What has left the biggest impression on you during this trip?

When you are traveling, there is often one scene or landscape that gets embedded in your mind. Even if you don’t take a picture of it, the image is as clear as the moment you saw it. No matter who the traveler is, they are sure to experience this at least once in their lives. Just what kind of scene has stuck for you? Let's take a second to imagine it.

Why do you think you have remembered this scene in particular? This might be the key to understanding just what it is you are seeking in your travels. And just what does this scene beg to question?

Right now, this question might still be unclear, with no actual form. Maybe what you need to put this into a clearer form is to write a letter to someone. Let’s write a letter that details what you have discovered on your journey and what you have learned while exploring Oki. The moment you take up your pen, you will feel the fragments in your memory come together in unimaginable ways, and the emotions you couldn’t put into words will become clear.

This could even be a letter to yourself. We hope you can take the Oki islands with you as you continue on your journey.

“Kinnya Monya.” An island local sang this famous local folk song for me. While we couldn’t help humming along to the shamisen, they sang cheerfully, revealing the true nature of the island locals.

The title of the song, “Kinnya Monya,” literally translates to “I have neither money nor women,” but the song itself is a love song, which seems inconsistent with the title. The history of this song isn’t very clear, and some say the song was passed along from Okinawa, or Nagano, or the cargo ships that sailed through the sea of Japan. Others say that soldiers returning from the battle of the Satsuma rebellion of 1877 brought the song back from their travels.

It might have just been some drunkard at a bar who had a bit too much to drink and wanted to show off the interesting song he heard. The people at the bar joined in on the fun, dancing away the night. As this became a commonplace occurrence, over time, this song and dance spread throughout the lands.

Though “Kinnya Monya” is just one song, it's the culmination of many cultures. As you unravel the history of the song you may come to find a connection to your hometown as well. Many famous people have also found their way to Ama town throughout history. And you also exist, receiving the local hospitality that serves as an extension of their journeys. How does that make you feel? By following their footsteps you can feel the unrivaled hospitality of the local people.

In the past, when confronted with problems they couldn’t overcome, people would go on a pilgrimage and pray in the hopes that their problems would be resolved. However, what was the result of their turmoil? Throughout their trip, they would be completely alone and have the time to come face to face with themselves. They would meet people on their journeys who would become a sense of comfort for them, and then they would return home.

There was once a Greek writer, Patrick Lafcadio Hearn, who found his spiritual home in Japan in the Meiji era and took on the Japanese name of Koizumi Yakumo.

There is a famous quote he once said: “And then it seemed to me that I loved Oki...chiefly because of having felt there, as nowhere else in Japan, the full joy of escape from the far-reaching influences of high-pressure civilization—the delight of knowing one's self, in Dozen at least, well beyond the range of everything artificial in human existence.”

In other words, like Koizumi Yakumo once said, “after coming face to face with an isolated civilization, I was able to come face to face with myself.” For example, while I listened to the sounds of boats passing by me, I thought to myself, just as Koizumi did, “Just how many boats have I seen coming and going from the harbor? And what kind of life would I begin to lead if I was on one of those boats?” My imagination was filled to the brim. Just the sheer number of boats coming and going changes your perspective of the world. We only have one life to live, but maybe if we found a way to connect to each of them floating out there...well, I got lost in these internal musings.

It is thought that ships have been coming to and from the Oki Islands for over 30 thousand years. After obsidian was discovered on the Dōgo Islands, Ama Town became a stopover point. It then became a place of exile for the nobility in the time of Emperor Go-Toba. Then, after cargo ships became more and more prevalent in the Sea of Japan, it became an important trade port.
How did Ama Town become a place so open to outsiders? If we think of it from a Geo perspective, even before people lived on the island, the plant life of the Japanese peninsula struggled to find life on the island. The harsh conditions and climate of the island may be exactly why they are so open to other people.

Based on the roots of the island locals, the people here originate from all over. This has laid the groundwork for the open and inviting culture that currently exists.

In summary, within these stories lies the connection between humans and the earth. That is the goal of this guide.

Maybe while staying at Entô, you’ll find the time to sleep with the curtains open, together with the setting sun, and wake up to the shimmers of dawn through your window. This will become a memory that you can come back to. This is what could teach you how connected to the world you are. Maybe what you are searching for is as simple as having the time to watch the sunset every evening, or waking up to the sunrise without feeling any discomfort. Maybe this is the lifestyle you’ve been seeking.

These are the kinds of discoveries awaiting you at the end of your journey.

ON THE TRIP Editorial Staff
Writer: Akihito Shiga
Translator: Autumn Smith
Editor: Dale Angles
Voiceover: Kate Beck

*This guide was created based on documents and interviews and includes some interpretation done by us at ON THE TRIP. Theories differ between experts, so try to find out what happened on your travels!