After walking around Kudaka Island, I went back to Kudakajima Shukuhaku Koryukan (Kudaka-jima Accommodations and Exchanges House) where I’m staying for the night.
Kudakajima Shukuhaku Koryukan is managed by a local NPO Kudakajimashinkoukai, and is a relatively new accommodation facility in Kudaka Island. A modern building, which is not suitable for a small isolated island of Okinawa, stands on the edge of the village.
Kudakajima Shukuhaku Koryukan (Kudaka-jima Accommodations and Exchanges House)
There are several minshuku (inn run by a local family) in Kudaka Island, but basically they don’t have many rooms, and all rooms of other accommodation facilities were occupied on this day due to the former New Year, and I managed to book the last room available at Kudakajima Shukuhaku Koryukan after waiting for a cancellation.
The room rate is 3,600 yen for a first-floor room (4,150 yen for a second-floor room) and is quite reasonable. You can add breakfast by paying an additional fee of 500 yen.
I stayed at a room located next to the reception in the first-floor. The room is a spacious Japanese room (10-tatami mat room) and can house up to five people. It is quite big for a person. The room is equipped with a free air-conditioner. Wi-Fi is also available for free, and the internet speed was very fast (maybe because my room was located next to the reception).
First-floor Room of Kudakajima Shukuhaku Koryukan
First-floor Room of Kudakajima Shukuhaku Koryukan
There is Kudakajima Minzoku Siryoshitsu (Kudaka Island historical and cultural materials room) in the first-floor of the facility, and the photos and materials related to Kudaka Island are exhibited. It may be better to check these photos and materials and learn the history and culture of Kudaka Island before looking around the island.
Kudakajima Minzoku Siryoshitsu (Kudaka Island Historical and Cultural Materials Room)
Kudakajima Minzoku Siryoshitsu
This building has a rooftop deck with a nice view, and I went to the rooftop deck at night, but unfortunately the weather was bad on this day and I couldn’t see the stars. It was chilly on the rooftop as it rained a bit earlier. As you might expect, it is still cold in the night at the end of January even in the southern island of Okinawa.
“Tokujin,” an only restaurant opens at night in Kudaka Island was closed due to the former New Year holidays on this day, so my dinner was two rice balls I bought beforehand at a convenience store in the main island of Okinawa. I ate them together with a low-malt beer sold at the reception. There is no refrigerator in the room, so the guests need to use a shared refrigerator located near the reception.
I was exhausted from walking around all day in Sefa-utaki and Kudaka Island, besides there was nothing to do as every store in the island was closed at night, so I decided to take a shower and sleep early.
Through the toilet and shower are shared in the facility, they are spacious (they have several shower rooms) and clean, and I didn’t feel any inconvenience. The times when hot water runs are limited. The shower room is equipped with a shampoo, conditioner, and body soap, and a towel set (bath and face towels) can be rented for 100 yen.
After taking a shower, I felt refreshed and went back to my room. I dried my hair with a hair dryer placed near the reception, and as I had noting to do, I just had a beer and relaxed in my room, which is a typical situation I experience whenever I visit a small isolated island of Okinawa. I got into futon early and fell asleep around 10:00 p.m.
Next morning, I woke up and thought about walking around the village in the early morning, but I felt sluggish due to a long walk the day before. I decided to have a breakfast first and then walk around the village after checking out.
They start to prepare breakfast at 8:00 a.m. in the space near the lobby in the first-floor. The breakfast is self-service. It’s a simple Japanese meal including rice, miso soup, beans, pickles, etc., and I felt a little dissatisfied as I was hungry, but the tastes were nice.
Breakfast at Kudakajima Shukuhaku Koryukan
Breakfast Space of Kudakajima Shukuhaku Koryukan
Anyway, my stay at Kudakajima Shukuhaku Koryukan was quite comfortable. But you may not be able to feel the atmosphere of a small isolated island of Okinawa in this facility, as the building is big and relatively new which is different from minshuku (inn run by a local family).
I checked out the facility before 10:00 a.m. (check-out time is 11:00 a.m.), and went outside to walk around the village before going back to the main island of Okinawa.
Kudakajima Shukuhaku Koryukan (Kudaka-jima Accommodations and Exchanges House) location: 249 Chinen Kudaka, Nanjo-shi, Okinawa
