Okinawa
Discover Okinawa
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. The term Sakishima Islands (先島諸島 Sakishima-shotō) is occasionally used to lump together the Miyako and Yaeyama Islands. In addition, the Amami Islands to the north of Okinawa are historically part of Okinawa.
What to Experience in Okinawa
Taste of Okinawa...
Okinawan cuisine is distinctly different from that of mainland Japan. Unlike the simplicity of classical Japanese food, which tries to highlight individual ingredients, Okinawan cuisine mixes lots of ingredients in a single dish to create complex, balanced flavors. Indeed, Okinawa's most famous dish is chanpurū (from the Malay word campur, meaning "mix"), a stir-fry of multiple vegetables and meats. Thanks to Chinese influence, Okinawans too proudly proclaim that they use every part of the pig except the squeal, and pork (あぐー agū) makes an appearance in almost every dish, including bits like ears, trotters (テビチー tebichi) and blood which are generally disdained by mainland Japanese. Goat (ヤギ yagi) is not uncommon and even Spam has a distinct following. Other Okinawan ingredients include vegetables rarely seen on the Japanese mainland such as bitter melon (ゴーヤー gōyā) and purple sweet potato (紅芋 beni-imo or 紫芋 murasaki-imo). Local seaweeds like the gloopy mozuku (モズク), often served in vinegar or deep-fried as tempura, or fluffy green āsa (アーサ), hiding in soups, often get credit for Okinawans' life expectancy, the longest in the world. While Okinawan dishes rarely contain chilies, there's often a bottle of kōrēgusu (コーレーグス), chilies steeped in awamori rice liquor (see Drink), on the table so you can spice things up according to taste — a little goes a long way.
Culture & Religion
Culture
With their own language and customs, Okinawans regard themselves as different from the mainland Japanese and some still harbor a certain degree of resentment towards the mainland for the brutal way the islands were treated as colonies and during World War II. Okinawans proudly call themselves uchinanchu (沖縄人) in the local language and talk of the way things are done on the shima (島) or islands, in contrast to the ways of the mainland, known as hontō (本島) in standard Japanese, yamato (ヤマト) in the local dialect, and sometimes as the slightly derisive local slang naichi (内地). Due to its history as a tributary of Imperial China, Okinawan culture has a stronger Chinese influence than mainland Japanese culture, and continues to celebrate local festivals according to the Chinese calendar. Okinawa's most famous export worldwide is the martial art of karate. Okinawan culture is popular throughout Japan thanks to popular musicians and local foods.
A Rich Past
Explore the historical roots that shaped Okinawa into what it is today.
Traders between Japan, Korea and China have traveled through the islands of Okinawa since time immemorial. In 1429, King Shō Hashi unified three kingdoms on the main island into the Ryukyu Kingdom (Japanese: 琉球王国 Ryūkyū Ōkoku, Okinawan: 琉球國 Ruuchuu Kuku), which prospered off trade as a tributary state of Imperial China that was nevertheless de facto independent. The islands were first invaded and brought under the control of Satsuma (modern-day Kagoshima) in 1609, who allowed them to continue maintaining their tributary relationship with China. This arrangement allowed the Satsuma domain to use them as a conduit for trade with China when the rest of Japan was in self-imposed isolation, to the profit of all three parties. The common people were less happy about the arrangement: Satsuma imposed heavy head taxes, and there are many stories of people committing suicide to prevent their entire village from being punished. Ryūkyū was annexed by Japan during the Meiji Period in 1879, which Qing China was by then powerless to stop, and the Japanese proceeded to do their best to suppress indigenous culture, language and religion. With little time to adjust to their new status as Japanese subjects, the people were nervous about nearby wars and in order to escape and with the encouragement of the government, there was heavy migration out to Brazil, Hawaii and other Pacific Islands. Okinawa was a major battleground in the Pacific War....
Climate
Most of Okinawa is subtropical, with the southern extremities (Yaeyama and the outlying islands) fully tropical. Even in January and February, the average high temperature is around 20°C (68°F), making the area a popular winter getaway, although it's often cloudy and usually a little too cold for sunbathing due to the winter monsoon. Spring, around late March and April, is an excellent time to visit if you take care to avoid Golden Week (a succession of national holidays from the end of April), however, it does not get busy at all on the small islands even during Golden Week. The rainy season starts early in May and continues until June. Unlike the rainy season in mainland Japan, it rains neither every day nor all day long during the rainy season in Okinawa. Summer in Okinawa is hot and humid but still one of the peak visiting seasons, while September brings a succession of fierce typhoons. October and November are again good times to visit.
