Showing posts with label Ama. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Ama. Show all posts

Thursday, October 2, 2008

Saburoiwa, Ama.

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This draincover from the island of Ama in the Oki Islands shows a rock formation known as Saburoiwa. The design around the circumference shows dancers performing at the island's Kinnyamonya Matsuri.

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Iwa means rock, and Saburo is a name traditionally given to the third son (Ichiro means first son). All of the Oki Islands have spectacular coasts, with many rock formations and towering cliffs.

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On neighboring Nishinoshima Island are the basalt cliffs and formations of the Kuniga coastline that are part of the Daisen-Oki National park.

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Tour boats explore many parts of the coastline in the Oki's, and there are also glass-bottomed boats to see the abundant sea life that inhabits the area.

Friday, September 19, 2008

Kinnyamonya Matsuri

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This draincover is from the island of Ama, one of the Oki Islands lying off the coast of Shimane. It depicts 2 villagers dancing at the annual Kinnyamonya matsuri, the largest matsuri on Ama.

Among the many matsuri activities is a dance with more than 1,000 people that includes banging rice spoons.

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The Oki Islands were a place of exile, and are still removed from mainstream Japan. The people are very friendly, the waters around the islands are clear, clean, and beautiful, and life there is slow and relaxing. It's one of my favorite places in Japan.