sacred nature
sacred nature

way out to the universe
triangle
These photos are from Seifa-Utaki from the southern part of Okinawa main island and it's a UNESCO world heritage site. "Utaki" means a "sacred site" in Okinawan dialect better described as a spiritual groves, and this Seifa-utaki is the biggest sacred site in Okinawa. (Seifa-Utaki is written as 斎場御嶽 but it's impossible to read right for most Japanese natives, it doesn't even sound Japanese!)

Visiting this site was totally out of our plans but I'm glad we got there. The beauty of the nature was truly unbelievable and being in this deep forest-like surroundings was really healing... I was amazed to find myself really enjoying being there. I wouldn't say that my knee was healed because of this place, but it was well enough that I was able to do a little hiking there and I was so grateful for that ;)

17 comments

  1. Such lovely photos (all of your Okinawa photos), what an interesting-looking place! I particularly like the fourth and fifth photos in today's post.

    ReplyDelete
  2. this place looks dreamy.... such a special atmosphere...

    ReplyDelete
  3. These pictures are lovely, what sort of camera did you take them on?

    ReplyDelete
  4. I love these photographs. One rarely sees this side of Japan and you showcase it nicely! :)

    ReplyDelete
  5. Maybe Alice felt like that in the rabbit hole, looking up? Wonderful photos, I have never heard of it before, thank you for sharing

    ReplyDelete
  6. beautiful. these pictures really remind me of "my neighbor totoro".

    ReplyDelete
  7. Ah Hiki !
    These holidays pictures are amazing ! Youhouh !
    I can almost smell the trees... and the forest...
    well done !
    ;-)

    ReplyDelete
  8. Hiki-san, those pictures remind me of Totoro!
    ;o especially the first four. thank you for sharing!

    ReplyDelete
  9. ooh, i want to go to okinawa! lovely, lovely photos here. my brother lives in okinawa, so i hope to visit there in the near future. i especially love the 4th one. gorgeous!

    ReplyDelete
  10. we hope you´ll like our project and we´ll have the chance to meet you at:
    www.sancoloreaeng.blogspot.com :)

    ReplyDelete
  11. okinawa here i come!- i wish!
    thanks, hiki, for sharing!!!!

    hugs!

    ReplyDelete
  12. omg, amazing! I wish I was there too!

    ReplyDelete
  13. Danya, I'm so happy that you are enjoying my okinawa photos! this place was surely an interesting place :)

    Elisabelle, I don't quite know how to put it to words how this place felt but yes "dreamy" does fit to it.

    POPPY FRENCH, thank you these are taken on 2 film cameras. films give special feel to the results compared to digital don't they.

    Bunny Darke, that's such a sweet comment! thank you. I'm happy to be able to share the special/unique and wonderful part of Japan here.

    Lavender Playground, you know i thought "wow" because I just came back from watching Alice in Wonderland when I saw your comment!! yes this does look like the rabbit hole Alice went in!

    El Vibora, yes "lost" is another word that fits to what I felt about this place!

    rachna, melindatrees and shleepy,
    yes TOTORO! ha!!

    Marion, Ritva, at swim-two-birds,
    happy you like these! Okinawa is really amazing i hope one day you get to visit there!!

    kinako, how lucky you have a brother living in Okinawa! i hope you get to visit there soon too!

    ReplyDelete
  14. 写真はとても綺麗い!なんか、雰囲気は懐かしし、幻みたい! They remind me of a drier Yakushima... I hope to visit these forests soon!

    ReplyDelete
  15. oooh wow! maybe some totoros live there!

    ReplyDelete

your kind words are always welcome and appreciated! arigato :)

Instagram