Essential Information
Getting There
Multiple OptionsMost visitors arrive in Naha, the capital of Okinawa, which is also well served by low-cost carriers like Skymark and Jetstar. Domestic flights do connect major Japanese cities directly to some other Okinawan islands like Miyako and Ishigaki, but prices can be steep; for example, the standard one-way fare for Tokyo-Ishigaki is a whopping ¥50,000. You can save a considerable amount of money by making use of ANA's Visit Japan or JAL's Welcome to Japan fares, both of which allow domestic flights in Japan for ¥14,040. Low-cost carriers like Peach can also offer good fares if booked in advance. Naha is also served by some international flights to other Asian cities. If you are coming from elsewhere, consider connecting in Taipei instead, as Naha is geographically closer to Taipei than to Tokyo....
Regions
Explore AreasThe term Sakishima Islands (先島諸島 Sakishima-shotō) is occasionally used to lump together the Miyako and Yaeyama Islands. In addition, the Amami Islands to the north of Okinawa are historically part of …...
Getting Around & Staying
Getting Around
Ferry 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. 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. Prices are generally quite high. There are dense webs of ferry links between nearby islands, but only infrequent cargo boats ply lengthier routes like Naha-Ishigaki. If traveling by boat in late summer, note that the area around Okinawa is known as Typhoon Alley for a reason: it's not uncommon for ferries to be suspended for several days if one comes barrelling through. 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. Be prepared to drive on the left side of the road.
Where to Stay
Broadly speaking, accommodation on Okinawa can be divided into two brackets: cheap basic lodges, and expensive fancy resorts. Another option is sleeping in campsites. Okinawa has a multitude of cheap minshuku-type lodges geared towards poor surfers and divers, and unlike the mainland many offer or even specialize in bed-only (素泊まり sudomari) stays with no meals included. The very cheapest dorm-type places can go for less than ¥2,000, although you'll usually be looking at a minimum of ¥3,000 for your own room and around ¥5,000 if you want two meals. Watch out for hidden charges for things like air-con, fridge rental or even using the shower. In Naha you can easily find dirt-cheap places starting from ¥1,000 per night. There are many campsites around Okinawa, some on nice beaches. They offer cheap accommodation if you have your own tent and sleeping bag (and mat) for ¥500-1,000/night.
Money & Budget
Okinawan cuisine is distinctly different from that of mainland Japan. Unlike the simplicity of classical Japanese food, which tries to highlight individual ingredients, Okinawan cuisine mixes lots of ingredients in a single dish to create complex, balanced flavors. Indeed, Okinawa's most famous dish is chanpurū (from the Malay word campur, meaning "mix"), a stir-fry of multiple vegetables and meats. Thanks to Chinese influence, Okinawans too proudly proclaim that they use every part of the pig except the squeal, and pork (あぐー agū) makes an appearance in almost every dish, including bits like ears, trotters (テビチー tebichi) and blood which are generally disdained by mainland Japanese. Goat (ヤギ yagi) is not uncommon and even Spam has a distinct following.
Language & Talk
All Okinawans speak Standard Japanese, and many understand English as well, particularly on the main island which houses several large U.S. military bases. Many locals also speak Okinawan Japanese (called in Okinawan Japanese ウチナーヤマトグチ, 沖縄大和口 Uchinaa Yamato-guchi, Standard Japanese: 沖縄弁 Okinawa-ben or 沖縄訛り Okinawa namari), a dialect with lots of vocabulary borrowed from the local Okinawan language, some differences in grammar, and a number of words that have different meanings or uses compared to Standard Japanese (e.g. aruku, which means "to walk" in Standard Japanese, means "to go around" or "to work" in Okinawan Japanese). Some elderly also speak any of at least half a dozen Ryukyuan languages (Japanese: 琉球語 ryūkyūgo; also 島言葉 Shima kotoba, lit.
Safety Information
Safety Overview
Okinawa 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. The 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. Okinawa is also home to Japan's most fearsome array of venomous critters. While the venomous habu (ハブ) snake gets a lot of bad press, mostly due to its unfortunate habit of entering homes in search of rats and mice; not only are you quite unlikely to encounter one outside a sake bottle in a souvenir shop, but bites have a fatality rate of "only" 3%. Jellyfish (クラゲ kurage) and a variety of marine creatures that sting if stepped on present a risk, and many beaches have posters in Japanese (and occasionally English) explaining what to watch out for.
Glimpses of Okinawa
Kokusai Street in Naha, Okinawa, Japon.
Kabira Bay in Ishigaki Island (Okinawa), Japan.
group of people in front of fish tank
sea of okinawa
red and white chinese temple
a beach with people walking on it
white and blue boat on sea during daytime
white flowers near sea under blue sky during daytime
Beautiful reef and orange fish in Okinawa sea.
a beach with a sandy beach and green bushes
Kokusai Street in Naha, Okinawa, Japon.
Kabira Bay in Ishigaki Island (Okinawa), Japan.
group of people in front of fish tank