Are you currently researching a possible trip to Okinawa, Japan? Okinawa has been slowly getting the attention of people all over the world. You’ve probably read an article or two about the great number of centenarians (people over the age of 100) living in Ogimi Village. Maybe you saw the documentary Happy, where Okinawa is mentioned as one of the happiest places on earth. Maybe you spotted the turquoise beaches on a certain reel on Instagram (was it mine?).
After living in Okinawa for 7 years (and counting), I decided to put some of my knowledge into one place. I wanted to help those moving to Okinawa, as well as those planning on visiting this amazing island. Little Island Takara Guide to Okinawa is a series of blog posts where I share: a bit of history, lots of tips, an itinerary, must do’s, must eat, and so much more!!
If you haven’t read the previous LIT Guide to Okinawa Introduction post I suggest you head over there first, it includes a list of 10 things you should know before you visit. I also published a blogpost chockful of information about moving or PCSing in & out of the island, that I wrote for Starsand Magazine a spouse run magazine on island that’s sadly no longer in circulation. Most recently I added more information to an old blog post featuring the Inside Scoop on Driving in Okinawa, and reposted it because it’s one of my most popular ones and I thought it would be a great addition to this series! I have so many blog posts that have been sitting in my drafts for years and it’s time to dust them off and hit publish!
>> Now back to what we’re here for <<
One of the most frequent questions I’ve gotten through the years from blog readers on my email or followers on social media is “What should I do in Okinawa?”. I always put together a list for those who ask and tell myself that I need to just write down an itinerary and publish it on the blog, so here we are FINALLY! Here’s a little preview:
Note:
I’d like to point out before we dive in that this is how I would go about planning a trip. When I travel I usually like to do the farthest things first… so my suggestion is to head straight to the northern side of the island, that way you make your way south as the week goes on and your departure will be less stressful. I would personally stay in multiple places because it appeals to me… but you can always stay in a central location (Chatan/Onna) and just drive to different places every day. The itinerary can easily be switched around depending on your preferences or even the weather during your stay, it’s up to you!
Also… this was a hard post for me to write because we didn’t just visit Okinawa… we live here. So, I will try my best to write an itinerary that includes touristy spots, as well as some local gems. I asked on Instagram Stories for advice on how long I should make it… and thanks to that help I decided on 7 days. I’ve also had many suggestions for places to include, so thanks to everyone who has contributed! I will also include an idea for an extra day in case you’re staying for a longer period of time. You can also leave me a comment below, email me or DM me on Instagram and I can recommend you more things to do/see.
Day 1-2: North
Arrive at Naha International Airport, pick up a SIM card/pocket wifi, exchange some yen, and grab your rental car. A car is a must because there is not much public transportation on island. Make sure you have an international driver’s license or your SOFA license if you’re visiting from mainland Japan. (Read more about why you need a rental car and read the inside scoop about driving in Okinawa) Now it’s time to head up north or to wherever you’ll be based at.
Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium is an absolute must. Probably the #1 touristy place on the island where you’ll get to learn all about the underwater creatures that live in the surrounding waters. Visit one of the largest tanks in the world named the Kuroshio Sea, which holds a large variety of local sea life. The tank is so big that it holds four whale sharks, manta rays, and more! Sit back and enjoy the feeding show, or grab a snack at Café Ocean Blue. If you visit in spring go to the Tropical Dream Center to see the amazing flower displays.
Bise Village is located just a few minutes away from the aquarium. You can rent bikes and explore this cute little village or you can explore it on foot. Make sure you visit Emerald Beach, grab a bowl of soba at Churaumi Cafe, and take a photo in front of the cute ‘Okinawa Lover’ wall in front of OkinawaSun cafe before heading out.
Kouri Island is hands down one of my favorite places on island! At the end of the long bridge, you’ll find the clearest water on Okinawa Island. Park that rental and walk along the beach, buy yourself an Okinawa Salt Cookie ice cream (trust me!) at Blue Seal, visit the Kouri Ocean Tower to see an amazing 180° view of the island, make a pit stop at the Love Rocks which are a big touristy spot and considered a “power spot” by the locals, lastly grab a lunch at the Shrimp Wagon. I love taking visitors to the Unten Observation Deck to get a great view of Kouri.
Sesoko Island is a great alternative if you don’t want to drive up to Kouri! It’s just 15 min south of the aquarium, has gorgeous crystal clear water just like Kouri. The sand area at the beach by the bridge isn’t the best, but the water makes up for it!! We paid to park there for convenience, but you can also park up the hill. If you’ve been wanting to try Japanese fluffy pancakes, give Trip Cafe a try, they’re right by the beach but pro tip: arrive early! If they’re too busy or you’re not in the mood for pancakes I cannot recommend Fuu Cafe enough! The atmosphere is so lovely. On your way out stop at Ringo Cafe and treat yourself to a box of their exquisite macarons.
Have extra time?
