Diving at Zamami Island, Okinawa

We went Okinawa trip that is best place in Japan we have stayed ever.
I heard from some friends that Kerama Islands are one of best place for diving in the world.
It is right. Zamami Island is one of Island in Kerama Islands and spectacular island!

First day:
We flew from Haneda Airport to Naha, Okinawa.
We could not book ferry at that day for Zamami Island. I booked “ Arriving diving ” to one of diving shop in Naha city.
They picked us up at airport and went to harbour directly.
If you need to fly to Okinawa in morning that is the best way not to waste your time.
We need to fly 2nd day morning so we stayed at hotel Oranjour Okinawa.
This hotel is just next door for ferry terminal “ Tomarin (とまりん) ” .

2nd day:
We got ferry “ ferry Zamami (フェリー座間味) ”. It was car ferry and took a time to Zamami around 120 minutes. If you catch a high-speed ferry it would take just 60 minutes. (Then, there was swimming competition in Zamami, so we could not get it.)
We found Zamami Island has untouched nature, small but lovely village.

2nd day to last day
We booked diving shop “ Anata no Kiyoshi ” (It means “ Your Kiyoshi ”).
Owner Mr.Kiyoshi Miyagi was born in Zamami Island and dive over 30 years. He knows many nice spots. (He said over 50 spots.)
He also photographer for marine and whales. His photo book is valuable to see.

We asked a cave, drop off for diving, and he took us exactly beautiful spot in proper time. In a cave lights looked like a shower. He also wore his fin in his hand, and pretend angel in that light shower! (Yes. He also has sense of humour.)

Third dive in a one day, he found me tired a bit. He also took us beautiful coral spot.
I had never seen such a healthy wide coral reef.

If you are diver you have to go there with Kiyoshi.
He does not speak English well but good communication guy. My husband cannot speak Japanese but he could not find problem with Kiyoshi.
If you contact them at email, they can organise flight ticket, booking ferry, and B&B for you.

Me? Yes I am big fan of this diving shop. They are open, kind, generous and reasonable mind. (Sometimes my husband finds difficulty in Japan because most of diving shop young person forces us to do their certain thing. You know? )
Kiyoshi’s wife baked Okinawa sweets for us when we left from Zamami. They were waving till we could not see them. They were kind of relative for me.
Not only ocean, cliffs are also spectacular. I do come back to Zamami Island again.

Sendai Yamadera Hijiori onsen

1st day
Tokyo - Sendai(A) Tohoku Shinkansen (2hour)
Sendai - Yamadera Senzan line (1 train per 1 hour)
Stay at B&B

Yamadera.. yama means mountain, tera (dera) means temple.Exactly that place likes name.Amaging huge forests and complex.
You can see the beautiful big cypress tree little buddha statue.
That forest's atomosphere is mysterious and makes me feel I am innocent.
That area is not too touristic but there are some nice noodle shop.
I recommend special food "soba". (gray thin traditional noodle.)

2nd day
Yamadera 山寺 - Shinjo 新庄 Senzan Line 20min
Shinjo - Hijiori Onsen 肘折温泉 Ou u Line 50min
Bus 1hour (by hotel's bus)
Stay at Kangetsu (Onsen Ryokan 8550～19050yen/person）

We catch Senzan line to Shinjo.
Shinjo station has nice Information center, they reccommend a lots option to us.
We chose Onsen that name Kangetsu.
As they would come to pick us up at Shinjo station, we bought a nice local foods and ate them in a park near the station.

The bus through a beautiful country side.
Particular it was beautiful to look at view of Senmaida. Senmaida means terrace rice field.

Hijiori Onsen is village. It has beautiful river.Some people caught a fish.It also was nice walikng around with Yukata.(Cotton Kimono)

3rd day
Shinjo - Naruko Onsen Rikuu to sen line For Naruko
Naruko onsen - Furukawa Rikuu to sen line
Furukawa - Tokyo

Naruko Onsen is also Onsen villege.

It has beautiful walking course through a gorge.
When we were walking, Nobody are there.

Two days Onsen trip - Shibu Onsen-

If you want to have experience of tradittional Onsen, I recommend Shibu Onsen.

This place is still have atomosphere of Showa-era.
Many traditional timbered building, common bathes, little rainway, everything beautiful.
If you have a chance please walk aroud this little town wearing Yukata (casual cotton kimono) and Geta (Japanese wooden crog) - they are proper clothes for Onsen.

We stayed at ryokan, Ikari-ya. (I booked thourgh Rakuten travel).
This place was official inn of Nagano The 1998 Winter Olympics.
Atomosphere and people are excellent.
And also food were amazing.
Even I (as Japanese) have never had such a tasty Japanese food for a long time.

[How to get there]
We got Nagano Shinkansen from Tokyo to Nagano.
It will take about two hours.
And then transfer to Nagano Dentetsu from Nagano to Yudanaka.
It will take about 40 minutes.
From Yudanaka Stn to Shibu Onsen you can walk 30min and also catch a bus.

[Recommend place near there]
Snow monkey park.http://www.jigokudani-yaenkoen.co.jp/frameset.html
(They have Eglish pages)
We walked from Shibu Onsen to there (About 4Km).
We could see a traditional sake brewery building and enjoy lots of snow.
(You can take a bus from Shibu onsen to Kaminoyama Onsen, that was near the park.)

That park is belonged to Jigokudani Onsen.
That onsen is a very beautiful place.
The fontal and cold air made fantastic view.
Moisture vapor was cold down and sticked to branch.That formed like a ball so many ice balls were in ground, branch , fence and everywhere.

The way from fontal to Snow monkey park was also nice little trail.We can walk through a forest. One side of trail is steep slope and other side is canal.Everybody said hello (kon ni chi wa) to each other.

Snow monkey does not care about human at all.
They walked around near us but totally ignore us.
Some monkey had a bath.
Some monkey had a grooming.
Some monkey fight for food.
Young and baby monkeys are adoreble very much.
You can see wild monkeys and their life very close.