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Toguchi Beach: Food, Fun, and Romantic SunsetsBy: Berlynda Faye Phillips Date Posted: 2000-11-03    There is also a park right there on the beach. For the children, there is a playground, which includes swings, climbing rocks, and a colorful rolling slide, that I have found an adult or two occasionally enjoying. There is a picnic area where you can sit, or just pull out your blanket and have a ground picnic. A Japanese style restaurant sits a few feet up from the walkway. It provides the perfect setting for a romantic view of the coral blue beach below. You can take a morning, afternoon, or evening stroll while enjoying the wonderful view of the peacefully tucked away temples and shrines that are propped high atop cobblestone hills, just pass the surf shop. While taking that stroll, there are trails that escort to higher grounds of the park. Once on top, you will see impressive dynasty style canopies where you can sit and enjoy lunch or some quiet study time. The overlooks provide fascinating views where you may observe scuba divers, fishermen, or snorkelers. If you are lucky, you may be able to spot someone that has captured a blowfish. However, leave that to the locals, removing exotic sea creatures from the sea may be dangerous, not to mention illegal. At the right time of the day—usually around midday you can look down over the wooded fence and get a breathtaking view of the rock inlet. Here you can see clear down to the bottom, where the floor plays host to hundreds of extremely large black eels. Occasionally, groups of divers can be spotted in this area exploring the exotic sea creatures that dwell here. Taking along a camera is a good idea. You can never tell when something amazing may occur. I found this area to be my favorite for taking photos of the many incredible butterflies that thrive in the bushes and trees. That is why Toguchi Beach is one of my favorite beaches on island. If you do not have a net to catch these winged beauties—which I do not recommend—the next best thing to taking them home, is to take pictures. The higher grounds of the park are where people can come and sit on the jagged rocks, known as the fishing pier, to catch fish, crab and other seafood. Scattered along the park, are caves. In some of them, you can see small crabs and black eels through the clear waters flowing beneath, or decorative hermit crabs crawling along the crevices of the cave’s wall. Because some of the caves hold sacred tombs, they are holy and have warning signs not to enter. So, be careful to pay close attention to any signs posted. Just when you thought you have seen all that Toguchi Beach had to offer…the sun begins to set. The color of the sky changes from pale blue to hues of soft pink and golden yellow. It is at this moment that I have taken my most memorable photographs, when the transformation to crimson red and orange materializes across the horizon. For it is the stunning beauty of nature, the incomparable vastness of the East China Sea, and the exemplified glory of the Samurai sun, that keeps me returning to Toguchi Beach all year-round. Directions: From Gate 1 Kadena, turn right on hwy 58. Go down and pass 3 lights before coming to the Kadena gate 4 light. Turn left at Gate 4 light and go down more 2 lights. Turn left, go down to light. Keep straight, pass red bridge, and turn left at next traffic light. Follow until you come to curve in street and make a sharp right. Follow street directly to beach parking lot. Parking and admission: Free |
   
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