Okuyanbaru no Sato

Okuyanbaru no Sato sits in Oku, which lies just round the corner from Cape Hedo at the top of the island, and its cottages take their shape from Ryukyu houses. Each one stands on its own with a barbecue set, and a camp site sits alongside. The village exchange hall holds the Oku Yanbaru Shokudo dining room, which feeds guests and passing drivers, and a folk-tools museum shares the building with a free space that has wifi and a small library. Guests walk the forests where the Okinawa rail lives and play in the river.

Winter brings the north wind to this coast, and February nights are quiet. This is the classic overnight for riders on the Cape Hedo loop, at the point where the route turns south down the east coast. Bring food for the barbecue, or eat at the shokudo. Ask whether the bike can come into your cottage.