Japan is famous for its cities (like Tokyo) and unique attractions (like the deer of Nara Park). But one of Japan’s best-kept secrets is its beaches.
Okinawa, Japan is one of the best beach destinations in Asia. This gorgeous group of islands southwest of Kyushu offers visitors soft sand beaches, crystalline blue waters, amazing food, and a distinctive history and culture to learn about.
The first thing to know about Okinawa is the word “Okinawa” can refer to two things. First, it can mean the island group, the Okinawa Islands. This group itself is part of the larger Ryukyu Islands chain.
It can also mean Okinawa Island. This is the largest island in both the Okinawa Island chain and the Ryukyu Islands in general.
Most tourists to the Okinawa Islands will spend some or most of their time around Okinawa Island. The island is home to many of the Ryukyu Islands’ best and most popular attractions.
Okinawa Island also has an international airport, so it’s likely to be your entry point to the islands. With the airport and multiple ports, Okinawa Island is a fantastic jumping-off point for visiting other islands.
Because of this, this article features some of the top things to do in Okinawa, meaning the Okinawa Island.
1. Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium
One of the most popular (if not the most popular) places to visit in the Okinawa Islands is Churaumi Aquarium. This massive aquarium is one of the largest in the world, and one of the few aquariums to house whale sharks.
You could easily spend much of your day at Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium seeing all of its sea creatures. There are 67 exhibition tanks across the roughly 10,000 square meters of the square.
The biggest tank is The Kuroshio Sea, which is an enormous 7,500 meters cubed. This tank has to be so huge to have enough room for all the creatures, but especially the whale sharks.
Whale sharks are the largest animals on Earth outside of cetaceans (like the whale families). You can’t miss seeing them in the special floor-to-ceiling viewing area.
The Churaumi Aquarium is located in Ocean Expo Park, which has its own activities to partake in. Ocean Expo Park has several arboretums, the Oceanic Culture Museum and Planetarium, a replica of a traditional Okinawan village, and various sand beaches.
So even if you get tired of the aquarium, there is plenty to explore and do outside the aquarium in the area.
2. Shuri Castle
Shuri Castle is a fortified castle in Naha, the capital of Okinawa Island. Built in the 14th century, Shuri Castle was the royal palace of the Ryukyu Kingdom.
The Ryukyu Kingdom was a kingdom that ruled over the Ryukyu Islands from 1429 to 1879, when Japan annexed the islands. The Ryukyuan people are an ethnic group indigenous to the Ryukyu Islands.
Shuri Castle is a UNESCO World Heritage Site along with eight other sites. Together, these spots are called the Gusuku Sites and Related Properties of the Kingdom of Ryukyu. These UNESCO World Heritage Sites exemplify over half a millennia of history and culture of the Ryukyu Kingdom.
While some of the castle is being renovated due to a fire in 2019, the buildings you can see and the castle grounds themselves are beautiful.
Because Shuri Castle resides on a hill, you can also catch great views of Naha from the castle park.
3. World War II Memorials
Okinawa Island was a major battle site for World War II, with the Battle of Okinawa taking place there. This battle killed many Okinawans and decimated many of the buildings.
Needless to say, World War II had a horrific and lasting impact on Okinawa Island. So there are a number of sites across the island related to World War II and its impact.
The main memorial is Peace Memorial Park. The park has many sights and monuments, including the Peace Memorial Museum, which recounts the Battle of Okinawa), and the Cornerstone of Peace, a memorial which lists over 240,000 names of those who died in the battle.
Not far from Peace Memorial Park are the Himeyuri Monument and Himeyuri Peace Museum. Towards the end of the Battle of Okinawa, girls and teachers from two nearby schools had to join the war as nurses.
The monument memorializes the girls and teachers who worked as nurses in terrifying conditions, most of whom died during the war. The museum tells the moving story of their experiences.
There is also the Former Japanese Navy Underground Headquarters south of Naha. This underground complex served as the headquarters for the Japanese Navy.
The visitor center has a museum and photo exhibition dedicated to the Battle of Okinawa. The headquarters portion is a trench with numerous interconnecting corridors and rooms that were used during the war.
Hauntingly, staff officers killed themselves via grenade in one of the rooms you can tour. You can see the shrapnel of the grenades in the wall.
