Moriyado Yamagame

It felt like finding a little piece of heaven at Moriyado Sanso. I still remember how my senses came alive when I realized what a special place we’d found. I wish I could have stayed longer, and honestly, I almost don’t want to tell anyone about it. It was rainy season, so the river was loud and wonderful. The air was humid but cool, and our room right beside the water made the sound so soothing. All around us were lively animal sounds and nature. The room had a lovely bath, and there was also a Goemon-style bath heated with firewood in the annex. I took a flashlight to it at night. The owner had said Japanese snakes are very docile, and asked us not to step on one if we happened to see it, so I set off feeling relaxed lol. After dark I turned off the lights in the room and was amazed by all the fireflies on the mountain behind the house. I’d never experienced such pitch-black darkness before. Breakfast was in a wonderful riverside space that felt like a restaurant. The owner’s wife made everything delicious: rich scrambled eggs from the adorable chickens wandering in the garden, homemade natural yeast bread, and karaki tea with an addictive cinnamon taste. It was the most memorable breakfast I’ve ever had. This place felt like somewhere to cleanse your soul, and I’d love to return with someone I trust, without worrying about the future. The owner’s wife had such carefree cheerfulness. She wasn’t grumpy at all, she was relaxing and soothing.

I came back for a second visit within a year, and again spent the day feeling deeply soothed by the forest of Yamakame. The river’s sound and the shimmering green trees were so calming, I could have watched them forever. It’s a place to breathe deeply and detox your five senses. Sounds came from deep in the mountains: a Noguchi's woodpecker, a large bat, a Ryukyu pit viper, and an Okinawa rail that I only glimpsed. An adorable bee kept watch over me the whole time. At night I walked the pitch-black path, which was thrilling, and had my first encounter with a Ryukyu pit viper. Tiny, sweet Ryukyu fireflies floated in the starry sky. I chatted with the innkeeper’s son and had a delicious breakfast in a wonderful setting. It’s a fantastic place that has everything I need.

The breakfast costs 2500 yen, and sharing it with the other guests turned out to be a lovely part of the stay. It felt like people on a similar wavelength were drawn here. I’d felt such a strong pull to stay that I rearranged my Okinawa plans around it, and the experience ended up far beyond what I expected. Between the Goemon-style bath, the healthy homemade breakfast, the power spot, and the proprietress’s warm personality, this inn really feels one of a kind. I won’t forget it.

We spent four nights here and barely had cell reception or Wi-Fi. We cooked for ourselves apart from breakfast, and somehow the days were so enjoyable that we completely lost track of time. The inn is tucked into the mountains of Yanbaru, a recently registered World Natural Heritage site, amid beautiful, vivid subtropical nature. It’s about a 2-3 hour drive from Naha Airport. What stays with me most is the owners’ warmth. They made us feel incredibly welcome, and the night we drank and sang with Gen nearly brought me to tears. The owner’s wife also made a carefully prepared, delicious and healthy breakfast every day. And the Goemon bath was hard to resist: the wood fire’s scent and crackle, birds and a babbling stream in the forest, and water that warmed us right through. It was a wonderful inn, and I’d definitely like to come back soon. Thank you for everything!