Kuroshima discovered

Lush, pristine forest, white sand beaches, tropical fish in rocky pools, and nary a person in sight. Japan? Really? Amazingly, yes. Far South in the Yaeyama islands of Okinawa, Kuroshima is truly paradise.

Kuroshima was the last of the four islands I visited on my seven- day island hopping trip, a jewel better late-found than never. I visited Kuroshima in June in the off-peak season, so of course there were few other tourists. I was the only western traveler among the handful of Japanese visitors. But given the lack of intrusive development, the reasonable prices for food and snor- keling gear, it seems like Kuroshima is at the bottom of the tourist list. Why? I've scratched my head for hours but have no idea.

I took the ferry (¥1, 130) from Ishigaki Island to Kuroshima Island. With few exceptions ferry travel begins and ends in Ishigaki; if you want to island hop, you'll have to retrace your route and return to Ishigaki before heading off for new frontiears. Travel in Southern Okinawa is reasonable: ferry prices are low and cheap accommodation - around ¥1,800, signs in Japanese - can be found. The boat ride was 40 minutes across clear, azure water. The small vessel left a trail of white foam and kicked up a spray of crystal water - very refreshing in the humid morning. We passed a few tree-covered islands, the greenery so dense it was hard to imagine civilization lay beyond it. A sight I never thought I'd see in Japan.

At the port I was met by my minshuku's owner who packed me into her jeep and whizzed us away down a road flanked by green fields. She pointed out the visitor's center and two restaurants. It's possible to visit the island on a day trip (rent-a-bikes are available near the port) but if you do stay, call in advance and you'll be picked up as there isn't much in the way of transportation. I stayed at Kuroshima-so which is conveniently located in the south, five minutes away from the swimming beach. The snorkeling, right off the shore, is sublime. Imagine shimmering blue fish, shoals of tiny translucent fish, rainbow-colored fish small and large - with teeth to match, clown fish, bright coral, in short an underwater tropical dream.

At low tide you can simply wade into the rocky pools and observe sea-creatures. The sprinkling of sea-cucumbers, tiny blue fish, orange coral, a big blue starfish, and a black and white striped sea-snake stand out in my memories. In or out of the water, the sea life is mesmerizing and I spent hours observing it.

When I wasn't at the beach chasing or being chased by fish, I walked around the island. Kuroshima is small enough to circle completely on foot in a few hours. On my first trek I followed a dirt path through bushes and trees to the lighthouse on the southern end of the island. Small and white, it's not an imposing or remarkable structure, but on a rocky cliff, surrounded by wild bushes and twiggy trees, with large crows flying overhead, it has atmosphere. Dark clouds loomed over it the day I saw it. I felt like I'd stepped into a Gothic painting. A car pulled up and a group of men joined me. They admired the view, laughed, and talked. One walked over to me, can in hand. "Hello, where are you from? Here, this is Okinawa tea." We talked a while in Japanese, then they left as suddenly as they'd arrived. I am always filled with pleasure at being in Japan at times like these. The nice thing about traveling in Okinawa was the lack of "Jouzu, jouzu. Nihongo ga jouzu desu yo." The locals took my Japanese language skills for granted. In fact, one lady said that lots of foreigners spoke Japanese very well. We had a long chat and compared our travel history.

I continued my walk north on the paved road. On both sides were thickets, crows and bulls. Kuroshima is famous for bulls; most of the island is pasture. Bulls graze within fields ‘enclosed' by a mere three-strand wire fence. They are supposedly electric but look very flimsy. My heart skipped a few beats every time I passed by. I tried not to make eye contact with the large creatures and hurried past group after group after group after group. They are everywhere.

I wandered into town and admired the architecture: onestorey buildings with tiled roofs and low boundary walls.

Lovely. I then headed back south down the road unrolled across the field to the accompaniment of Kuroshima's symphony: the screeching of crows perched on naked branches and the occasional howling of cats. It started drizzling again and translucent snails crossed the road. Nature, abundant in Okinawa, includes the beautiful and not so beautiful.

At night the biggest cockroaches I'd seen in Japan congregated outside my room keeping company with the lizards, grasshoppers, mosquitoes and myriad other little insects. One kamikaze bug kept flying into the window screen, over and over again for hours, buzzing insistently. I locked my door for the night thankful to be within a screened fortress; when I unrolled my futon for the night, out hopped a grasshopper. I looked around and spied another one in the far corner, and two large lizards on the wall - I am not a fan. Where did they come from? They hadn't been there before.

The next day, tired out after my invigorating morning snorkel escaping a large amorous fish with big teeth, I headed towards the cafe to relax and read. Twangy music drifted out from the visitor's center and I stepped in to investigate: Two men were playing the Okinawan lute (shamisen). A Japanese girl wandered in, and they played a few more pieces and sang for us. We nodded our heads in time to the beat, snapping a few pictures. We talked a while later, then parted. As I relaxed in the cafe over a very reasonably priced cake set, I wondered why so few people came to Kuroshima. It is more expensive to visit Iriomote Island, about ¥2,000 one-way from Ishigaki Island, and Iriomote is a household name. Whatever the reason it worked out beautifully for my ‘deserted' island vacation.

Text & photos: Umber Qureshi