Tobiasato (drawing courtesy of Haebaru Kankou Annaijo) ()
On my first day of work of the year, which fell on Jan. 4, I went out to take a walk in Haebaru Town, located in the southern part Okinawa. Although it’s not far from my home in the island’s mid-section, I’d often pass it on my way to other beaches in Nanjo or Itoman. However, on that day, there was a location in the beachless town that I wanted to visit.
Takatsukazan is a hill located by Route 507 that cuts through the southern part of the island. With the height of only 86 meters (approx. 282 feet), it may not look like anything special, but it is special to locals. This is the spot where the Tobiasato, a hometown hero, is believed to have attempted to fly in the air during the late 18th century.
According to the Haebaru Town’s Tourism Association, Tobiasato completed his flight around the same time as the Montgolfier Brothers went airborne in a hot air balloon in France back in 1783.
Like the Montgolfier Brothers, Tobiasato was a team, albeit father and son.
Though the manner in which this team reached great heights is a story with many versions, one version involves a fireworks artist from Shuri.
According to that version, Shutou Asato moved to Haebaru where he attempted to launch a vessel with wings like kites off Takatsukazan multiple times. Despite a number of unsuccessful attempts, he continued to try and the locals started to call him “Tobiasato”, which translates to “Flying Asato.”
Later, it would be Asato’s son, Shushou, who would build a bamboo glider four meters in length, nine meters wide and two meters high that would successfully achieve Asato’s goal. It must be noted that when referring to the father and son team, they are simply called Tobiasato. And the first successful flight is thought to have been achieved at a location to the southwest of Takatsukazan.
Shushou’s aircraft was capable of flapping the wings like a bird, something similar to what is called ornithopter today.
According to the town’s office, the fuselage was stored at the home of his descendants until around 1915. But it was lost over the course of time, with neither the fuselage nor its blueprint remaining. Shushou’s descendants now live in Hawaii.
In 1987, a replica of the aircraft was displayed and, according to the tourism association, it was successfully flown about 50 meters. This replica was on display at the Haebaru Town Municipal office until recently and is now, unfortunately, stored away.
I was disappointed to find out that I could not see the replica with my own eyes, but I wanted to visit the hill where the local hero (or heroes) took off more than 200 years ago.
Today, Takatsukazan can be accessed via narrow residential streets resembling something like a maze. Since there’s no parking space at the foot of the hill, I parked my car by Mobobu Park nearby and took a walk. The park itself is also on a hill and offers a nice view of Takatsukazan.
I just followed the general direction toward Takatsukazan because I didn’t have a map and Google Maps wasn’t helping. After 10 minutes or so, I hit Route 128, a relatively broad street, which seemed to be the border of the old community. Then, after a short walk past some homes and apartment buildings, I reached the foot of the hill.
The hill’s 86-meter-height didn’t seem like a big deal on paper, but from here the steep slope posed some physical challenges. With stairs covering most of the uphill route, it was easier than going on a mountainous trail. Still, trees and shrubs were hanging over the slope, making it feel like I was on a forest adventure. It took me 10 minutes to reach an open area near the top where a monument stood. According to Haebaru Town’s tourism association, the structure is modeled after the letter “A” and the moon. While the first letter is dedicated to the first flight by Tobiasato, the moon is meant to evoke the space.
The foot of the hill was covered in thick shrubs and trees, so it was difficult to grasp just how high above the surrounding area I was up on Takatsukazan. Based on the physical exertion required to reach the top, however, I definitely felt the difference in height.
It must have taken some guts to take off from there, I thought. Today, no concrete evidence is left to prove Tobiasato’s successful flight, but for me, the visit to the hill gave this achievement more credibility.
The original aircraft, blueprint and even replica might be gone, but the legend of Tobiasato definitely lives on in Haebaru Town.
THINGS TO KNOW
Entrance to trail
GPS Coordinates: N 26.185627, E 127.721952
Parking space for tourists in Haebaru Town (entrance)
GPS Coordinates: N 26.189601, E 127.724799
