"Okinawa is Japan's best-kept secret — a subtropical archipelago with a culture, a cuisine, and a shade of blue water that belong entirely to itself."
Okinawa is unlike anywhere else in Japan — a chain of 160 islands stretching 1,000km from the southern tip of Kyushu toward Taiwan, with a culture shaped by the independent Ryukyu Kingdom (which traded with China, Southeast Asia, and the Pacific for centuries before Japan's annexation in 1879), a cuisine built on bitter melon, pork, and awamori spirit, and a natural environment of extraordinary beauty. The Kerama Islands have some of the clearest water in the world; Iriomote Island is 90% subtropical jungle; and the Yaeyama Islands feel more like Southeast Asia than Japan. Okinawa is also one of the world's five Blue Zones — regions where people live measurably longer than anywhere else — and the local diet is widely studied as a model of longevity.
"The Kerama Blue — a specific shade of turquoise that has no equivalent anywhere else in Japan, and very few equivalents anywhere in the world."
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At a Glance
What Not to Miss
The Kerama Islands
A cluster of small islands 40km west of Naha — with some of the clearest water in the world (visibility up to 40 metres), coral reefs of extraordinary diversity, and humpback whales from January to March. The Kerama Blue is a specific shade of turquoise that has no equivalent anywhere else in Japan. Day trips from Naha by high-speed ferry; overnight stays on Zamami or Tokashiki for the full experience.
Shuri Castle
The restored palace of the Ryukyu Kingdom — a UNESCO World Heritage Site on a hill above Naha, with a distinctive architecture that blends Japanese, Chinese, and Southeast Asian influences. The castle was largely destroyed in the Battle of Okinawa in 1945 and has been painstakingly reconstructed; the main hall (Seiden) was destroyed again by fire in 2019 and is currently being rebuilt. The surrounding castle town of Shuri is one of the most atmospheric neighbourhoods in Okinawa.
Okinawan Cuisine
Okinawan food is unlike anything else in Japan — a cuisine shaped by the Ryukyu Kingdom's trade routes with China, Southeast Asia, and the Pacific, and by the island's extraordinary longevity culture. Champuru (stir-fry with goya bitter melon and tofu), rafute (braised pork belly), soki soba (noodles with spare ribs), and taco rice (a Cold War-era fusion of Mexican and Japanese) are the essential dishes. Awamori — Okinawa's distilled rice spirit — is the drink.
Diving the Yonaguni Monument
The westernmost point of Japan — a remote island 110km from Taiwan with a mysterious underwater rock formation that some believe to be a submerged ancient city. The Yonaguni Monument, at 25 metres depth, is one of the most extraordinary dive sites in the world. Hammerhead sharks gather here in winter; the diving is for experienced divers only.
The Blue Cave at Cape Maeda
Okinawa's most famous snorkelling and diving site — a sea cave on the west coast of the main island where sunlight refracts through the water to create an extraordinary blue glow. The surrounding reef is rich with tropical fish, sea turtles, and coral. Best visited early morning before the tour boats arrive.
Iriomote Island
The most remote and wild of the Okinawan islands — a subtropical jungle covering 90% of the island, with mangrove rivers, waterfalls, and the Iriomote cat (one of the world's rarest wild cats). The Urauchi River kayak tour and the Pinaisara Falls hike are the essential experiences. Stay at Iriomote-jima for at least two nights.
Where to Stay
Halekulani Okinawa
Ultra-LuxuryThe finest resort in Okinawa — a sister property to the legendary Halekulani in Honolulu, set on the Nakagusuku Bay with extraordinary views of the East China Sea. The infinity pools, the spa, and the La Mer restaurant (serving Okinawan ingredients with French technique) are the highlights.
The Busena Terrace
Luxury ResortA beautifully positioned resort on the Busena Cape in Nago — with a private beach, a glass-bottomed boat observatory, and a collection of restaurants serving the finest Okinawan and Japanese cuisine on the island. The site of the 2000 G8 Summit.
Hoshinoya Taketomi Island
BoutiqueA luxury resort on Taketomi Island — one of the most beautiful of the Yaeyama Islands, with traditional Ryukyu architecture, water buffalo cart rides through the village, and a beach of star-shaped sand. The most romantic hotel in Okinawa.
The Verdict
Japan's most underrated destination — take the ferry to the Kerama Islands, eat champuru for breakfast, and dive the Yonaguni Monument.