4. Spending time at the beach
There are plenty of lovely beaches to visit even on Okinawa Island (though the very best beaches are elsewhere). Some of the beaches are public, while others are associated with resorts, meaning they’re for hotel guests and sometimes daytime visitors.
The best beaches for you to visit depend on where you’re staying and what else you have planned for things to do in Okinawa.
For example, Emerald Beach is near Ocean Expo Park and Churaumi Aquarium, more in the north. Manza Beach is on the west coast in central Okinawa Island, near the ANA InterContinental Manza Beach Resort.
For a beach that is more accessible from Naha, try Mibaru Beach in the southeast.
The best time for spending time in the water is May through October, when the water is warm enough to get in. However, the water is certainly stunning to look at year-round.
5. Kokusai Dori Street
Kokusai Dori (“International Street”) is the dynamic and colorful main shopping street of Naha on Okinawa Island. This 1.6-kilometer street is lined with all manner of restaurants, shops, bars, cafes, hotels, department stores, and more.
It’s a great place to look for souvenirs, grab a bite to eat, or experience the nightlife of Naha. There are also several covered shopping arcades, like Heiwa Dori, branching off from Kokusai Dori.
For a slightly more local experience, visit the Daiichi Makishi Public Market. Vendors at this market sell all kinds of fresh produce, meat, and seafood, as well as other general goods. The new, refurbished building is set to open in spring 2023.
6. Day trip to other islands
From Okinawa Island, you can easily fly or take a ferry to other Ryukyu Islands. Many of these islands are worth overnight stays themselves.
But even if you don’t have extra time to spare, there are still a number of options for island day trips from Okinawa Island.
Any island in the Kerama Islands chain [https://culturesnapshots.com/beach-destinations-in-east-asia/] is a fantastic choice, with extremely clear waters and less hustle and bustle.
Make sure you take the earliest ferry you can to make the most of your day trip. And make sure you make it back in time for your ferry back! Many of the islands have limited accommodation and you don’t want to get stuck.
7. Trying Okinawan food
When visiting the Okinawan Islands, be sure to sample some of the local cuisine. Though at many eateries you’ll find many familiar Japanese dishes, there is a separate, distinctive Okinawan cuisine.
Before the Ryukyuan Islands were ever annexed by Japan, the Ryukyuan people had an extensive history of trade with China and Southeast Asia. Through this contact, Okinawa’s climate, and available foods, people on the islands developed their own unique cuisine.
Okinawan food has been further influenced by the continued presence of the United States military on Okinawa Island. The military brought with them popular American dishes and food products that had an effect on Okinawan cuisine.
Some of the best food in Okinawa include champuru (stir fry with varying ingredients, including Spam), Okinawa soba (wheat noodles), and taco rice (taco ingredients served on top of rice).
8. Castle Ruins
Besides Shuri Castle, there are other Ryukyuan castles that are UNESCO World Heritage sites on Okinawa Island. But these fortresses, built between the 13th and 14th centuries, are all in ruins.
These castles are Katsuren Castle, Nakagusuku Castle, Nakijin Castle, and Zakimi Castle. At these castle ruins, many of the ancient stone walls are quite well-preserved.
You can walk around these ancient fortress walls, but getting to the top areas of the ruins will most likely require some climbing.
However, once you’re at the top, you can see lovely panoramic views of the surrounding areas thanks to the hilltop locations of the castles.
9. Okinawa World
Okinawa World is a theme park dedicated to Okinawan culture. Attractions here include Gyokusendo Cave, the Traditional Crafts Village, and Habu Park.
Gyokusendo Cave is a huge, 5 kilometer-long limestone cave that visitors can tour 890 meters of. The cave is filled with over one million impressive stalagmites and stalactites.
The Traditional Crafts Village is a recreation of a traditional Ryukyuan village, complete with red-roofed buildings. The village focuses on traditional crafts, so learn about and try your hand at weaving, paper making, dyeing, and more.
Habu Park offers shows featuring the habu (a local snake) five times a day, as well as an exhibition on habu and other animals.
Visitors can also watch an eisa performance, a traditional Okinawan folk dance typically performed during the Obon Festival.
Author Bio
Ashley is the writer, photographer, and owner behind Culture Snapshots. Her passion for travel and culture ignited when she moved to South Korea to teach English and traveled extensively around Asia. When she travels, she likes to explore what makes a destination special and unique. In her free time, she can be found cafe hopping, taking photos, and learning languages.
