Life in the Slow Lane

Public Transportation Bise Style! An Ox drawn cart takes tourists through the tranquil streets of Bise Village.

View Photos (8) Image © 2008 Keith Graff

Imagine a place where time stands still. It's not located in a remote region of the Himalayas. It's not some red neck haven where the most exciting thing to do is watch the pick up truck rust either. No, the place I'm thinking of is more like the lyrics to a Jimmy Buffett song. It's a place where children play care free, there is plenty of sunshine and a beach to take a lazy stroll along when the day's chores are done. It's a place where people are active and live to a ripe old age, neighbors watch out for each other and the days seem to last forever. Think it's a dream? It's not. It's been found on the island paradise of Okinawa Japan and it's a little village called Bise.

Bise is located out on a small peninsula at the tip of the larger Motobu Peninsula in northern Okinawa. To the west is the East China Sea, a coral reef and tidal pools. Many of the houses along the beach are very traditional in design and are surrounded by Fukugi trees. These trees provide shade during the hot summer days and protect against the fierce typhoon winds that sometimes frequent the area and threaten the peace of mind people enjoy. Behind that the land slopes gently upward and is filled with little postage stamp sized gardens where the residents all grow their own and a little more to help make ends meet. Beyond that are the bluffs where the terrain abruptly ends and the land drops down to the rocky coast below.

The streets are all narrow. Many are not wide enough for a single motor vehicle to pass. Walking and bicycling are the main forms of transportation. Most of the streets are dirt covered and there are no construction workers digging holes, tearing up the pavement and making a racket. There is one taxi servicing the area and it's one of those environmentally friendly models. A few bales of hay and plenty of water are all you need for fuel. Just be careful not to step in the exhaust.

The main industries are fishing and farming. The work day often starts before sunrise and people socialize well into the evening hours. There is no big supermarket in the village but shopping is conveniently located not far away. No, there are only a few small mom and pop stores known as machigwa's that specialize in mostly in souvenirs, snacks and ice cold drinks for the many tourists who come to Okinawa in search of paradise. Some of the local businesses look as though they've hit hard times but I believe that is only a ruse. They like it best when tourists come to visit but decide not to stay.

There are no saloons or any of the rough and rowdy places that one often associates with fishermen. There are just a few places along the sea wall where the men will gather at the end of the day to drink sake, swap lies and enjoy the spectacular sunsets. Housewives and the elderly residents work their gardens in the early mornings to avoid the intense summer heat. The houses are all shaded and a nice sea breeze cools the day and an afternoon nap is the norm. The people get everything they need right where they live, they all know each other and those who have plenty, are more than happy to share with those that don't.

It's a sleepy little place that's more like a dream come true. It's paradise found, not in a bottle, not in a novel but in a very real place called Bise on Okinawa.

Published on 7/22/08