Cape Hedo / Daisekirinzan Park – If you have extra time up north check out the northernmost point of Okinawa to see this amazing Jurassic Park-like view of where the Pacific Ocean meets the East China Sea. Explore the trails around Daisekirinzan Park, one of the biggest “power spots” on Okinawa, the limestone peaks are said to have been created by god over 200 million years ago. Make a pit stop at the giant Okinawa rail statue on your way out. If you have kiddos check out the Yanbaru Wooden Toy Museum.
If you have a military ID, you can stay at Okuma Beach, which is a private military resort (although resort is definitely not what I would call it 😂) or just take a dip on the crystal clear beach on your way down from your Cape Hedo visit!
If you don’t have time to drive up to Cape Hedo and want to do something out in nature I cannot recommend hiking Mt. Katsuu enough. The hike is relatively easy and takes around 30 minutes each way. The 360-degree view from the top is magnificent and you’ll get to see all the luscious greens surrounding the mountain, the city of Nago, and both the Pacific Ocean and the East China Sea.
Places to Eat – Some of our favorite spots on the north side of the island are: Kajinhou aka Pizza in the Sky, which is this amazing pizza place inside a traditional Okinawan home with the most gorgeous view of Nago. Next door is Anettaichaya Hammock Cafe, which has the same view but offers lighter meals like sandwiches, french toast, pizza toast, pho, and desserts!
Day 3-4: West-Central
Onna Village:
I would spend a day in Onna if you plan to snorkel or scuba dive! Cape Maeda is a must. It can be very crowded on the weekends and during the holidays, but a perfect place for swimmers of any skill to see marine life. Make sure you visit the famous Blue Cave while you’re there. If you’re a beginner you may be better off going with a tour, but if you’re a skilled swimmer you should be good to go. The location has paid parking, snack bar, bathrooms, and showers! Beach 51 is only 5 minutes away from Maeda and another great beach to visit with an amazing view from the cliff above!
Ryukyu Mura is sort of an Okinawa themed park also 5 minutes away from Maeda. They feature so much about traditional Okinawan culture like tiled roof residences, a shrine, performances such as taiko drumming, dances, reenactments of historical ceremonies and so much more! There are also lots of workshops you can take part in, like pottery making, playing sanshin, weaving coasters in traditional Okinawan patterns, and painting shisa statues.
Places to Eat in Onna – If you’re around Maeda around lunchtime check out The BROS Sandwich Shop. Pizzeria No Enzo is right on Beach 51 and it’s an amazing Italian restaurant (reservations needed for the weekends for sure!). If you’re visiting in the summer and looking for a refreshing treat after a day in the water check out Ryu-Pin inside the Onna No Eki market for a fruit filled mountain of shaved ice. Cafe Doka Doka is my personal favorite in the area and has an amazing view of the water. Close by you’ll find a second Trip Cafe location if you didn’t make it to Sesoko Island for fluffy pancakes. There’s also Paanilaani Pancake House if you’d like to try more Hawaiian pancakes!
Yomitan Village:
In Yomitan you can visit the Cape Zanpa Lighthouse. Walk along these massive cliffs, climb up to the top to get a better view from the lighthouse (if you visit before 4 pm), grab yourself some Blue Seal ice cream at the ice cream truck, and take a picture with the largest shisa statue. There’s a restaurant called Zanpa Drive-In that has amazing fried chicken sandwiches and you MUST get their purple sweet potato fries!! If you visit from December to March I suggest checking out the lantern festival at Murasaki Mura! If handmade pottery interests you check out the Yomitan Pottery Village!
Places to eat in Yomitan – Again, I cannot recommend Zanpa Drive-In enough, Shiro Kuma for Thai food, Mintama for Italian, Hachiren for ramen and Bloom Coffee for lunch!
Chatan:
There’s not a lot to do in Yomitan… so I suggest driving down to Chatan on this day as well. The bagels at Little Cactus are a favorite and I recommend walking along the Sunabe Seawall. Then drive over to the super quirky outdoor shopping mall that is American Village! There are so many shops and restaurants to try in this area, you can easily spend hours exploring the multiple buildings. Get yourself a coffee, keep your camera on hand so you can capture all the little details that make this place so fun, find all the Pokemon murals, enjoy a view of the water with an Okinawa Salt Cookie cone from the terrace at Blue Seal, visit the arcade or walk along the gachapon aisles, end the day with sunset and mojitos from Island Paddler’s Bar on Sunset Beach. If you visit on a Saturday night just know they shoot fireworks over the water at 8pm!
Places to eat in Sunabe Sea Wall – Sandbox Burgers for some of the best burgers on island, Cafe Halcyon for crepes, Thaicoon for Thai food and Vietnam Chan for Vietnamese food, Whale Chicken for Korean Food, Five Star Deli for bomb sandwiches, Coffee Casa for delicious coffee, Kanna Plus for shaved ice.
Places to eat in American Village – Seaside Cafe Hanon for fluffy pancakes, Zhyvago Coffee Works or Vongo and Anchor for your coffee needs, try one of the popular spam onigiris at Pork Tamago Onigiri, Kona’s Coffee for Hawaiian inspired food, Wagyu Café Kapuka for the freshest salads, Pizza Stand NY for some stateside style pizza’s.
