A picture during crossing

     The most status symbol to prove the visit of untrodden Iriomote Island must be crossing of the island by trekking.  To cross over in a day is called "cross running", and to make it gradually in several days is called "cross walking".  It is a course that starting from Gunkan-iwa (warship rock) which is the terminal of a sightseeing boat of Urauchi River and getting to Komi or Otomi.  But as for the Komi route, now the mountain paths were almost broken down by some typhoons in some years ago, therefore we obliged to use the Otomi route. The picture above shown was at the divergent point into Komi and Otomi routes.  
     From Gunkan-iwa to Mariyudu, Kanbire Falls, there is a well maintained mountain path for sightseeing, from a little ahead of Kanbire Falls, we enter the genuine crossing route.  Thereafter, we pass Daini-yamagoya-ato (trace of the second mountain hut), Itajikigawa-no-deai (joint of Itajiki River), Chukan-hiroba (midway square), Daiichi-yamagoya-ato (trace of the first mountain hut), Komi- Otomi divergent point, and get to Otomi Forest Path.  After Itajiki River, large scale of ups and downs in the paths continue.  When we reach Otomi Forest Path, first of all we are relieved, but actually it is rather hard to walk the remained 8 km from there to Otomi Village, particularly under the burning sun in the midsummer, we need some guts.  Mr. I. A. who is a repeater customer of Kanpira-so once walked over this Otomi Forest Path under the burning sun and he was extremely thirsty, as soon as he arrived at a grocery store at Otomi, he drank up 8 cans of juice without pause, quite amazed the accompanied people including me.  
     We have a maxim for young people, "There is no way ahead of you.  The way is made behind you. ".  It is the same thing in the crossing route, as a crossing trekker who was about to lose his way made many false paths everywhere, an unaccustomed man for the trekking may lose his way easily.  
      In the case of the cross running in a day, it takes about 8 hours even by a good walker, however Mr. Makoto who is a repeater customer of Kanpira-so has the top record of 3 hours and half, it must be the cross running literally.  On the other hand in the case of the cross walking with 1~2 stays in the mountains,  we have enough spare time to visit Mayagusuku Falls on our way.  For a camping site, we can use Kannabara, Chukan-hiroba, Daiichi-yamagoya-ato and so on, every site is convenient because it is close to a watering place.  
     When you enter the mountains to cross the island, you have to resister with a the police station and a district forestry office in advance.  You can download the registration sheet from this Web site.  Formats by MS-WORD and PDF are prepared.  Click the links below located to download.  
Registration to enter forest (WORD) Registration to enter forest (PDF)