Where Even the Roads Belong to the Wildcats
Lucas and I arrived at Ishigaki Airport en route to Iriomote-Ishigaki National Park. The air was balmy, the kind of warmth that makes a single long-sleeve shirt enough. A bus took us to the ferry terminal, where we met photographer Isao Nishiyama. From there, it was an hour-long crossing by sea. The boat, tossed by high waves, felt closer to a roller coaster than a ferry, before we finally reached Iriomote Island.
We picked up our car from Yamaneko Rent-a-Car and, after a brief introduction to the vehicle, received an orientation to the island itself, a first for me: “There is only one main road on the island. To avoid collisions with the Iriomote wildcat, a protected natural monument, please drive at around 40 km/h. In school zones, reduce your speed further to 30 km/h.”
The pace seemed easy enough. You can take in the scenery slowly, the island is compact, and there is even the chance of encountering a wildcat. “Roger that,” I remember nodding lightly. Once we started driving, things proved less simple. It is not just one road, and many cars were speeding along. Most surprisingly, holding a steady 40 km/h turned out to be harder than it sounds. The speed creeps up almost without noticing. It was not until the second day that we began to truly take in the scenery.
Along the way, I parked up many times to sketch the landscape. It’s moments like these that make these trips so much fun.What I want to do, what I am doing, and what is asked of me come together in perfect balance. It is a curious sense of fulfilment, one in which I can affirm myself while also feeling affirmed by others.
The sun began to set. A typhoon had formed off the coast of Taiwan, and rain started to fall in light bursts. The wind was picking up too. We checked into a charming inn shaped like a pineapple, had dinner, and turned in for the night.
Day two. A difficult day. A typhoon was clearly approaching, but I have little memory of it. I had come down with something and was completely out of action. I cancelled the morning jungle cruise and collapsed in my room.
In the afternoon, I managed to join the car to visit a few sketching spots, but I could no longer tell whether I could not walk because of the wind or the fever, nor whether I was wet from rain or sweat. Nothing made much sense. I tried to make a few sketches, but the joy I had felt the day before was nowhere to be found. I wrote in my notes that perhaps health is simply another word for happiness, and sank into a haze.
Day three. I was feeling a bit better, and joined an early morning canoe tour. The original guide had cancelled suddenly due to illness. Through connections we tried to find another guide, but with the typhoon approaching, nothing could be booked.
I was still unwell myself, so I felt for them. It must have been a tough situation, and yet they had done their best. In the end, following tips from shopkeepers and handwritten notices, we managed to secure a place with a young guide.
We set off by canoe towards Pinai-sara Falls. Pinai-sara Falls is the largest waterfall in Okinawa Prefecture, with a drop of around 55 metres. The area can only be accessed on tours with certified guides, a system that keeps visitor numbers in check and also supports local livelihoods.
It struck me as a great initiative, both managing visitor numbers in the natural area and providing a source of income for local residents.
After about 30 minutes paddling up the Hinaigawa River, lined with dense mangroves, the waterfall came into view ahead. In the light rain, jungle and river seemed to meld into one shade of green, the landscape ahead almost dreamlike. We pulled the canoe ashore and stepped into the forest, climbing through terrain that feels somewhere between cliff and marsh, until we reached the basin of Pinai-sara Falls. The force of it is immense. I regret not being recovered enough to dive into the pool below the falls, but I did my best.
In the afternoon we visited Kyoko, who builds sabani, traditional sailing boats carved from a single tree. Her atelier, right by the sea, is where she works alone. A break appeared in the clouds.
After talking with her for a while she suggests, since we have the chance, that we take a sabani out. We headed to a storage shed in the forest and the four of us hauled the cumbersome vessel outside together. It took all our strength. It is hard to believe it was built by one person.
Sabani are difficult not only to build but also to sail. You read the wind as you move over the waves. We came close to capsizing more than once, but it is an extraordinary experience. I make sure to sketch as well. In that distinctly Okinawan light, everything already felt complete.
Finally, we headed back to Yamaneko Rent-a-Car to return the car. Over the past three days it has proven to be a remarkably chatty little vehicle. An onboard voice kept chiming in with lines like, “A traffic accident involving an Iriomote wildcat occurred near here this year,” and, “Please drive with the awareness that you are a guest here.”
That, perhaps, is the whole point of a national park: to protect nature while still inviting people in. Maybe a gently nagging voice like this is exactly what’s needed to stop us humans from getting carried away. I’d like this series to do something similar as I continue wandering through Japan’s national parks.
CHALKBOY
Chalkboy’s career as an artist started when he was tasked with designing the chalkboard menu at a cafe where he worked part-time. Since then, his distinctive hand-drawn style has appeared in restaurants, shops, publications and events both in Japan and abroad. He’s also active in hosting workshops and live drawing sessions, and leads the hand-lettering collective WHW! (What a Hand-Written。www.chalkboy.me
National Park Poster Project
A collaboration between PAPERSKY, artist CHALKBOY, and outdoor boot brand Danner, this project creates original posters inspired by each of Japan’s national parks. Traveling together to various regions, CHALKBOY and PAPERSKY capture the unique spirit of each place, while turning their illustrations into a line of original goods.
https://store.papersky.jp/collections/national-parks-of-japan-postcard
