I am someone who suffers from absolutely terrible hay fever. For many years, I’ve been plagued by cedar and cypress pollen, especially during the early spring.
My escape from this misery began exactly ten years ago. I came across an article—I can’t recall if it was on TV or in a magazine—that said, “If you want to escape cedar pollen, just go somewhere it doesn’t exist. Places like Okinawa or Hokkaido don’t have many cedar or cypress trees planted, so there’s no pollen.”
I thought, “That’s it! But Hokkaido is too cold this time of year, so I’m going to Okinawa.” On a whim, I booked my very first trip to Okinawa in late March of that year.
It was a 4-day, 3-night experimental stay in Naha City, and the results were life-changing. While I was there, the sneezing completely stopped. I was so overjoyed that it felt like “meeting a Buddha in hell”—a true lifesaver! I decided right then and there that I would spend at least one month in Okinawa every year starting the following year.
During those three days, I ignored the usual sightseeing. Instead, I spent my time wandering all over Naha, searching day and night for an affordable and comfortable place to stay. Fortunately, I found a great spot in the city where I could stay for less than 100,000 yen a month. Since then, I’ve made it a tradition to stay in Okinawa, mainly in Naha, every single year.
Of course, 2021 and 2022 were years of endurance because the pandemic prevented me from traveling. But this year, 2023, I finally returned for the first time in three years. For two months—from late February to late April—I completely forgot about pollen and thoroughly enjoyed my life in Okinawa again.
From now on, I plan to save as much as I can in my daily life so that I can continue spending the pollen season in Okinawa. It’s the ultimate escape!
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