What does it feel like to ride the waves? I learned kitesurfing in Okinawa

This diary has been in the works for almost a year. The reason I put it off until now is because it’s only recently that I’ve really become a newbie in kitesurfing and can pedal in the ocean on my own, which means I’ve finally made it on the board (kitesurfing parlance) successfully. Although I am not very skilled yet and often fall down, I finally experienced the feeling of riding the wind and waves. It feels really good.


Not my friend to play with

There are not many people who play kitesurfing in China. It is said that there are about 2,000 people. The circle is very small, and many of them are It's an acquaintance. Because I have really studied and successfully promoted to become a wind rush novice, I concluded that there are two reasons that hinder the development of this sport in China.

1. The initial investment is large (at least 20,000 yuan for tuition + equipment);

2. Beginners feel very frustrated at the beginning and give up easily.

It took me a year from the beginning of my formal studies to the time I successfully got on the board. I have communicated with many Feng Chong friends and it was about the same time. Some even got on the board 2-3 years later. If you don’t persist, it’s really easy to give up after such a long interval.
  

Shantou Feng Chong

I met senior Feng Chong from Hong Kong at a skiing party 4 years ago. I watched him play kite for the first time in Dongchong, Shenzhen, and thought it was cool. At that time, I took a female student to practice how to control a kite on the beach. I also tried it, but because I didn’t control it well, I almost got blown away by the kite, which really scared me. Later, I temporarily gave up kitesurfing because I became obsessed with skiing every year.
  
It wasn’t until last year that I decided to learn Feng Chong. Before learning, I read a lot of guides and learned about the prices of domestic wind rush course coaches. One of the most critical factors in learning wind rush is to have a stable and good wind. It will not work if it is too big or too small, which is not conducive to teaching. I only know that the most famous ones in China near Guangdong are Pingtan, Fujian and Boao, Hainan. The tuition is about 400-500 yuan an hour, and you need to study for 9-16 hours. The cost Probably between 4,500 yuan and 7,200 yuan. There are also many Chinese doing wind sprinting in the Asian countries of Mui Ne, Vietnam and Boracay Island in the Philippines. Because I am relatively familiar with Japan, and I accidentally found a cheap air ticket to Okinawa during the Mid-Autumn Festival last year, and I also learned about the course of learning Fengchong in Okinawa.


Location of Miyako Island, Okinawa, Japan

Study in Okinawa The wind blowing place is on Miyako Island. It takes an hour to fly from Naha. The tuition is 50,000 yen. You can study for 3-4 days. You can study for 3-4 hours every day depending on the wind conditions. but the teaching is only in English and Japanese.

Course Introduction: https://www2.miyako-ma.jp/yonaha/m-air/information.html.
  

Introduction to Miyakojima Fuchu Course

The Hirata couple run the Fuchu school. You can also stay at their home, which provides single rooms or mixed rooms. The price is very cheap. The Chinese name is Dudao Hotel (actually it is a B&B). You can book on Booking. Come check out this Dudao hotel on Booking.com!


You can cook your own meals in the living room


Stay in a mixed room

It was my first time to go to Okinawa and I stayed in Naha for one night. I originally planned to visit Shuri Castle early the next morning (unfortunately, it was burned down due to a fire in October last year), but I overslept and didn’t go. I only walked around and walked to Namikamigu Shrine. A small shrine park next to the sea, the sea breeze is very comfortable. There are so many Chinese tourists, one tourist bus after another.
  

Hakinamigu Shrine


Burned Shuri Castle

After visiting Namigamigu Shrine, we returned to downtown Naha to pack our luggage and fly directly to Miyakojima. It’s really beautiful to see the sea in Okinawa from the plane.
  

Naha Airport


A corner of Miyakojima


Looking at the Ma Ohashi Bridge from the plane

Miya There are two airports on the main island of Koshima. They are Miyako Airport in the city and Shimojishima Airport on the outlying islands. Mr. and Mrs. Hirata can provide airport pick-up service, but only for guests arriving and departing from Miyako Airport. The fee seems to be 1,000 yen (60 yuan). Much cheaper than taking a taxi.
  

