THAT IS GOOD

Zekkei × Ree.K | Kudaka Island, Okinawa

#Island #KudakaIsland #Okinawa #ReeK #Sea #THATISGOOD #Music 2021.04.15

Following HIKARU’s last visit, we were still in Okinawa at the beginning of December.
The next day after the shooting at the Gusuku, we will be going to Kudaka Island, which is known as a holy place, to shoot Ree.K’s play.
However, on the way back from Nakijin Castle, we received disturbing news.
“Today’s ferry to Kudaka Island will run only in the morning, and will be cancelled in the afternoon due to high waves.”
What? Is there a risk that we won’t be able to visit…?

Kudaka Kaiun’s Twitter feed the day before the departure. It says, “Today, December 1st, only one ferry service will be available in the morning due to strong northeast winds and choppy conditions.
The last ferry will depart from Azama Port at 8:00am and from Kudaka Island at 10:00am. All high speed boats will be cancelled. It will be tough again tomorrow.”
https://twitter.com/kudakaferry?s=20

This brings back memories of a month ago. When we were looking for a location for the shoot in Okinawa, we decided on the gusuku soon after, but we couldn’t decide on the other location. Then, I was approached with the idea of filming on Kudaka Island. It was then that I was approached with the idea of filming on Kudaka Island. If we could shoot in Kudaka Island, which is known as the holy land of Okinawa, we would love to do it! The location service in Okinawa informed us that it was possible. However, when we asked our friends in the area…

The majority of people said, “Kudaka Island is one of the most sacred places in Okinawa, so it would be impossible to film with a DJ,” or “It would be absolutely impossible.”

So, we asked for an opportunity to greet the gods of Kudaka Island in advance, and the mayor agreed. We thought we would be able to shoot without any worries, but was it still difficult to shoot in Kudaka Island?

Until the very last minute, we were asked to contact Kidaka Kaiun, the company that operates the ferry, to confirm whether the boat would leave the next morning. However, the only thing that would affect this was the weather, and no one knew what would actually happen. Anyway, we decided to go to the port tomorrow.

We headed for Azama Port in Nanjo City in light cloudy weather with occasional light rain and a bit chilly. Because of the weather and the ferry to Kudaka Island, we visited Sefa-utaki, the highest sacred site related to the founding of the Ryukyu Kingdom, where we could worship Kudaka Island, before heading to Azama Port, the departure point of the ferry. We walked through the dense forest to the front of the Utaki ( we were not allowed to enter the Utaki) and prayed for the success of the filming from the front of the Utaki towards the direction of Kudaka Island. From Azama Sun Sun Beach, next to Azama Port, we could see Kudaka Island faintly ahead. The weather was holding up well, and we started loading the cars onto the ferry. The cars were loaded first, and we boarded the ferry as if we were in between them.

When we managed to leave the port, although it was not very rough, the ship of less than 100 tons was quite shaken by the waves. Looking out the window at the deck where the vehicle was connected, I could see the occasional large splash of waves flying up to the car. Nevertheless, as we approached the island, the sea became a little calmer, and the area around the island was covered with the light green sea that only a tropical country can see.

It was actually my first time to Kudaka Island, and I was quite excited to get there. After that, we were guided by the ward chief to the two opposite ceremonial sites on Kudaka Island, Kudaka-den and Hodoma-den, where we paid our respects.
Kudaka-den and Hokama-den are located in the living area where the islanders live, but it is quiet and somewhat serene. This makes you feel that the space has been protected by the islanders for a long time, which naturally makes us feel fearful.

After greetings, we headed to Cape Caberu for location scouting for the next day’s shooting. On the way, we visited several places to get tourist information and learn about the rules of the island. I was told that the straight gravel road leading to Cape Caberu is off-limits during festivals, but even on a daily basis, the entire cape is a sanctuary that is off-limits at night. The entire cape is a sanctuary at night, not only for tourists but also for the islanders. As I drove along the gravel road leading to the cape, I could see a glimpse of sunshine peeking through the clouds.

