On Kakeroma Island, we visited the beach at Nishi-Amuro, where the picture book *The Princess of the Sea God* was born. Today, we poured sacred sake into the sea and offered a prayer of gratitude.

Shiozawa feels that it was the sea at Nishi-Amuro—where he was attacked by a sea snake—that led him to become a painter and shaped the person he is today.

He came here for the first time in three years, reflected on his work over the past three years, and seemed to realize once again that it was all thanks to the sea and the sea snakes of Nishi-Amuro.

After lunch, we returned to Suri Beach to go snorkeling, and then took a stroll through Shodon—a settlement of Heike refugees—and the surrounding area of Tokuhama. There, we were surrounded by overwhelming beauty born of nature’s inherent harmony and solitude, completely devoid of any human activity.

The beautiful yellow golden showers, which bloom at this time of year in July, are in full bloom.

The next day, I stopped by Honohoshi Beach, which I absolutely wanted to see before heading home. From the observation deck on the way to the beach, a breathtaking view spreads out before you.

At Honohoshi Beach, it was cool inside the cave, and the sound of the incoming waves and the pleasant clatter of round stones rolling as the waves receded were so soothing that I lost track of time and just kept gazing at them for what seemed like forever.

On our last night, we stayed in Bashayama Village and got to say hello to the president for the first time in three years. The barbecue on the terrace overlooking the ocean was fantastic.

The beach in the early morning was filled with a sacred stillness and light, and the sky and sea seemed to be calling out to us to come back again.