New visitor's center opens at Cape Maeda

[JUNewsBot]

JUNewsBot Has Just Posted the Following:

After years of appeals to the Onna Village government for help, one of Okinawa's favorite dive spots has been given a facelift.Cape Maeda's popularity spans both beaches and adjacent coves, luring recreational divers and snorkelers to the northwest coast.

Click here to view the article. (http://www.japanupdate.com/?id=7668)

Feel free to hold a discussion regarding this article here.

[P_chan]

sweet I had no idea they did that! Cape Maeda is one of my favorite places on the island. Now I really have to go back and go snorkeling, it's been too long.

[TheNoNamedOne]

I just viewed the pics in the news story. Atrocious! Lots of new concrete laid in the countryside. That is just something Okinawa needs more of -- more patches of green eaten away at.

I geuss we have an urge to vanquish rustic get-aways and not be tolerant of them or see anything quaint and endearing in them.

[P_chan]

yeah but the place kinda looked like a dump before. They didn't cut that much into it. I think it looks better then it did before. The only thing that sucks is they catered it to the scuba classes that operate out of the nearby hotels and such. The parking lot was closed the whole time and only scuba school vans were let in.

The water was beautiful yesterday! Nice and calm, warm, and a clear view. Too bad there were way too many people! I think there was a 20 minute wait to use the entry point. But I just went around and climbed into the cave and went in through there.

[TheNoNamedOne]

yeah but the place kinda looked like a dump before. They didn't cut that much into it. I think it looks better then it did before. The only thing that sucks is they catered it to the scuba classes that operate out of the nearby hotels and such. The parking lot was closed the whole time and only scuba school vans were let in.

That is what I mean! The rustic, quaint, countryside feel to it has been lost and turned into larger access for larger crowds.

Perhaps all that black ash trail leading up to the peak of Mt. Fuji would look better if they threw down a winding white cement path to it. Then, even those handicapped in wheel chairs would have more access to the top. Shouldn't we pave every out of the way place, or hardship in access and parking, to make the getting there so much easier for everyone so everyone can enjoy equally in it? Nature isn't for nature. It is all for man! Without utility to us developed to modern standards -- it sits there worthless.

I think there are other out of the way dive spots that are popular, too, and they could become quite more popular if we target them for cement as well, creating more visitor centers for local employment and markets to hock their local goods.

Developement development -- full steam ahead! I see no reason why we should stop at Maeda Misaki.

I am trying to make a point about the value of leaving things as they are. If not, then how do you stop the creep creep creep of concrete into the countryside?

[ridedive]

"To protect the new facility, he asks visitors... not to use the parking lot for lounging or holding meetings."

Can't have those gaijin scuba classes spend their surface intervals snacking, logging and reviewing the dive, or practicing dive tables, can we. On the other hand the correct translation may, in fact, be a well deserved admonishment of the classes that spread out their gear across a couple of the scarce parking spaces in the old lot. Yeah, I saw it all the time so don't say it didn't happen.

Of course the facility caters to the hotels - you've seen the days when the buses bring in scores of mainland visitors to snorkel. I, too, prefer rustic, but tourism is about the only industry Okinawa has. We have a lot of other places to dive if we wish, but the Prefecture only has a few places that can handle the throngs that bring yen. They don't make a penny off of us diving at Maeda. We are guests in their country, and my family loves being here!

Courtesy Edit by DK: Fixed your broken quote tag.

[Asshat]

Sad. Just sad. I suppose the point can be made that this is good for tourism, but I doubt tourism will increase because of this attrocity. I am quite sure that none of the yen will reach the pockets of Okinawans.