Lonely PlanetSep 21
A Guide to Okinawa, Japan
Find scuba diving, rainforest hikes, traditional villages and more on this vast Japanese archipelago.
Preserves the Okinawa many travelers imagine but rarely find.
20 things in this story
- Yaeyama IslandsNeighborhoodEnchant with untamed wilderness and quiet villages.
- Kerama IslandsNeighborhoodSee its crystal-clear “Kerama Blue” waters.
- Taketomi IslandNeighborhoodPreserves the Okinawa many travelers imagine but rarely find.
- Miyako IslandsNeighborhoodHave blindingly white beaches.
- Daitō IslandsNeighborhoodOffer a rugged frontier of striking sea cliffs and isolation.
- Ishigaki IslandNeighborhoodJapan’s premier manta-diving destination.
- Yaeyama sobaRestaurantSample a bowl of noodles on Taketomi Island.
- Kaiji BeachSightSearch for the island’s famous star-shaped sand.
- Iriomote IslandNeighborhoodCovered in dense subtropical jungle, mangrove forests and rugged mountains.
- Pinaisara FallsSightTallest waterfall in Okinawa, reached by waterfall hikes.
- Yutsun FallsSightA three-tiered cascade in dense rainforest.
- Okinawa Churaumi AquariumAquariumHome to whale sharks and manta rays.
- Nago Pineapple ParkTheme parkQuirky pineapple-themed rides.
- NakijinSight
- KatsurenViewpoint
- Elsewhere
- Shuri CastleSightNaha, JapanOnce the royal seat of Ryūkyū kings.
- Makishi Public MarketMarketNaha, JapanBrowse stalls piled with tropical fruits, seafood, and local delicacies.
- Yakuzen Ryuka workshopPlaceNaha, JapanLearn Ryūkyūan medicinal cooking.
- Okinawa Dining HaterumaRestaurantNaha, Japan
- ChonchonRestaurantNaha, Japan