Hyakuna Beach

We hope this finds you all well.

September is here, and by the calendar it is autumn, but in Okinawa the sun is still strong and there is plenty of summer left to enjoy. So we would like to introduce Hyakuna Beach, a beautiful natural beach a short way from Hyakuna Garan. It lies right next to Mibaru Beach, which adjoins the hotel, with only a stretch of rocks between them.

This is the beach where Amamikiyo, the creator goddess of Ryukyu, is said to have arrived from Kudaka Island, and local people cherish it as a sacred place. The water stays shallow a long way out and the waves are gentle, so you will see people swimming, or gathering the mozuku seaweed that drifts in from the mozuku farms nearby.

A little way offshore stands Yaharazukasa, a stone marker showing where Amamikiyo came ashore. It is covered at high tide and appears in full only at low tide. Traces of an incense burner (a vessel used to heat fragrant materials and release their scent) have been found beneath the stone, so it is thought to have been a place of worship.

Hyakuna Beach is also home to Hamagawa-utaki, the sacred grove where Amamikiyo is said to have lived for a time after coming ashore. The grounds are thick with greenery, and within the stone walls stands a small shrine to the gods, filled with a mysterious air.

Cherished and loved by local people from the creation of Ryukyu to the present day, Hyakuna Beach is well worth a visit. Why not come and see it for yourself?