Valley of Gangala – Okinawa Journeys
It’s nice to play in the sea, but I also want to visit sacred places surrounded by the greenery of trees that are filled with life energy. As you go deeper into the forest, you’ll find a mysterious space that goes on and on, and there’s even a power spot at the end of the cave! Since it’s such a special place, I’d like to have a guide show me around and introduce the highlights. Anyway, it’s full of negative ions.
As we descended the gentle slope, we came across a mysterious cave…… Upon closer inspection, we found that there were plenty of umbrellas lined up inside the cave. The true purpose of these umbrellas is the Cave Cafe located in the Ganggar Valley. Sometimes live performances are also held, so you can enjoy events in a mysterious atmosphere. Since we came here to enjoy the event, we wanted to spend some time relaxing in the cafe. However, we are already packed with plans for our next visit. So, I immediately greeted the guide who would be taking me on the Ganggar Valley tour today, moved to the tent, and then received an explanation about the limestone caves formed here. The three daughters with serious eyes listened to the explanation. After the explanation was over, we finally entered the forest. What awaits us?
Including the guide’s explanation earlier, the total time for the Ganggar Valley tour is approximately 1 hour and 20 minutes. According to the tour guide, the distance is about 1 km, which means that you have to walk for about 1 km in the lush forest. Since there are also ups and downs along the way, I joined the tour wearing comfortable shoes with my three daughters. As long as it isn’t extremely bad weather, the Ganggar Valley tour operates as usual. It’s great that you can enjoy the tour even on rainy days. Now that we’ve passed through the cave that was dark until just now, a jungle that looks like something from a movie appears! The trees that are far taller than the height of the three daughters, as well as the subtropical-specific plants are lush and green. The tour guide also gave a plant explanation. Ms. Momoto, who found a large leaf, said, “It looks like the leaves from the movie ‘Ninjirou no Totoru.’ It’s huge!” and took a commemorative photo.
The Ganggar Valley, where excavations are being conducted for the 18,000-year-old human “Port Kawachi people,” makes you feel as if you have stepped into a mysterious world the more you walk. As you walk, you can feel the lush trees, the birds singing, the sound of the wind rustling the leaves, and the light pouring down from the greenery… And as you think about that, a new cave appears! It seems to be a stalactite cave. Since it is pitch dark ahead, following our guide, Chro, Yoikko, and Momoto proceed deeper into the cave with a single lamp. This is the “Sani Nushi Utaki,” a power spot revered as such. The three daughters looked confused by the unexpected stalactite. What kind of stalactite it is, you’ll have to see for yourself!
After setting down the lamp and leaving the cave, we set off for our next destination. The fun Ganagar Valley tour is finally coming to its second half. After climbing the mountain path and passing through the tunnel, what we could see was a huge gum tree stretching towards the sky. The three of us were visibly overwhelmed by this sight; Chro said, “Wow, it’s huge!” and involuntarily let out a voice when he saw it, and we all fell to the ground in shock and stared at the huge gum tree. This gum tree is said to be 150 years old; all of its branches are rooted in the ground, and it reportedly measures about 15 meters in length. As for gum trees, they are famous for being trees that bring happiness; with such a large one, I think it might bring happiness. After the photo shoot, I gave the gum tree a gentle touch and left the place. Will happiness come?
As we continue down the labyrinthine path, we discover a staircase leading to a plateau. Excited to see what kind of scenery we will see, we take one step at a time up the stairs. Upon reaching the top, we see the fields of sweet corn and the Pacific Ocean on the horizon. And that was the port river fishing village where the remains of the port river people were discovered. Now that we have finished seeing the scenery from the plateau, we head to the final destination, “Muteki-do.” At the entrance to the cave, which is one of the highlights of the Ganagaru Valley tour, stone coffins and human bones from the late Jomon period have been discovered from about 2,000 years ago. It is a strange feeling to stand here, timelessly, alongside ancient people. The tour ends with us sitting on the chairs provided inside the cave and listening to the guide’s story.
 | 202 Maekawa, Tamagusuku, Nanjo City, Okinawa |
|---|---|
 | 098-948-4192 (Reservations accepted from 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM) |
 | Reservations accepted from 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM |
 | Tour departure time: 10:00, 12:00, 14:00, 16:00 |
 | Adults 2,000 yen / Students 1,500 yen *There are other group discounts, etc. Please check the website for details. *Cancellation of the tour on the day will incur a cancellation fee. |
 | None |
 | Yes |
 | http://www.gangala.com |
