SIGHTSEEING
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| Ikema-bridge |
Kurima-bridge |
| The
Ikema-bridge connects the islands of Miyako and Ikema. It is 1425m long
and it`s construction costs were 9.9 billion yen. It was finished and
opened for traffic in 1992. |
The
Kurima-bridge is 1690m long and is used primarily for transport of
agricultural goods between Kurima and Miyako. It was opened in March
1995. From the bridge itself you have a beautiful view of the
emerald-green ocean.
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| Ryūgū look-out |
General Museum of Miyakojima-City |
From this look-out you have a perfect view of the Kurima island and Maehama-beach. |
Domestic
artifacts and historically important documents are displayed in this
museum. Among other things, there is a taxidermied Miyako pony, a traditional
lodge and videos of traditional festivals on display. The inventively
constructed building with its impressive gate made of Ryūkyū limestone was erected in the style of the Tomb of Nakasone Tuimiya.
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| Exhibition of the Underground Dam of Miyakojima-City |
"Snowsalt"-salt-refinery |
| This
exhibition illustrates the construction and function of the world`s
first underground dam of this size through models and
videos. In an other part of the exhibition, you can look at
different maps about the geology of Miyako and there is a drilling core
from the construction phase of the two dams (Destricts of Sunakawa and
Fukuzato) on display. Here you can get also information on the
groundwater situation in Miyako. |
Using pumps Yukishio ("snowsalt") is extracted from seawater which trickled through the limestone of the Ryūkyū-layer 50.000 years ago. In the Guiness-book it is noted as the world`s most mineral-rich salt.
Go
and see for yourself how it is simmered and refined. (Yuki Shio
Seienjo, Hirara, Karimata 191, Phone: 0980-72-5667, daily 9am-6pm, in
winter until 5pm). |
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| Awamori-brewery |
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To produce the Awamori (rice liquor), brewers use
a special `thrus` fungus which is unique to Okinawa. Through addition of
water and yeast, the rice ferments and ripens and finally it
is distilled. Awamori is produced without addition of any other
substances and thus it is still ripening after being filled into
bottles.
After consultation, it is possible to visit the Awomory-brewery on the island Shimoji. (Tokuyama Shuzō, Irabu, Sawada 1500, Mon.-Fri. 10am-4pm, Phone: 0980-78-3006.)
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