Hey guys. I like geocaching and I REALLY like hiking! We have some great trail networks here in Okinawa and I placed a cache along one to share the joy with y'all. Let's do both!
A bit of advice up front... If you're unexperienced or simply out of shape, I highly recommend taking these precautions before setting out on the trails:
1) Bring a friend and a cell phone. Good for emergency prep and great to share the fun!
2) Bring water. If it's hot and sunny, bring lots! There aren't any soda machines or FMs up there.
3) Consider wearing long pants, long sleeves, and a hat. Not necessary, but helpful for the "bug averse" types out here.
4) Wear comfy shoes and the right socks. The feet are the first things to go if unattended to.
5) Pack an emergency kit. Bug spray, trail mix, a hand towel, and spare batteries are some things you don't want to be without on a long walk in the woods.
Park at the waypoint and set out northbound on foot (and steeply uphill) until you get to the castle/playground thing (some may remember it from GC3JWBH). There's a trail leading up into the bush. Sometimes it's kept; others not so much – still passable though. There's a water fountain next to the first step. Take this trail. You may be tempted to venture up or down the other quasi-trail, but don't. It leads nowhere.
At the top of those stairs, there's a trail intersection. Turn right if you want to take some awesome pics from atop Mt Ishikawa. Or go left to grab this cache and TAKE A HIKE. You'll walk past a couple of turn-offs, but keep pressing on until you get to the listed turn waypoint. Turn there and head straight on to the prize. If you're feeling gamey, take the loop all the way around. It's a bit long, but great exercise and a worthwhile hike. When I placed this cache, there was a trail map just before the turn waypoint. It looked temporary, but whatevs... We've hiked this network several times these past few years and love it! This cache doesn’t require a long hike to get, but a small amount of bush-bashing at the very end.
There's an unactivated FTF prize tracktag, another geocoin to move along and some good swag for starters.