truly been one that has been linked to the ocean. Her wealth of knowledge and experience proved useful being a trekking guide, but guiding out at sea is where she shows her true potential.
“At first, I came to the Oki Islands because I was attracted by the sea. But before I knew it, I also began to feel attracted to the mountains. I was originally afraid of mountains and didn’t like them very much. But my meetings with the seniors who knew about the mountains, changed my perspective,” she recalled.
“When I went into the mountains with my seniors, I realised that even though we were looking at the same scenery, the world they saw was completely different. Back then, to me, trees were just trees and rocks were just rocks. But my seniors looked at things from more multifaceted standpoints. The story of trees and rocks ‘being there’, insects inhabiting together, and the laws of nature. The world being looked at from multiple viewpoints has depth, is colourful, and appears three-dimensional. It is as if I can see how all of these things are connected.”
When she thought, “I wish I could see the world like they do,” she felt the urge to try looking at the world with similar eyes.
“That experience urged me to study more. I learnt about the plants, creatures, the history of the land, geology and fundamentals. I also went into the mountains many times throughout the year to see it with my own eyes. I imagined all sorts of things and felt like I was unravelling each question one by one. I probably am not seeing the same things as my seniors yet, but what I see has changed since my first year in the islands.”
Here on the Oki Islands, designated as a UNESCO Global Geopark, not only can you enjoy the dynamic and overwhelming beauty of nature that spreads out before your eyes. By expanding your perspective just a little, previously unseen backgrounds emerge, and imagining them makes your experience even more enjoyable.
“I want to help others make discoveries that come from a new perspective. I want my customers to change their point of view a little, and feel the stories and connections that lie beyond the scenery they see.”
Through the Oki Islands, her goal is to let people, as many as possible, know about the beautiful culture and practices that have been passed through the generations, and the natural environment surrounding them. She hopes to utilise her experience gained in Australia to help international visitors, as well as domestic visitors, experience the profound charm of the islands’ culture and nature. However, this is different from excessive tourism such as over-tourism. Her goal is to increase the number of fans of the islands.
“It’s great when those who have been here once say, ‘I want to go to that place next time,’ and return again and again. It makes me so happy when they say, ‘I am glad I came to the Oki Islands. I like Oki.”
Through Ms. Morimoto’s guide, we hope you will see Oki from a different perspective than before. Even if the scenery you see is the same, the world will appear to be deeper and more colourful if you change the way you interpret it. There you will find new surprises and emotions that are sure to deeply captivate the hearts of all who visit.
The Bay of Fuse
Blending into our daily lives, beautiful scenery stretches around the island. No matter where you look, there are lovely views. If I have to pick one, it would be the view that greets me when I return to the bay of Fuse.
I live in Fuse area. The scenery of the bay of Fuse that greets me when I return after fishing or sea kayak tours, gives me a sense of relief after returning from the open sea, and makes me murmur “I’m home” in my mind. I am grateful that the sea and mountains are in my daily life.