Haisai! (Okinawan for “hello”) I’m Tatsuya Miyo, a wheelchair traveler.
Today, I’d love to share a bit about the Yuimaru Beach Festival, an event I started back in 2022.
So, what is “Yuimaru”?
“Yuimaru” is an Okinawan word that means “helping each other” or “supporting one another.”
That spirit is exactly what this festival is all about.
I started it because I wanted to create a day where anyone – older adults, people with disabilities, and their families – can enjoy the beach together, safely and without stress.
The ocean felt so far away…
Honestly, after I started using a wheelchair, the beach basically disappeared from my life.
The sand is a huge barrier – my wheelchair would sink, and I couldn’t move at all. That alone made me feel like going to the ocean just wasn’t worth the hassle.
But everything changed when I visited Okinawa.
After nearly six years, I finally got to enjoy swimming in the sea again – and it was thanks to the amazing people I met there.
Instead of being negative, they said things like:
- “If we all lift together, it’ll be fine!”
- “As long as we help each other, we’ll figure it out!”
Hearing that, and feeling the kindness of everyone helping me out, really moved me.
Okinawan people are incredible.
That warmth, that willingness to support each other – I think that’s one of Okinawa’s greatest strengths.
A place for connection
There was another big reason I wanted to start this festival.
After giving a lecture at a rehabilitation training school in Okinawa, one student came up to me and said:
“Because of COVID, I couldn’t do any hands-on training. I’ve never interacted with someone who has a disability… I’m honestly scared to start working.”
I understood completely.
That’s when I realized – I wanted to create a space where students could meet real people with disabilities living active, independent lives after rehabilitation.
At the festival, they get to hang out, BBQ, play in the ocean, and experience real, everyday life. And they can even put their caregiving skills into practice in a fun, relaxed setting.
It’s an experience you just can’t get in a classroom.
Some students have told me, “It changed my whole outlook.”
That kind of learning- learning beyond textbooks – that’s what this festival offers.
What’s the festival like?
The event takes place at Azama Sun Sun Beach in Nanjo City – the first beach in Japan built with universal design in mind!
There are lots of fun activities:
- Banana boat rides
- Snorkeling
- Swimming with beach wheelchairs
- A lively BBQ with everyone!
We laugh, talk, eat, and play together.
If you ae having trouble visualizing it, check out this video from 2023!
Why not come spend a special day with us?
When’s the next one?
The next Yuimaru Beach Festival will be held on Saturday, October 11, 2025!
This is a festival where anyone can join in and make lasting memories. Maybe a child who comes now will return as an adult, bringing their own kids someday.
That’s the kind of event we hope it becomes – something that connects generations.
We’ll keep going until the Yuimaru Beach Festival becomes part of Okinawan culture.
Hope to see you there!
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