Kunigami Village, Okinawa Prefecture
Driving to Cape Hedo A Day Listening to the Waves at the Island’s Northern Tip
On a sunny January afternoon, I headed for Cape Hedo’s walking trail in my denim jacket. I ate the Okinawan zenzai I’d brought while watching waves crash against the rocks. The ice was so cold it made me squint, but I smiled again when I reached the sweet beans at the bottom. The sound of the sea and the feeling of reaching the island’s northern tip have both stayed with me.
This is the story of a sunny winter afternoon at Cape Hedo. Take in the sea and the walking trail, then join me for a little break with a cup of zenzai.
WinterA sunny afternoon in January
Watching the Waves, Squinting at the Ice
In January, I drove all the way to the northern tip of Okinawa’s main island. I stepped out of the car and onto the walking trail, and the first thing I heard was the surf. The waves broke somewhere beyond the rocks, then, after a brief pause, came again. I pulled my jacket closed as I walked, but I wanted to hear them up close, so I found myself lifting my head.
Rugged rocks lined the path. The sea stretched out beyond the black railing, and the horizon ran on and on. This is the northernmost point of the main island. On the map, it had been just a tiny dot beneath my fingertip. The vastness of the sea took my breath away.
I wrapped one hand around the cup of zenzai I’d brought. I had to laugh a little at myself, eating a cold treat by the winter sea. But the Kintoki beans at the bottom caught my eye, so I dug in with my spoon. I took a spoonful with shaved ice and shut my eyes tight without thinking. The cold hit first, then the sweetness of the beans—and suddenly I wanted another bite.
When I lowered my spoon, I heard the waves again. Right in front of me, they broke against the rocks and turned to white foam. I stopped eating and watched the same thing happen over and over. I’d heard you can see Yoron Island on a clear day, but today I didn’t want to search for anything; I just wanted to watch the waves in front of me.
People once gathered around bonfires here to call for Okinawa’s return to Japan. When I thought back on that, the cape, which had seemed like the end of my trip just a moment earlier, also felt like a place to look out across the sea. I shifted the cup into both hands and looked toward the horizon. Thinking of the hopes people carried here, I couldn’t bring myself to head straight back to the car.
At the very end, I scooped up the beans left at the bottom. I savored their sweetness, chewing more slowly than I had with the ice. My cheeks were still cold from the sea breeze, but my heart was full from making it all the way here. Even after the cup was empty, I wanted to stay and listen to the waves a little longer. Before thinking about the drive back, I took a deep breath beside the railing.
The story sections are fiction inspired by this location. For accurate information, please consult official tourism and information websites.
Local Specialties to Try
Okinawan Zenzai
Okinawan zenzai is made with sweet stewed Kintoki beans and shaved ice. On the walking trail, I ate the zenzai I’d brought along, squinting at the first mouthful of ice. Savoring every last bean at the bottom brings back the time I spent watching the sea.
Highlights
Waves from the Pacific and East China Sea Crash Against the Cliffs
Cape Hedo lies at the northernmost tip of Okinawa’s main island, where waves from the Pacific and East China Sea crash against the cliffs. From the walking trail, the waves sounded much louder than I’d imagined from inside the car. That’s when I really felt I’d made it all the way here.
A Bonfire Gathering, and a Memory of Looking Out to Sea
This is where people gathered around bonfires to call for Okinawa’s return to Japan, and where a monument commemorating that struggle now stands. People who gathered here before me must have looked out at this same sea. I didn’t want to take my eyes off the horizon just yet—I wanted to stay a little longer.
Road and Location Details
Getting to Cape Hedo
- By Car from Naha Airport (Local Roads)
- 3 hours
- On Foot from the Cape Hedo Entrance Bus Stop
- 5 minutes
Head for Cape Hedo in Hedo, Kunigami Village, at the northernmost point of the main island. Once I’ve finished the drive, I’d like to get out of the car and walk along the trail, listening to the waves.
The times are taken from the access information on Okinawa Story. I wanted to take my time at the cape, so I left myself plenty of time to enjoy the sea once I arrived.
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