(Photo by Shoji Kudaka)
My day was already made after ziplining over the beautiful ocean and enjoying a tasty pizza with an amazing view, but this only took a few hours. So, I decided to swing by a couple of locations before going home.
My first stop in the afternoon was Ishikawa Kogen Tenbodai, an observatory that was just a 10-minute drive away from Cafe Gallery Doka Doka. Its neighboring area happens to be one of the narrowest sections of Okinawa’s main island. There, the east and west coasts are only four kilometers away from each other. The observatory sits on Myouyama, a 201-meters-tall mountain. Thanks to these geographical characteristics, a visit to this observatory would reward me with a great panoramic view.
The route to this location may be a little complicated to explain. To put it the simplest way, you just need to head to Bios on the Hill, a nature-oriented theme park. But instead of going through its entrance gate, you will pass it and keep going a little further south. You will reach a parking space for the observatory on the right.
From the parking lot, I took the stairs to the top. Surrounded by thick shrubs and trees, the stairs were literally cutting through a forest. Halfway through, there’s an open space with a small bench with a roof to rest.
It was cloudy day and the air felt cool, so I didn’t need to rest or cool off here. Still, I took a moment to try to catch the view through the thick greenery. I couldn’t see much, but in between the leaves and trees I could see some of the coastline where I’d been only a few hours prior.
I continued my climb and after about 10 minutes, I reached the top. In the clearing, a concrete tower like a big mushroom was waiting for me. There was also a block of stone with the letters “三角点 (triangulation point)” nearby, indicating that this location is a standard for land surveys.
Taking another set of stairs, I reached a balcony that circles the mid-section of the tower. As I faced north, I could see the island form a triangle with the west and east coasts as two sides. It was a kind of view I had not experienced in Okinawa. There are mountains and hills that offer similar elevations to this one. For example, Ishikawadake (Mt. Ishikawa) is located to the north of the observatory has about the same height as Myouyama. However, being surrounded by other mountains, the view from its summit was not as panoramic as this one. Under the overcast sky, the island looked monolithic and timeless.
I wished the weather had been nicer. Still, I had a great time enjoying the view of Cape Zanpa, Ikei Island, and the Motobu peninsula appearing through a haze.
Ishikawa Kogen Tenbodai GPS Coordinates: N 26.421494, E 127.788295 *Parking space available for free
