Okinawa is about a 2 hour flight from Tokyo. Flights are fairly inexpensive, and I think totally worth it. This is the more tropical side of Japan for sure.
Historically, it was the independent Ryukyu Kingdom. It became part of Japan in 1872. It is about 70 miles long (the main island) and has many smaller islands the are dotted around the area.
Divers and snorkelers come from around the world to see the underwater beauty of the Okinawa waters.
There are lots of tours taking you out to snorkel, or whale watch. You can rent jet ski’s or play in inflatable water playgrounds.
The coast of Okinawa from Naha to Nago is dotted with beach side resorts and hotels. Some really fancy and others more rustic. Buildings in Okinawa are made with concrete. This is due to the weather. Tsunami’s are common here from July-September and can really cause a lot of damage.
The beaches here are a mix of sandy or pebbly. I do recommend bringing water shoes to wear. Some beaches have quite the mix of coral and can be sharp on your feet. I loved walking at sunset along the beach looking for unique shells and seeing the tiny white crabs scatter across the sand.
Dotted throughout the island are Ryukyu ruins that you can visit. Castle walls built from limestone that is abundant here.
I recommend renting a car and getting out of the main city of Naha. Naha itself isn’t that pretty. To me the northern areas of the island are more lush and tropical. Driving here is on the left side of the road but don’t worry speed limits are lower and locals are friendly drivers.
The coastal drive is beautiful, and you’ll pass small towns and larger cities along the way. We stayed in a rental town home near Nago. It was just a 2 minute walk to the beach and the girls loved being so close to the beach.
If you plan your trip at the right time you can even see the famous cherry blossoms in bloom at Nago Castle park. They do bloom much earlier in the year here due to the location of the islands. I believe they start blooming in January-February, but check the local bloom times before you visit.
There are several beautiful gardens on Okinawa. The Southeast botanical garden even has a Christmas light show for several months of the year. When we were there in May the display was still up and tickets to visit were reasonably priced. Come early while it’s still a bit light out to enjoy the gardens and walk around after dark to see the lights.
The north coast also boasts the Yanbaru forest and mangroves. This is a bio-diverse and wild area. Hiking as well as kayaking the mangroves are fun things to consider doing while visiting the area. These are also activities that are fun to do even if it’s raining. Which it was for about half the week we were there.
Make sure to try all the cute locally owned restaurants and pubs that dot the coast. You will see American influences in here, as there are a lot of American military bases located on Okinawa. So don’t be surprised to see US fast food joints scattered about in the towns. I personally loved how many cute Japanese eateries were located in the most scenic places. Mostly casual joints with simple and reasonably priced food. Scanning google maps in the area you will be staying will reveal these places that a lot of times don’t have a website to look up.
Check out my other Japan posts for more….
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