Tag Archives: Ecotourism

Enjoy Japan's nature & 4 seasons

Iriomote to Yubu island: Cross the sea with a water buffalo!

During your stay on Iriomote island, a water buffalo with large circular horns can quickly take you across the sea to visit the botanical garden of Yubu island! It is great fun the first time and there is no way to get sea sick :)

Travel photo 1: Water buffalos ready to go to Yubu island.
Water buffalos on 西表島 (Iriomote island, Japan) ready to go to 由布島 (Yubu island) on 01 November 2008.

Travel photo 2: Tourists crossing the sea in a cart pulled by a water buffalo :)
Tourists in a cart pulled by a water buffalo crossing the sea between 西表島 (Iriomote island, Japan) and 由布島 (Yubu island) on 01 November 2008.

Travel photo 3: Iriomote island seen from behind a water buffalo!
西表島 (Iriomote island, Japan) seen from behind a water buffalo on 01 November 2008.

During my autumnal trip in Okinawa, the driver even played an Okinawan musical instrument “sanshin” during the crossing :) Will you be that lucky too?

USEFUL LINKS

 

USEFUL JAPANESE
  • Water buffalo = 水牛 (Suigyu).
  • Iriomote island = 西表島 (Iriomote-jima), Yubu island = 由布島 (Yubu-jima).
  • Okinawa prefecture = 沖縄県 (Okinawa-ken).
Enjoy Japan's nature & 4 seasons

Canoeing & trekking for exciting landscapes at Iriomote island’s jungle

Active travellers with a guide can witness beautiful and exciting landscapes at Iriomote island’s jungle, as I did during my second stay in Okinawa in 2008. A helicopter tour would give you great views of the island but you would miss the unique sights of inner Japan enjoyed while canoeing or trekking in the jungle!

Ecotour photo 1: River partly covered by trees seen from a canoe.
View from a canoe on a river in the jungle of 西表島 (Iriomote island, Japan) on 31 October 2008.

Ecotour photo 2: First sight of Pinaisara waterfalls while canoeing.
ピナイサーラの滝 (Pinaisara waterfalls) seen from a river in the jungle of 西表島 (Iriomote island, Japan) on 31 October 2008.

Ecotour photo 3: River seen through dense foliage while trekking in the jungle.
River seen from the jungle of 西表島 (Iriomote island, Japan) on 31 October 2008.

Ecotour photo 4: Best panorama of Iriomote island from the top of Pinaisara waterfalls… See the top of the waterfalls, lively jungle, barely visible river, multi-coloured sea, and bright sky!
ピナイサーラの滝 (Pinaisara waterfalls) above the jungle of 西表島 (Iriomote island, Japan) on 31 October 2008.

Ecotour photo 5: Sébastien Duval with a smile at the bottom of Pinaisara waterfalls after trekking.
Sébastien Duval at the bottom of ピナイサーラの滝 (Pinaisara waterfalls) on 西表島 (Iriomote island, Japan) on 31 October 2008.

Adventurers, nature lovers and travellers trying to find inner peace, your visit at Iriomote island may be your only chance to see such landscapes… Make the best of it!

USEFUL LINKS

 

USEFUL JAPANESE
  • Iriomote island = 西表島 (Iriomote-jima), Okinawa prefecture = 沖縄県 (Okinawa-ken).
  • Pinaisara waterfalls = ピナイサーラの滝 (Pinaisara-no-taki).
Enjoy Japan's nature & 4 seasons

Meeting wild cats, piranhas, vipers and lizards on Iriomote island!

Beautiful wild animals inhabit the jungle and rivers of Iriomote island. Some are cute and friendly… some are scary and dangerous… as I could witness during holidays in Okinawa in 2008.

Ecotour photo 1: Friendly lizard accepting my invitation to come on my sweaty arm. Admire its right eye, scales, yellow and dark tail, claws… What a good surprise! What an experience!
Lizard on Sébastien Duval's arm on 西表島 (Iriomote island, Japan) on 31 October 2008.

Ecotour photo 2: Colourful lizard featuring black, yellow and blue stripes. Open your eyes in the jungle, look on the ground, on trunks, between leaves…
Colourful lizard in the jungle of 西表島 (Iriomote island, Japan) on 31 October 2008.

Ecotour photo 3: Venomous Habu viper. Be careful with such snakes and listen to your guide’s instructions!
Venomous Habu viper in the jungle of 西表島 (Iriomote island, Japan) on 31 October 2008.

Ecotour example 4 (no photo due to fast movement and reflections): Ferocious Minami-kurodai piranhas in Nakama river.

Ecotour example 5 (no photo due to fast movement at night): Iriomote-yamaneko wild cat (endangered species).

Meeting wild animals while trekking or canoeing in a jungle really changes one’s vision of life, nature and humanity. I can only recommend it, with a good guide on Iriomote island or elsewhere in the world!

USEFUL LINKS

 

USEFUL JAPANESE
  • Iriomote island = 西表島 (Iriomote-jima), Okinawa prefecture = 沖縄県 (Okinawa-ken).
  • Nakama river = 仲間川 (Nakama-gawa).
  • Habu = 波布, Minami-kurodai = 南黒鯛, Iriomote-yamaneko = 西表山猫.
Enjoy Japan's nature & 4 seasons

Mangrove & Sakishima-suo trees in Iriomote island’s jungle

Exceptional trees live in the jungle of Iriomote island. Some look thirsty… some look prehistoric… as shown on these photos of my trip to Okinawa in October/November 2008 :)

First example reached by canoe, a mangrove with long roots plunging into a river:
Mangrove on 西表島 (Iriomote island, Japan) on 31 October 2008.

Second example reached on foot after canoeing, a Sakishima-suo tree with impressively tall but thin roots. Just grab one like a plank!
Sébastien Duval with François between the roots of a Sakishima-suo tree on 西表島 (Iriomote island, Japan) on 31 October 2008.

These exciting sights of Japanese nature were only two of the many good surprises of Iriomote island! Ready for some ecotourism in Japan?

USEFUL LINKS

 

USEFUL JAPANESE
  • Iriomote island = 西表島 (Iriomote-jima), Okinawa prefecture = 沖縄県 (Okinawa-ken).
  • Sakishima-suo tree = 先島蘇芳木 (Sakishima-suo-no-ki).
Author's life

NEW JOB: Travel agent at Travel Stand Japan (Tokyo)

I became a travel agent at トラベルスタンドジャパン (Travel Stand Japan agency) in 東京 (Tokyo); great to speak Japanese, study and promote Japan, experience its culture, and prepare my 1-year tour around Japan! Read my short article “Now inbound travel manager in Tokyo at the Japanese travel agency TRAVEL STAND JAPAN” for details about my tasks, guiding goals, work environment… and contact me if I can help you with a partnership or trip planning in Japan, especially related to a stay in Tokyo, ecotourism or spiritual tourism :)