Special Place In Empty Lot

I am often asked how I find some of the places that I share in my videos and blog. My answer to those who ask always consists of two basic parts. The first is to look through what you see and the second is to lose the watch. This small shrine is the perfect example of what might happen if you do both those things.

Last weekend while doing some exploring on the Motobu Peninsula we found ourselves, as one might, driving from planned location to planned location. As we moved from one location to the next we found an interesting little area which we could barely see at first glance but decided to pull over in an empty lot. Once pulling over we noticed that what we saw was clearly a tori gate, lanterns and a shrine.

Unlike the shrine that I had mentioned yesterday this one was not unlike others I have seen throughout Okinawa. It was void of color and was settled in a quiet area surrounded by threes. The one unique thing about this particular shrine, however, was that it was located in a large empty lot. This was strange because generally speaking these do not have parking areas.

Like many other places in Okinawa there is a bit of mystery which surrounds places like this. There are no signs and at this particular area there were no markers either. Of course this area is used in spiritual practices and I have been told that yuta, most commonly women who are known for their ability to contact spirits, come to places like this. Unfortunately that is the extent of my knowledge of this particular location.