It is cold in January in Yoron Island (Yoron-jima). I felt that the temperature was much lower than Naha in the main island of Okinawa. I didn’t expect that I needed to wear winter clothes in a southern island.
The bad weather (like strong wind or rain) continued while I stayed in Yoron Island for about a week, but luckily, the weather was not bad on this day (it was still clouded, though), so I decided to walk around Yoron Island. First, I headed to Tumai Beach located in the north east of the island, which became the location for the Japanese Film “Megane (Glasses).”
Signs with numbers which serve as landmarks are placed in the various sites of Yoron Island, so you can follow those signs to get to tourist spots such as Tumai Beach. The sign of “Terasaki Beach Entrance (寺崎海岸入口)” is 32. Terasaki Beach is the beach next to Tumai Beach.
Other than the outer peripheral road runs along the coast, there is the inner peripheral road which serves as a local bus route in Yoron Island. The bus runs clockwise or counter clockwise on the inner peripheral road. The bus fare is 200 yen, and it is convenient as you can get on and off at any point other than bus stops, but there is only about one bus every hour. So, I ended up heading to Tumai Beach on foot on this day.
I walked the inner peripheral road (local bus route) from Chabana Town, and enjoyed the rustic scenery around the road while walking.
Scenery in Yoron Island
After walking the road for a while, I found the sign with number 10 and turned left (to the ocean side) at the sign. I walked straight and next found the sign with number 32 (Terasaki Beach Entrance) on the outer peripheral road.
A road leading to the ocean
Terasaki Beach Entrance (32)
I walked to the ocean from this sign and arrived at Tumai Beach. The beach is easy to find as there is a sign on the entrance. Yoron Island seems to be friendly to tourists.
Tumai Beach entrance
The white sand of Tumai Beach was beautiful, same as the one I saw in the film “Megane.”
Tumai Beach
Unfortunately, the sky was cloudy on this day, but still the color of ocean was as beautiful as that of Miyako Island in Okinawa Prefecture. My impression is that the ocean of Yoron Island has the color of blue soda.
“Yoron Blue” viewed from Tumai Beach
The beach was used for the impressive scenes of Merci Exercise and the shaved ice parlor in the film “Megane.”
Tumai Beach served as the location for the film “Megane”
There seems to be few tourists during the winter in Yoron Island, and I rarely met people in most beaches in Yoron Island.
Tumai Beach is also known as a power spot in Yoron Island. Tumai Beach and the neighboring Terasaki Beach are said to be beaches where dragons dwell in and where the power enters into and exists from Yoron Island.
It is said dragons dwell in Tumai Beach and Terasaki Beach
Terasaki Beach is located next to Tumai Beach. It is a rocky beach and doesn’t have a relaxing atmosphere like Tumai Beach.
Terasaki Beach
Anyway, I can say that Tumai Beach is one of the most beautiful beaches in Yoron Island, so even if you are not a fan of the film “Megane,” I strongly recommend you visit the beach.
Contrast of white sand and blue sea is beautiful
Address and map of Tumai Beach and Terasaki Beach: Nama, Yoron-cho