This afternoon was only for location scouting, and the shooting was scheduled for early tomorrow morning, but the staff, who have been shooting THAT IS GOOD, didn’t want to miss this good opportunity, we quickly begin preparations for the shoot!!

The only problem was that it was still windy as yesterday, but the wind was blowing away the clouds and the weather seemed to be getting better as the music played. Ree.K, who was playing, the ocean behind her started to get sunshine from time to time, and the color of the ocean changed every time, shimmering a light green.

Once the DJ set was done playing and we checked the camera, for some reason the GoPro set up in front of the DJ was not capturing any footage. So we retake and continue filming for another 20 minutes. By then the sun had momentarily appeared behind Ree.K., giving us a golden glow in the early evening.

Then, as soon as we started to wrap up, it started to rain, and we caught the best part of the weather! Or maybe it was the sky, the sea, and the island that saved us… Anyway, we made it… not only safely, but we got better images than we expected.

We were supposed to shoot tomorrow, but we were able to get some very good footage that day, so our nerves were suddenly relaxed. After returning to the lodge, we had dinner at Tokujin, which was the only restaurant at the time of the shooting because the number of tourists had decreased in Corona…or rather, it was time to party. The mayor of the ward and the former head of the fishermen’s union were also there, and they even performed the sanshin (Okinawan guitar) for us.

In addition, a local fisherman invited us to catch octopus at night, and two of our staff joined in. We were told that we would be catching octopus, but since the two of us were beginners and it was a rainy night, we had to fish as much as we could at the edge of the waves. However, the island is rich in nature, and they encountered a variety of creatures.

The next day, the fishermen let us eat the japanese mitten lobster from one of his catches. Surprisingly, he peeled off the shell by hand, cut the meat with scissors, and dipped it in seawater from the harbor since we didn’t have soy sauce. It was the freshest, plumpest, and most delicious thing I’ve ever eaten.

It was raining all day on the day we were originally scheduled to shoot, and as I tasted the japanese mitten lobster, I thought to myself, “I’m really glad we were able to shoot that yesterday. I also wanted to try it with soy sauce…

Every time THAT IS GOOD shoots, the weather is miraculously blessed, but this shoot in Kudaka Island was one of the most miraculous, a dream-like moment that I can only imagine was the work of some great force. It still rains a lot in my memory of Kudaka Island, but every time I watch this video, I am amazed at how clear it was! I hope you enjoy this miraculous moment and Ree.K’s DJ performance! And if you do visit the island someday, I hope you’ll follow the island rules and make some great memories!

Oh, and by the way, the GoPro on the front that we couldn’t record on the first shoot, I’m sure the island gods liked that too and took it with them… Yes, yes, yes! I thought so when I saw the wonderful video that was made.

How to get to Kudaka Island

It takes about one hour by car from Naha Airport to Azama Port, where the ferry terminal is located. Azama Port is located in Nanjo City, very close to Sefa-utaki, which was mentioned earlier in this article.The ferry departs from Azama Port at 8:00 a.m., the high-speed boat departs at 9:30 a.m., and then the ferry and high-speed boat change every 1.5 to 2 hours until 5:00 p.m. A total of six flights per day depart from Azama Port to Kudaka island. (※The service may be cancelled due to weather conditions. Check by phone or Twitter beforehand.)

Rules on the island (excerpted with some changes from the Kudaka kaiun website)

・During the Shinto event, access to the north from the village is restricted.
・Please refrain from making noise in the village, and do not walk around in swimsuits or with your skin exposed.
・Bicyclists and motorists should drive safely and avoid damaging trees and lawns.
・It is forbidden to take anything out of the island. (Not only plants and animals, but also rocks, sand, etc.)
・Please do not disturb the worship or prayers.
・Please do not leave money in places where there is no money box. Also, please refrain from offering flowers, incense, and other offerings.
・There are many places on the island that are off-limits and beaches that are off-limits to swimming.
Please understand the local rules and enjoy sightseeing while respecting the island’s lifestyle and beliefs as we, the visitors, do.

THAT IS GOOD Editorial department : Nakamura