Okinawa Map


Miyakojima Map

The person who came to pick me up at the airport was Hirata’s wife, Emi. She was also my teacher on the first day of my Wind Chong course. Because time was urgent, I immediately started teaching Feng Chong theory after I settled my luggage at her home. The wind window and kite models are very well made and are very convenient for teaching. It took about 20 minutes to explain the wind distribution areas of <span style="font-weight: bold;">upwind, downwind and wind window (red is strong wind area, orange is moderate wind area, and yellow is weak wind area), and finally used the kite model to explain how to control the kite. These theories are very important and must be learned and understood thoroughly.
  

Wind window model


Wind distribution area of ​​the wind window


Kite model

Wind rush theory After the lesson, Emi-sensei drove me with the equipment and took me to SANITUI Beach, which is the best place for beginners to practice. The wind here is beautiful and the scenery is beautiful. The kite used that day was 7 square meters, which was relatively small and easy for novices to control.
  

サニツ浜


Small kite of 7 square meters

Here I learned how to inflate the kite, put the strings on the handles, arrange the strings, and connect the kites , put on the seat hook, connect the safety line, and finally connect the kite for actual control. After the learning, a series of practical operations such as removing the stitches, winding the handles, deflating the kite, folding it, and recycling the kite were carried out.
  

Separating and organizing the cables


Kite string handles


Connecting the string handles to the kite

Actual control of the kite It's a lot like learning to drive and turn the steering wheel. You need to control your strength and practice more to become proficient.
  

Ms. Emi in teaching


Ms. Emi’s kite

I studied at SANITUI Beach for two days, and Teacher Hirata taught on the second day . The main content of learning is how to release the safety rope to protect your own safety and recover it if the kite is out of control. Another very important thing is to play figure 8 without a board, which lays the foundation for learning on the board on the third day.
  

Safety Guarantee System

On the third day, we started to formally learn to control the kite on the board. I chose another beach to study on, called West Beach. The water is very clear and green. You can enjoy the wind while overlooking the Irabu Bridge, which is very pleasant.
  

Introduction to Irabu Bridge


Sunset of Irabu Bridge

There are almost no tourists here. I only saw a Japanese family of three with their children walking a very large cat. Big turtle. I was very frustrated during the two days of practice at West Beach. I didn’t know how many times I fell in the sea but never managed to get on the board. I lost my focus on the kite and lost my board. I lost control of my kite when I lost my focus on the board. I was really exhausted from practicing. On the fourth day, I couldn’t practice in the morning because of rain. I went back to my country in the afternoon. I studied for a total of 13 hours. I failed to get on the board and left with regrets.
  

Teacher Hirata


The big turtle I don’t know what it’s called

During the three days I was studying wind flushing in Miyakojima, I got sunburned for the first time because I didn’t protect myself from the sun. I was also infected by bacteria and developed herpes at the corner of my mouth, which hurt me for several days. Because the sunburn was very severe, the top and bottom of my face were completely different skin colors, and I was laughed at by others wherever I went. It took more than half a month to slowly recover, which is really a warning.

Okinawa has always been a good place for diving, and Miyako Island is no exception. However, I am not very interested in diving. I use my free time to ride a bicycle around the surrounding areas and fly drones to take pictures. The farther one has been to Irabu Bridge, and the closest one is Kurimajima Island and the beach, which is one of the tourist attractions of Miyakojima Island. It has many tourists and complete accommodation facilities. If you like running, please go for a morning jog on Laijian Bridge. You don’t need me to say more after seeing the pictures below.
  

Looking at Laima Bridge from afar


Foreshore


Laima Bridge

Getting to know each other on the island I met a Japanese guy named Yuya Uechi. He and his parents opened a restaurant, Miyako Shokudo. He can use WeChat and Alipay, and he also has Chinese friends. He is quite enthusiastic, but I think he doesn’t look like a Japanese and he likes to be a cuckold, haha. Through him, I met several Japanese friends of his. I explained to them the meaning of cuckolding in China, which made them laugh and find it very interesting, but he didn't care. He was very interested in my drone and took him to play with his friends.
  

Miyako Cafeteria


Take a photo with Uechi’s friends


Aerial photo