Lonely PlanetSep 21
A Guide to Okinawa, Japan
Find scuba diving, rainforest hikes, traditional villages and more on this vast Japanese archipelago.
Once the royal seat of Ryūkyū kings.
20 things in this story
- Shuri CastleSightOnce the royal seat of Ryūkyū kings.
- Makishi Public MarketMarketBrowse stalls piled with tropical fruits, seafood, and local delicacies.
- Yakuzen Ryuka workshopPlaceLearn Ryūkyūan medicinal cooking.
- Okinawa Dining HaterumaRestaurant
- ChonchonRestaurant
- Elsewhere
- Yaeyama IslandsNeighborhoodOkinawa, JapanEnchant with untamed wilderness and quiet villages.
- Kerama IslandsNeighborhoodOkinawa, JapanSee its crystal-clear “Kerama Blue” waters.
- Taketomi IslandNeighborhoodOkinawa, JapanPreserves the Okinawa many travelers imagine but rarely find.
- Miyako IslandsNeighborhoodOkinawa, JapanHave blindingly white beaches.
- Daitō IslandsNeighborhoodOkinawa, JapanOffer a rugged frontier of striking sea cliffs and isolation.
- Ishigaki IslandNeighborhoodOkinawa, JapanJapan’s premier manta-diving destination.
- Yaeyama sobaRestaurantOkinawa, JapanSample a bowl of noodles on Taketomi Island.
- Kaiji BeachSightOkinawa, JapanSearch for the island’s famous star-shaped sand.
- Iriomote IslandNeighborhoodOkinawa, JapanCovered in dense subtropical jungle, mangrove forests and rugged mountains.
- Pinaisara FallsSightOkinawa, JapanTallest waterfall in Okinawa, reached by waterfall hikes.
- Yutsun FallsSightOkinawa, JapanA three-tiered cascade in dense rainforest.
- Okinawa Churaumi AquariumAquariumOkinawa, JapanHome to whale sharks and manta rays.
- Nago Pineapple ParkTheme parkOkinawa, JapanQuirky pineapple-themed rides.
- NakijinSightOkinawa, Japan
- KatsurenViewpointOkinawa, Japan