Okuni Rindo, Kunigami Okinawa Japan

For those wanting to experience the amazing nature of the Kunigami Village and the Yanbaru Forest area, but do not want to walk or hike up mountains, a drive on the Okuni rindo might just be more to your liking.

Okuni rindo means “mountain road through Okuni.” The road winds for 35 Km (22 miles) and is an up and down, side to side driving adventure, and one of the best kept secrets in Okinawa.

A drive on the Okuni rindo reveals Northern Okinawa’s subtropical nature. You will see small crowds of people holding plastic water jugs looking to get pure water from mountain streams, as you round the tight corners of the narrow roads.

If you stop at one of the rest areas along the side of the road you may catch a glimpse of the rare Noguchi-gera, a woodpecker, and the Yanbaru-kuina, or flightless rail. Other rare species inhabiting the jungle forest are the Ishikawa frog, Ryukyu long-tailed rat, Ibo-imori salamander and the Amami woodcock.