Located on the western coast of Okinawa main island near Onna Village, Cape Manzamo, is one of the island’s most celebrated and most visited natural landmarks. Famed for its dramatic limestone cliffs, panoramic ocean views, and historical significance, Cape Manzamo is a must-see destination that draws tourists from across Japan and around the world.
The Elephant Trunk Cliff of Manzamo
Cape Manzamo’s most iconic feature is its 20-meter-high Ryukyu-limestone cliff that juts into the East China Sea. Centuries of ocean erosion have sculpted the rock into a formation resembling an elephant’s trunk, making it a favorite subject not only for photographers, but also geologists.
Ryukyu-limestone is a kind of sedimentary rock composed of the skeletons and shells of sea-dwelling creatures. It is relatively soluable in water and prone to erosion. The geological forces that created the cliff’s distinctive shape were erosion from rain, which caused small fissures in the cliff to widen, and wave action around the base of the cliff, creating the familiar wave-cut ‘platform’ that is common to almost all the cliffs of Okinawa and most visible at low tide.
The Elephant Trunk cliff can be viewed from a well-maintained path around a large grassy plain at the top of a nearby cliff. The view from the path is both panoramic and breathtaking. It’s beautiful at any time of day, but if your schedule allows, try to visit around sunset as the sun sinks in the western sky. On a clear day you can see the coast of Nago and mountains of Motobu, but what Manzamo really offers is a serene, unbroken view of ocean and sky.
There is a fee to walk the path from which the Elephant Trunk Cliff can be seen, but it’s not very expensive and the money goes toward maintaining the path, the green area and the facilities. Plus they give you a nice photo.
Biodiversity of Manzamo
The area surrounding Cape Manzamo is rich in biodiversity. The limestone cliffs and adjacent grassy plains are home to various plant species, some of which are endemic to Okinawa. These include sakuna, a very nutritions edible, which grows abundantly amid the limestone rocks. The clear waters below are teeming with marine life, making it a popular spot for scuba diving.
The Royal Origin of the Name ‘Manzamo’
There is a famous story about how the cliff got its name. The name “Manzamo” is said to originate from the 18th-century (second-dynasty) Ryukyuan King Sho Kei, who, upon visiting the cape, remarked that the grassy plateau atop the cliff was spacious enough for 10,000 people to sit on (personally I think that’s rather optimistic unless it included what is now the parking lot, but I don’t imagine he was speaking in literal terms). This observation inspired the name: “Man” (10,000), “Za” (to sit), and “Mo” (field). It’s rather strange to me that the name originated from the space from which the cliff could be viewed rather than the cliff itself, but it’s definitely an awesome story.
Manzamo’s Poetic History
Once you exit the facility on the way to the path by the cliff, you’ll pass by a monument dedicated to a poem written in honor of King Sho Kei (the royal who named the spot). I think the poem probably reads better in the Ryukuan dialect than in does in English (at least I hope it does), but regardless, the calligraphy (by a renowned Okinawan calligrapher), is quite beautiful to behold.
Manzamo’s Weeping Dragon Spot
If you clap your hands in a specific area of this approach path, something interesting will happen. The echo changes depending on the location where you clap! This phenomenon is called “Meisekidan” (鳴き段). It’s a type of echo phenomenon that occurs in specific terrain, often referred to as a “clap echo” or “flutter echo.” When you clap your hands, the sound bounces back and forth between the ground and the wall in front of you, repeating multiple times and creating a unique echo. It’s said that the echo resembles the crying of a dragon—hence the name. This effect is particularly prominent in places like the “Weeping Dragon” zone at Cape Manzamo. Look for the sign pictured below and be sure to try experimenting with different spots!
Manzamo Facilities
The tourist center at Cape Manza is like any other tourist center. You can get all the customary Okinawan souvenirs like shisas and kariyushi shirts, plus all the popular packaged foods like chinsuko, sata-andaagi, beni imo tarts and more. Outside (near the Crying Dragon spot) you can also buy an omikuji (fortune) and tie it on a rope nearby. None of this is any different from any other ‘tourist trap’ on the island, but there’s one very unique shop there that raises the experience to a whole new level, and that’s a place called ‘Miki Bowl.’
Introducing Miki Bowls
When I saw the sign for a shop called ‘Miki Bowl,’ I thought ‘miki’ refered to the name of the owner (it’s a popular female name in Japan). But I was wrong. In this case, ‘miki’ is a traditional fermented drink that has been produced in Okinawa since 1477 (predating awamori). Made from simple, natural ingredients like rice, rice malt and lactic acid bacteria, it was first used as an offering in formal Shinto rites, then became popular as an everyday drink that was considered to aid digestion and ease the stomach (think of it as 15th centure Calpis). Even though it is not particularly well known, miki is considered one of the traditional soul foods of Okinawa.
You can get miki on its own if you want, but Miki Bowl serves it with a welcome twist. They freeze miki and top it with various arrangements of fruit, the way you would serve frozen yogurt. The bowls are a bit costly, but not overpriced all things considered and they are a healthy, delicious way to experince Okinawan food history. In fact, I’d even say the journey to Manzamo is worthwhile just for the miki (but of course, if you’re there you should go see the cliffs too).
Things to See Around Cape Manza
If your plan is to head up the west coast of the island, Manza is a great stop on the way to places like ChuraUmi Aquarium or Bise (where you can walk rustic streets lined with rows of old fukugi trees). You could even take a whole day and drive all the way to Cape Hedo (the northernmost point of the Okinawan main island). If you go on a Sunday when there’s a tournament planned, you can check out an Okinawan bulfight at the dome in Ishikawa (admission isn’t cheap, but the exitement is worth every penny). Cape Manzamo isn’t all that far from Yomitan, so you could stop at Cape Zanpa for some even more breathtaking views (be sure to go up the lighthouse if you get there before it closes). While you’re in that neck of the woods, why not visit Zamiki Castle (free admission) and the associated museum (not free, but totally worthwhile).
Cape Manzamo
The iconic Elephant Trunk Cliff in Onna, Okinawa.
Google Link to Cape Manzamo
