Photo: Joseph Bylund, CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Discover Okinawa
Turquoise seas, coral reefs, centuries-old castles, and a culture all its own: Okinawa is unlike anywhere else in Japan. Welcome to okinawa.com, your English-language Okinawa travel guide for the Ryukyu Islands, written to help you plan a trip that goes beyond the beach.
New here? Get the essentials in our five-minute guide, then dive into the sections below.
Explore the Guide
Destinations
Okinawa Main Island, from Naha to the Yanbaru forest, plus the Kerama, Miyako, and Yaeyama islands. Find the right places for your trip.
Things to Do
Beaches, snorkeling and diving, hiking, castles, and festivals: the best ways to experience Okinawa.
Plan Your Trip
When to go, how to get there and around, where to stay, budgeting, and answers to common questions.
Culture & History
Ryukyuan religion and sacred sites, the Battle of Okinawa, and the music and performing arts of the islands.
Featured Guides
Best Time to Visit Okinawa
Weather, sea temperatures, the rainy and typhoon seasons, crowds, and festivals, month by month.
Best Beaches in Okinawa
Our favorite beaches on the Main Island, the Kerama Islands, Miyako, and Yaeyama, with essential safety tips.
Getting Around Okinawa
Rental cars and driving permits, the monorail, buses, ferries, and flights, with sample drive times.
The Battle of Okinawa
The history of the 1945 battle and a respectful guide to Peace Memorial Park, the Himeyuri Peace Museum, and other sites.
Ryukyuan Religion & Spirituality
Ancestor veneration, sacred utaki groves, noro priestesses, shisa guardians, and how to visit sacred sites.
From Marty’s Blog
Stories, news, and personal notes about Okinawa from the okinawa.com community. Browse the latest posts in Marty’s Blog.