RegionUsable guide

Okinawa

Prefecture of Japan

Photo: Tomaž Vajngerl, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Overview

Okinawa (Japanese: 沖縄 Okinawa, Okinawan: 沖縄 Uchinaa) is a subtropical island chain between mainland Japan and Taiwan. Formerly the Ryukyu Kingdom, with its own language and culture, it's now one of Japan's 47 prefectures and the country's answer to Hawaii, with a complicated mix of gorgeous scenery, mass tourism, tragic history, cultural pride, and looming military presence.

Regions

Okinawa Island
The largest island in both size and population, the heart of Okinawan culture.
Kerama Islands (including Kumejima)
Small islands with pristine beaches near the main island
Daito Islands
Three isolated, rarely visited islands far to the east
Miyako Islands
Subtropical islands with some of Japan's nicest beaches
Yaeyama Islands
The southernmost part of Japan, tropical with jungle wilderness, great beaches, and great diving

Getting there and around

Getting there

By ship
Ferry services to Okinawa have been cut drastically, with Arimura Sangyo filing for bankruptcy and RKK Line stopping passenger services entirely.

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Getting around

By plane
Flights between the islands are mostly handled by Japan Transocean Air (JTA) and its subsidiary Ryukyu Air Commuter (RAC), both owned by JAL. ANA also has a limited network radiating out from Naha.
By ferry
There are dense webs of ferry links between nearby islands, but only infrequent cargo boats ply lengthier routes like Naha-Ishigaki.
By car
Probably more so than anywhere else in Japan, the trainless main island of Okinawa is a car culture, which makes car rental an attractive option for longer stays.
By bus
g. over ¥2000 to cross the main island). Times and routes (usually in both English and Japanese) are indicated at each bus stop and at the various bus terminals.

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Airports and nearby hotels

Choose an airport to see hotels, stations, taxi ranks and car rental desks around it.

Naha International Airport

Naha · International · OKA

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Read before you go to Okinawa

Articles and travel topics about Okinawa and Japan.

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Full travel guide

Every section of the guide. Open one to read it in full.

Destinations

UnderstandThe name Okinawa means "rope in the open sea", a fairly apt description of this long stretch of islands between the main islands of Japan and Taiwan.

TalkOne of the most distinctive features of modern Okinawan is appending the English ending -er for people who do, well, pretty much anything.

Get inMost visitors arrive in Naha, the capital of Okinawa, which is also well served by low-cost carriers like Skymark and Jetstar.

Get aroundFerry and air connections link the islands together, but many of them are simply so small in population that scheduled services may be infrequent and prices vary.

SeeMost people come to Okinawa for the sun and beaches. Even in midwinter, when many areas of the mainland Japan teeter around the freezing point, temperatures rarely dip below 15°C in Okinawa.

DoOkinawa is the best place in Japan for all sorts of watersports.

Buy

EatOkinawan cuisine is distinctly different from that of mainland Japan.

DrinkThe local brew of choice is awamori (泡盛), a notoriously strong rice liquor that can contain up to 60% alcohol, although 30-40% is more common.

SleepBroadly speaking, accommodation on Okinawa can be divided into two brackets: cheap basic lodges, and expensive fancy resorts. Another option is sleeping in campsites.

Stay safeOkinawa is as safe as mainland Japan or more so. On the smaller islands it's not uncommon to leave front doors not merely unlocked, but open all day.

Stay healthyThe number one health risk on Okinawa is sunburn, and it doesn't take long at all to get fried to a crisp when it's sunny outside. Slap on plenty of lotion.

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Sources and licences

Guide text adapted from the Wikivoyage article "Okinawa" by its contributors, available under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read on Wikivoyage · Contributors · CC BY-SA 4.0
Summary from the Wikipedia article "Okinawa Prefecture", available under CC BY-SA 4.0. Wikipedia
Photo: Tomaž Vajngerl, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

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