ISLAND GUIDE
North The heavily-forested lands of northern Okinawa are known collectively as “Yanbaru” (which translates into “mountainous areas”). A dizzying variety of trees are home to numerous types of birds, and the areas below host countless other living creatures that live in the nooks and crannies of roots as well as in the ponds and streams that feed them. Many of these creatures are members of endangered species that cannot be found anywhere else in the world. Modern-day Yanbaru also features many sights, sounds, tastes, smells and experiences that take visitors back to the days of old, a place without large, bustling cities and traffic gridlock, a place that still offers crystal-clear air in bounty and a surplus of astoundingly beautiful landscapes.
OKINAWA GUIDE 2022–2023 | 155
