TINIAN — A huge old gate
standing in front of two old flame trees caught my attention when we
went driving on the north field of this island one Sunday afternoon a
few weeks back.
My
companion, Tinian’s hot pepper entrepreneur Susan, drove fast on the
rough and dusty road but willingly backed up the car when I asked if we
could check the place out.
I’ve driven around Tinian’s North Field
several in the past in a rented car and visited the more popular spots,
but that Sunday was different because I was with buddies who are Tinian
residents. Gone was the usual apprehension and hesitancy to explore new
and strange nooks that I always experienced in the past because I felt
that I was with people who knew the place well.
Entering the clearance from the main
gate, we came upon another torii Shinto gate and several other smaller
shrines on both sides of the inner gate.
The Shinto Shrine gets a fair share of
tourists, especially Japanese, every day. We passed by a couple of cars
parked earlier but they had already left when we arrived and we had the
place to ourselves.
We gingerly approached the place and felt
that it was almost a sin to intrude and step on the hallowed grounds.
Save for the chirping of some birds and other insects and the clicking
of our shutters, the place was silent.
According to the barely readable
information printed on a marker, the NKK Shinto Shrine was built next to
a spur of the sugar railroad and its name suggests that it was built by
the Nanyo Kohatsu Kaisha or NKK of the South Seas Development company
in 1941.
From the marker, we also learned that the
Japanese development on Tinian started sometime in 1926 when the NKK
expanded its operations from Saipan. In 10 years time, about 80 percent
of the island of Tinian was cultivating sugarcane. Tinian also embraced
Japanese citizens and Japanese culture that time.
It was hard to imagine that once upon a
time seven decades ago, ceremonial rites were regularly held on the very
grounds where we were standing.
We were reluctant to leave but the sun was already dipping low on the horizon. I didn’t fancy staying after dark in the place.
We left the area with a certain
connection to the past, rich with experiences. If you haven’t explored
Tinian yet, you’re missing a lot. The island is filled with historical
sites and scenic spots worth visiting.
