This is for all of you Mama-san's carrying around newborns, families with kids of all ages, and pregnant gals who want to give yourself (and your as-yet-unborn little genius) a healthy but NOT STRENUOUS walk in Okinawa's fresh mountain air.
It's a gently undulating, looped HIKING TRAIL that you can ramble around for as long as you like --- by yourself or with friends --- and call it quits when you decide you hate the color green !
Scroll through the pics, and you'll get the idea.
NOTE : A light spray-down with DEET or OFF insect repellent, will make this walk more pleasant. The mile-long path was carved out of scrub jungle, and the occasional mosquito or two is just another part of nature that comes with the territory.
On the other hand, if you are the type that mosquitoes seem to love, and don't want to get eaten alive, then I'd highly suggest wearing long pants and a light-weight, long sleeve shirt to help the DEET do it's job.
For some lucky reason, mosquitoes tend to stay away from me.
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Today was GREEN DAY in Japan. Tomorrow is CHILDREN'S DAY.
In the spirit of the GREEN DAY holiday that falls during Japan's GOLDEN WEEK, I've decided to show you something... GREEN !
THE GREEN MILE
As the crow flies, this grassy loop is just 2 1/2 miles away from the OKUMA RECREATION FACILITY in northern Okinawa.
The "GREEN MILE", at 1.5 kilometers in length, is just a few yards short of a real mile, and a pleasant way to add two or three thousand easy paces to any day you choose to visit.
Step by step access coordinates for getting there are given at the bottom of this caption, or you can just plug THESE NUMBERS into your own App, and let your GPS guide you there :
♥ 26°44'22.18"N 128°11'57.81"E
Perfect for barefoot kids, pregnant women, old geezers with heart conditions, Mama's pushing strollers with larger wheels, Mama's packing new-borns in slings or pouches, and kids from 2 to 20 who need to burn off some energy --- at a run or a crawl --- under mountain plateau skies, breathing clean, fresh, forest air.
OR... you can be a perfectly healthy adult, and just feel like coming up here to walk this odd, green loop of grass that nobody knows about, and can't figure out how the hell to get to !
WHAT ABOUT THE PROVERBIAL "SNAKE IN THE GRASS" ?
The Bermuda Grass grows sideways (not up) and has been taking hold and laying down thatch since the end of 2012, after the course was constructed, and the grass planted.
The "flat" nature of the grass growth along the wide and pretty trail provides no cover or secret hiding places for the HABU SNAKE.
Also, there are no rocks or pebbles poking through that might cause your barefoot kids to collapse in pain, and the little islands of CLOVER along the way are nice and soft --- but don't step on any Honeybees !!! ;-)
The up-down grades are minimal, and are barely noticed if you are taking pictures, or losing track of time while blabbing away with a hiking partner.
And...after a truly GREEN MILE, you wind up right back where you started !
There's plenty of parking on a big grassy lot next to the TRAIL SIGN
You can go around again, go backwards, or call it quits at a few points where the GREEN MILE crosses the points near you car.
For all of you hikers that want or need a quick, non-strenuous hike (or a "change of pace" activity) while up at OKUMA or Northern Okinawa, come check it out, and enjoy your grassy stroll out in the middle of nowhere.
♥ ENTER HERE FROM HIGHWAY 58 :
26°44'48.48"N 128°10'53.01"E
HEAD UP THE FOREST ROAD, AND MAKE A LEFT HERE :
26°44'34.25"N 128°11'12.36"E
AFTER YOU'VE MADE THE LEFT , IF THE GATED ROAD A LITTLE FARTHER UP THE ROAD (SEEN ON THE LEFT) IS OPEN, DON'T GO IN THERE. IT AN INCINERATOR FACILITY. JUST FOLLOW THE HAIRPIN AROUND TO YOUR RIGHT, AND KEEP GOING :
26°44'36.81"N 128°11'10.96"E
KEEP GOING TO THE END OF THE ROAD HERE :
26°44'13.89"N 128°11'59.62"E
AT THAT POINT, TURN LEFT, AND GO 300 YARDS DOWN THE ROAD TO THE GRASSY PARKING LOT AND TRAIL SIGN :
26°44'22.18"N 128°11'57.81"E
♥ OR.... PLUG THE COORDINATES JUST ABOVE INTO YOUR MAPPING APP, AND REVERSE ENGINEER YOURSELF BACK TO HIGHWAY 58 !
In the end, it's about a 3.3 kilometer drive up the mountain from Highway 58 to the Parking Area, and, as I said, pretty much OUT IN NOWHERE !!!
HAPPY GREEN DAY, and...
Cheers !