TRAVEL 67 : Chris Willson Photography

Veterinarian Takashi Nagamine

Bird Man of Okinawa

Takashi Nagamine is a veterinarian trying to save the Okinawa Rail from extinction.

Takashi Nagamine was born in Gushikawa City, Okinawa. He studied veterinary science at Nihon University, worked as a vet in Saitama prefecture for 11 years, and then returned to his hometown. In 2001, he set up Nagamine Animal Hospital where he treats the everyday ailments of local pets, and also injured wild animals from all over Okinawa.

What types of wild animals does your hospital receive?

“We get 150 to 200 cases a year, and these cover a wide range of species from the Crested Serpent-Eagle to the Okinawa Rail. Some animals have been injured by power lines or cars; others have been poisoned by pesticides.”

What kind of bird is the Okinawa Rail?

“The local name is the Yanbaru-kuina. It’s a small bird, about the size of a man’s hand, or a little larger than a pigeon. It was only discovered in 1981, because it is naturally a very shy bird. It is also the only flightless bird in Japan, which is one of the reasons that it is now endangered.

How many Okinawa Rails are there?

“The latest estimates are that there only 717 of the birds on Okinawa, and as it is endemic to the island, these are the last 717 individuals of this species in the world.”

Okinawa Rail, Yanbaru-kuina, Rallus okinawae

Why are there so few of the birds left?

“There are several problems. The loss of habitat due to logging and the division of the remaining land by roads means there is smaller area in which the birds can live. Stray cats kill some birds, but the number one issue we need to deal with are the mongooses. In 1910, 19 mongooses were introduced from India to try to control the poisonous habu snakes. There are now more than 30,000 mongooses on the island. They have no natural predators, and the Okinawa Rail is easy prey. It’s particularly ironic because habu are nocturnal and mongoose are diurnal, so it was a bad idea from the start. ”

If the bird can’t fly and can’t defend itself, isn’t it just natural selection for it to disappear?

“The Okinawan ecosystem has always been in a delicate balance. The natural predators of the Okinawa Rail – the habu and jungle crows – were only able to kill a small number of the birds. Mongooses and domestic cats are foreign species that have upset this balance. If extinction were to occur, is wouldn’t be at all natural.”

What can be done to save the Okinawa Rail?

“In 2005, the Conservation Animal Welfare Trust was formed, and a rescue center was set up in Kunigami Village. At the center we provide injured birds with first aid, transport them to the animal hospital in Gushikawa, and there perform x-rays and surgery. The birds are returned to the rescue center where they can recover, before being released back into the wild. We also have a breeding program, with birds that we were unable to re-release, so far six chicks have hatched. The main problem, however, is still the large numbers of mongooses. The only long term solution is to remove all the mongooses from the area where the Okinawan Rail live. To do this we would need to build a fence across the northern part of the island, and catch every single mongoose north of it. ”

Are you optimistic about the future?

“It’s a very worrying, if not desperate situation, but I’m not willing to give up. I expect, in the near future, the numbers of birds will continue to drop. I do believe, however, we can save the Yanbaru-kuina from extinction. We just have to return Okinawa to its natural ecological balance.”

Okinawa Rail, Yanbaru-kuina, Rallus okinawae

(Interview first published in Okinawa Living Magazine  March 2007)

The Conservation & Animal Welfare Trust has a website at http://www.yanbarukuina.jp/

Morito Toyonaga Paper Toy

The Toy Maker

Morito Toyonaga creates toys that are miniature works of art. His designs have been exhibited in Tokyo, Yokohama, Osaka, Sendai and Okinawa. He has a love of traditional techniques that would otherwise disappear.

Morito Toyonaga studied sculpture at Okinawa Prefectural Art University and the School of the Museum of Fine Art, Boston, Massachusetts. His interest in sculpture blossomed into a passion for preserving the skills once used to create Okinawan children’s toys. In 2002, he set up his own toy store called Road Works beside Shuri Castle.

What materials do you use to create the toys?

“Some of the figurines are sculpted from wood, while the stuffed toys are fabric filled with cotton balls. The majority of my toys, however, are made from papier-mâché. To create these paper toys, I start by carving a wooden mold. I then layer a mixture of newspaper, brown paper and glue onto the outside of the mold. The wooden core can then be removed, leaving a thin paper skin. To strengthen the toy, I mix powdered sea shells with strong glue and paint this onto the brittle structure. After several layers of the mixture, the paper has a tough outer coating. I then use traditional Japanese powder paint mixed with more glue for a final colored layer. The last things to be done are the intricate details like the manes of horses or hats for people.”

Your elephants are bright blue and your horses are scarlet. What influences your choice of colors?

“For the more traditional designs, I look at paintings and photographs of original toys stored in Okinawan museums. Unfortunately, because the toys are made of paper, not many of them have survived. The photos did show that certain animals were always painted with the same colors – such as bright red horses. With modern designs I can be more flexible, but I still tend to stick with bright primary colors.”

Morito Toyonaga Paper Toy

Do you get inspiration from other forms of art?

“I have an interest in African tribal art, but my designs are very much based around Okinawa. My modern toys include miniature versions of Japanese police boxes, shîsâ, and Naha City’s monorail. I have even created a small paper toy based on my dog.”

Who usually buys your creations?

“Although these are toys, most of them are not given to children. The traditional designs are very popular with collectors of Okinawan crafts. The more modern pieces are often bought by young women ­ they like the cute designs, and they’re a great souvenir to remember a visit to Okinawa.”

Morito Toyonaga Paper Toy

(Interview first published Okinawa Living Magazine May 2006)