Honestly… I could keep going Chatan is a foodie heaven!!
Day 4: East-Central
A Yokatsu Islands road trip is the perfect way to spend a day! These are five islands connected by bridges on the east-central side of Okinawa. Drive over the Kaichu Doro bridge, you can totally park at the rest stop and take in the scenery or keep on driving. Some must-visit spots on the islands are Hamahiga Beach, the seawall murals on Henza Island, the Kafu Banta viewpoint at the Nuchi-Una Salt Factory on Miyagi Island, the red bridge on Ikei Island, and either Ikei Beach or Oodomari Beach! Feel free to get lost along the tiny streets, there are treasures to be found in the most unexpected places. Before you leave the area make a pit stop at Yakena Strait Observatory to see an amazing view and the bluest of water! See more photos from a day trip around the Yokatsu Islands.
Places to Eat in Uruma – There aren’t a lot of places to eat in the islands… but if you visit Ikei Beach they have a small cafe that offers Okinawa staples like soba, ramen, curry, that’s perfect if you get hungry while you’re beaching it up. If you’re wanting to stop for food after leaving the islands there’s a King Tacos right after the big bridge where you can try taco rice! Twenty minutes away in Awase you will have more options for food, like BB Coffee, Kramp Coffee, Burger Wolf, and Ajitoya for soup curry. The AeonMall Rycom is close by as well and has a big food court with endless options.
Day 5-6: South
Peace Memorial Park in Itoman is a must-visit if you’re interested in WWII history! Walk to the Cornerstone of Peace and around the different monuments in honor of those lost in the Battle of Okinawa. Afterward, spend some time at the Okinawa Prefectural Peace Memorial Museum also inside the park. If you have extra time the Himeyuri Peace Museum nearby is also a must visit in my opinion.
Normally I’d recommend Shuri Castle as the #1 must-do in Naha City, but sadly it burned down back in 2019, and although there are still things to see around the grounds beside the castle… but I totally understand if you skip it. Reconstruction has begun in 2021 with the hopes of it being completed by 2026.
Instead, I suggest visiting the Naminoue Shrine (pictured above), there’s a beautiful beach there as well, but make sure you walk around the close-by bridge to see an amazing view of this cliffside shrine. There’s also Fukushuen Gardens which is nothing short of an oasis in the middle of Naha City!
I also suggest doing your souvenir shopping along Kokusai Dori (International Street) and later eating at Yatai Mura, the street food village. Senaga Island, right by the airport, is a fun place to visit because it has a small outdoor mall called Umikaji Terrace with a bunch of little shops and cafes. I haven’t been to all the places but A Happy Pancake has delicious fluffy pancakes!
Places to eat in Itoman/Naha: Cafe Curcuma is almost 30 minutes out of the way of Peace Memorial Park but it’s such a good Thai restaurant. If you decide to eat here you can visit Seifa-Utaki, another big local “power spot” and Azama Sun Sun Beach. In Naha, besides the Yatai Mura street mentioned previously, I also suggest C&C Breakfast for breakfast, next door there’s Pork Tamago which is super popular for their onigiris, Borrachos for Mexican food, Maverick for hamburgers, Better Girl for healthy brunch, Ichiran for a special ramen experience (not my favorite ramen though…), Life Sakaba for Korean food and late night drinking as it’s open 24hrs!
Got an extra full day? One word: Keramas!!
If you’re coming to Okinawa for longer than 7 days or want to stay in the southern area of the island, you must visit the Keramas!!! It can easily been done as a day trip or a longer stay. There are a few islands to pick from, but Tokashiki Island would be my pick.
You can book a ticket online for the first and last ferry of the day with Marine Liner Tokashiki, take out yen for the day, drive to Naha Tomari Port and in 40 minutes you’ll be in paradise. There’s an island bus that you can take from the port to Aharen Beach (pictured above). There are restaurants and shops where you can rent a variety of beach items right by the bus stop. Make sure you walk up to the observation deck to see the gorgeous view! You can also rent bikes or a car for the day by the port. If you do you should definitely visit Tokashiku Beach as well, the bus doesn’t stop there, but it’s a great place to snorkel with sea turtles! Here’s a preview of a day trip to Tokashiki Island where my friends and I rented a car for the day!
We have also stayed at Kerama Backpackers and booked their Japanese private room. We stayed two nights with friends and were able to book a separate “ferry”–more like small boat–through them to Zamami Island and spent our second day there. Furuzamami Beach is just as gorgeous as Aharen Beach, and you can easily see sea turtles swimming around Ama Beach by the port.
PHEW! I’m done ya’ll! That was a lot. I’ve been mulling over this itinerary for YEARS and it’s finally time for it to spread its wings and live on the blog instead of hiding in the drafts. Again, feel free to message me on Instagram or email me if you have any Okinawa questions or need help with your itinerary. I’m always down to lend a hand. Note that it may take a little bit to respond as I’m terrible at checking my requests folder on Instagram and my email 😂.
