Okinawa Island Guide

Everything on Okinawa Island from A to Z | Scenic sites & unique streets

Okinawa Island Guide
ナチュラルカフェharu

Haru

731-1 Gushiken, Motobu Town
Tel: 0980-48-2700
Hours: 11:00-19:00
Closed: Mon and Tue

Run by a family of artists, Haru resembles an art gallery more than a place to eat, and it displays and sells glass jewelry and accessories, pottery and more items crafted by them. From the café you can enjoy a view of Iheya, Izena and Ie islands.

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備瀬フクギ並木

Fukugi tree-lined streets in Bise

Bise is a picturesque village famous for its fukugi trees, located near the Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium. There are nearly 230 houses in the village area, which is divided like a chessboard, with most of them surrounded by a dense cover of fukugi, scenery once commonly seen in most Okinawan communities. It is one of the few places on the island where you can ride in a buffalo-drawn cart, an experience normally found only on Taketomi Island. You can enjoy a tranquil moment while traveling leisurely along unpaved white-sand streets with the gentle sun filtering down through the fukugi trees.

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ハテの浜

Hate no Hama

Janado, Kumejima Town (Kume Island)

Stretching for seven kilometers offshore of Kume Island is a beautiful white sandbank called Hate no Hama, which has been featured in TV commercials and on posters. You can access Hate no Hama only by boat from Eef Beach (approximately 20 minutes).

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山の茶屋 楽水

Yama-no-Chaya Rakusui

19-1 Tamagusuku, Tamagusuku, Nanjo City
Tel: 098-948-1227
Hours: 11:00-18:00 (Last order 17:30)
Closed: Thu

This café is nestled on a mountain in Tamaki. The most popular menu item here is a healthy vegetarian set meal called the Rakusui set.

新原ビーチ

Miibaru Beach

On this shallow beach stretching over two kilometers, you can enjoy a glass-bottom boat, BBQ, sea kayaking and various marine activities. Many locals gather at the beach for clam digging at low tide.

瀬長島

Senaga Island

 Senaga Island is accessible via a bridge at the southern end of Naha Airport from where visitors can watch airplanes taking off and landing with a beautiful sunset in the background.

コマカ島

Komaka Island

Komaka Island is a small, uninhabited island ringed by beautiful white sand beaches and having a circumference of only 800 meters. The island is crowded with people who enjoy sea-bathing, diving, snorkeling and beach parties. You can see many colorful tropical fish swimming in the shallow waters near the beaches. In summer, you can enjoy camping under a star-studded sky. The only facility available on the island is a toilet. When visiting the island, don't forget to bring your own food, drinks and items such as beach umbrellas.

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与那覇前浜ビーチ

Yonaha Maehama Beach

Yonaha, Shimoji, Miyakojima City (Miyako Island)

This is the beach that has made Miyako Island a popular destination. With its seven-kilometer-long stretch of super fine white sand, Yonaha Maehama Beach is amazingly beautiful and has been called the best white sand beach in East Asia. Rarely crowded, the beach is an ideal destination for people looking to just relax and unwind.

八重干瀬

Yaebiji

317-3 Maezato, Hiira, Miyakojima City (Miyako Island)

Located in the northern part of Miyako Island, Yabiji is the largest grouping of coral reefs in Japan. These 100 or so coral reefs are famous for being visible above the water line during the lowest tide of the year. Yabiji is also known for its diving and snorkeling spots, only a 30-minute boat ride from Ikema Island, which is also connected to Miyako Island by the Ikema Bridge.

東平安名崎

Higashihenna-saki

Bora, Gusukube, Miyakojima City (Miyako Island)

The island’s easternmost point, Higashihenna-saki is a gorgeous headland brimming with seasonal flowers such as the Easter lily in spring. At two kilometers long, the cape makes for a great stroll.

来間大橋

Kurima Ohashi

Kurima, Shimoji, Miyakojima City (Miyako Island)

Kurima Ohashi is a bridge that connects Miyako and Kurima islands. The scene can be vastly different depending on the tide. Many locals and visitors cross the bridge to enjoy the stunning views it offers.

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通り池

Tori-ike

Sawada, Irabu, Miyakojima City (Miyako Island)

Designated a natural monument by the Japanese government, tori-ike (lit. path lake) is known as a mystical lake harboring myths featuring mermaids and other sea creatures. Tori-ike consists of two lakes with 75-meter and 55-meter diameters and depths of 45 and 25 meters, respectively. The two lakes are interconnected under water and also linked to the ocean. This is a unique location where fresh and salt waters mingle, making it an ideal diving spot.


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