Oki islands, known as the islands of Gods in Japan and the forth island created by Izanami and Izanagi recorded in Japanese myth “Kojiki”.
Landscapes of native nature express so fantastic views in a wide variety as if gods and nature spirits draw every day.
On the way to an OWS race in Shimane prefecture, which is called as “the province of gods” by Lafcadio Hearn, I dropped to the mysterious islands to offer Shizuoka tea to the native gods and nature spirits in the island.
Shizuoka tea offerd to the nature of the divine island. The sea bird flying on the purple border between indigo of night and orange of the sun, as if the bird tells the daybreak as a divine messenger.
Many old cedars live in the island due to the geological history according to the explanation by the Oki Islands UNESCO Global Geopark Promotion Committee. Some of them have lived more than 1,000 years.
The divine cedar “Yao-sugi”, shown in the below, is considered to be more than 1,200 years old. The name is derived from the native folk that a mystic mermaid “Yao-Bikuni”, who became a long-living specter, planted the cedar more than 1,000 years ago.
Shizuoka tea offered to the divine cedar “Yao-sugi” and nature spirits in “Tamawakasu” shrine.+
The abundance of older cedars implies the wealth of nature environment.
Dangyo shrine, which is surrounded by older cedars, also express the mysterious and divine atmosphere.
Shizuoka tea offered to the divine cedars around Dangyo shrine.
The living things and environment around the shrine are established by the limpid stream, flowed from the waterfall of Dangyo. Due to the excellent quality of the water, the fall is selected as one of the best 100 “exquisite and well conserved waters” in Japan by the ministry of environment.
Cheers! Waterfall of Dangyo with Shizuoka tea.
In the past time, the island administrated by the provincial governors assigned by the central government. The office of provincial governor is called as “Kokubun-ji” temple.
Shizuoka tea offered to the mement of old provincial governar in Kokubun-ji temple.
In the islands, classic nature and agricultural landscape are preserved. I can feel as if I come back to the old classic time.
The classic landscape of rural agriculture in Japan. I can feel loves of native gods and nature spirits.
I was impressed with the hospitality to serve Japanese tea in the country inn “Matsuhama”. I could serve Japanese tea in my room by Kyusu tea pot.
Japanese tea set on the table in the country inn “Matsuhama”.
In addition, it seems that people in the island like Japanese tea and they often drink deeper-roasted tea in meals. For example, deeper-roasted Bancha tea was served in morning meal.
Early morning gave me a so fantastic view and golden drops from the rising sun to a cup of Japanese tea.
A golden drop from the rising sun in Okinoshima island. What a fantastic view!!
The divine cup of tea could provide a power for me to finish the aquathlon race on the next day.
Cheers! Oki islands!!
