Okinawa Bike Camping [Day 1 Yomitan Beach to Motobu Beach]

Okinawa Bike Camping [Day 1 Yomitan Beach to Motobu Beach]

Day 1 Yomitan Beach to Motobu Beach

In this Flip Flop Navigator adventure I bike camp 500km around the island of Okinawa in Southern Japan.

Riding clockwise starting in Yomitan Village on the west South China Sea side of the island my route will follow the coast with detours to all of the islands connected by bridge to the Okinawa mainland.

Michi No Eki (learning Japanese)
Road side station for purchasing local products

My Surly Bridge Club is 16 kg with the racks, 47.5 with all my gear and 137kg with the fat guy in the seat. That’s why they say it is “Fit for Fatties”

Onna Son
Onna Village

Mozuku (learning Japanese)
Seaweed usually eaten with vinegar or in tempura

Onegaishimasu (learning Japanese)
Please

Arigatou gozaimas (learning Japanese)
Thank you

Beni imo (Okinawa Culture)
Purple Sweet Potatoes famous in Okinawa

Gate Ball (Okinawa Culture)
A game where you hit a hard baseball sized ball with a mallet like croquet played by most seniors in Okinawa

The Okinawan view of death emphasizes continuity and connection between the living and their ancestors. The womb-like shape of the tomb reflects this cyclical view of life, death, and rebirth.

* Morning, afternoon, and evening music
* Asa no ongaku
* Hiru no ongaku
* Yoru no ongaku

In Japan you hear morning, afternoon, and evening music for both symbolic and practical reasons that align with daily rhythms and cultural beliefs. Morning music is used to mark the beginning of the day. Afternoon can mark lunch time, and often evening music is followed by a message to children that it’s time to go home.

Mensore (learning Okinawa dialect)
Welcome in Okinawa dialect

Uchi na guchi (learning Okinawa dialect)
Okinawa dialect

Unagi (learning Japanese)
Eel

Okinawa Soba (Okinawa Culture)
Okinawa noodle soup with port or ribs

Onegaishimasu (learning Japanese)
Please

Kochi suwatte ii desuka (learning Japanese)
Can I sit here?

Vending machines are used by many restaurants in Japan

Dou suru kaa naa
What should I do – which should I choose

Onegaishimasu (learning Japanese)
Please

Hai (learning Japanese)
Yes or an acknowledgment

Hotate (learning Japanese)
scallops

Uni (learning Japanese)I
Sea urchin

Goya chanpuru (Okinawa Culture)
Bitter melon stir fry usually with spam and egg

Read over restaurant music is there are copyright violations

Spam was provided to Okinawa and other Pacific Islands by the U.S. military iafter World War II, and it became an important part of their diet during the post-war period. The locals quickly adapted to this new food, and it was incorporated into various traditional dishes, blending with Okinawan ingredients and cooking methods.
Goya chanpuru, spam Musubi, taco rice, and Okinawa soba are just some Okinawa dishes that use Spam.

Ki o tsukemasu
I will be careful

Gochisou sama (learning Japanese)
Kuwachi sabitan (learning Okinawa dialect)
Thank you for the food, it was delicious

Arigatour gozaimasu
Thank you

Mata onegaishimasu
Again please – see you again – please serve me again

Blue Seal Ice cream (Okinawa Culture)

A&W (Okinawa Culture)

Melty double to
Melty double burger and…

Te nai desuka
Are you eating in?

Hai
Yes

Float arimasuka
Do you have floats

Ja rootbeer floato
Then I’ll have a root beer float

Sugoi oishisou
Wow, that looks delicious

That chirping sound is so blind people know when they can cross the road.

Nippon Ham Fighters

Yokoso motobu machi e (learning Japanese)
Welcome to Motobu town

Day 1 ended up being a sunny day starting out at 19’C getting up to 22’ then back down to 19’ in the evening

I ended up wild camping on Motobu beach after a 67 kilometer ride with 754 meters of climbing.

From the time I left in the morning to the time I parked my bike to setup the tent was 7 hours and 6 minutes.

I don’t stop my gps because I am not racing so don’t care if the clock is still going when I stop along the way and I am afraid I will forget to turn it back on when my break is over.

If you enjoyed this circumnavigation of Okinawa Day 1 adventure please like, subscribe, share and be on the look out for day 2 and the rest of the trip. 67km down 433 to go!

If you want to review any of the Japanese, Okinawa dialect, Okinawa culture, or other things I flashed up on the screen I will post them in the MORE section below this video.