ISLAND GUIDE
THOMAS ALAN SMILIE
NORTH The heavily-forested lands of northern Okinawa are known collectively as Yanbaru, (which translates into “mountainous areas”). A dizzying variety of trees are home to numerous types of birds, and the areas below host countless other living creatures that live in the nooks and crannies of roots as well as in the ponds and streams that feed them. Many of these creatures are members of endangered species that cannot be found anywhere else in the world. Modern-day Yanbaru
also features many sights, sounds, tastes, smells and experiences that take visitors back to the days of old, a place without large, bustling cities and traffic gridlock, a place that still offers crystal-clear air in bounty and a surplus of astoundingly beautiful landscapes. Northern Okinawa is home to two major Marine Corps installations, Camp Hansen and Schwab, as well as the Jungle Warfare Training Area and a small installation on Ie Island. OKINAWA GUIDE 2017–2018 | 141