Category Archives: Travel

Tourism is Okinawa’s largest industry. Okinawa prefecture is host to nearly 5.5 million visitors a year who spend nearly 6 billion US dollars annually.Okinawa is the primary resort vacation destination for Japanese travelers. Tourists can enjoy an ancient culture with 9 world heritage sites, a strong crafts tradition in ceramics, textiles, and glass, a lively contemporary music scene, breathtaking empty beaches and crowded old world market places.
Travel on Okinawa and mainland Japan is extremely safe. Okinawans are known for their culture of courtesy. Food, water, and facilities are hygenic.Tipping is not a Japanese custom.
While the tourism infrastructure is extremely well developed, it is primarily targetted to the Japanese visitor.Foreign visitors should not expect English to be spoken in most establishments.Okinawans have a mixed relationship with Americans because of the large and long American military presence on the island.
Okinawa is good place to smile. A smile, a nod and a hello or “kon nichi wa” to an Okinawan invariably elicits a similiar response and changes the experience of being on the island. –editor

Okinawa Explorer, A complete guidebook to Okinawa The best English language guide book for Okinawa by Kenny Ehman ISBN 0-9768462-0-9.
Naha International Airport Primary civilian airport with monorail access to Naha. Airport code – OKA (don’t confuse Naha, Okinawa with Naha, Indonesia)
Okinawa Convention and Visitors Bureau
Real Time Exchange Rates – Exchange rates for Yen (and other currencies) via Yahoo! Finance.
All Nippon Airways (ANA)
Japan Airlines (JAL)
Japan Air Systems (JAS)
Japan Transocean Air (JTA)
Air Nippon (ANK)
Ryukyu Air Commuter (RAC)
Air Dolphin
Asiana Airlines
China Airlines
China Eastern Airlines
Philippine Airlines

Shureimon Gate

Shureimon at the entrance of Shuri Castle Park is often used as the symbol of Okinawa. This gate was build during the reign on King Sho Shin in the 16th century.

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Tama Udun Royal Mausoleum

Tama Udun is the royal mausoleum of the Shuri kings of the second Sho dynasty, built in 1501 by King Sho Shin to house the remains of his father, King Sho En.

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Kerama, Tokashiki, Zamami Islands

The Keramas include the islands of Tokashiki, Zamami, Aka, and Geruma and a number of smaller uninhabited islands. The governing structure divide them among Tokashiki Village http://vill.tokashiki.okinawa.jp and Zamami Village http://vill.zamami.okinawa.jp, which also includes Aka and Geruma islands. The small … Continue reading

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Central Okinawa Itinerary

Central Okinawa is the area north of Naha and south of Onna and Kin villages. Attractions include the Okinawa Convention Center, Mihama American Village shopping area, Nakagusuku Castle, Nakamura House, Katsuren Castle, Southeast Botanical Gardens, the clubs and nightlife of  … Continue reading

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Northern Okinawa itinerary

Northern Okinawa itinerary. Okinawa north of the Yomitan Pennisula is sparsely inhabited compared to crowded Naha. Attractions include the beaches and resorts of Onna, Cape Manzamo, the city of Nago, Motobu pennisula with Ocean Expo Park and Churaumi Aquarium, and … Continue reading

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Peace Memorial Park

Peace Memorial Park Located in Mabuni, Itoman City. This park is built upon the site the final fighting of the Battle of Okinawa. This park is in tribute to the hundreds of thousands who died in the "typhoon of steel" … Continue reading

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Gyokusendo Okinawa World Theme Park

This is a favorite for bus tours. Attractions include a recreated traditional village, demonstrations of glass blowing, weaving and pottery, traditional dances and music in a performance plaza. The park includes Gyokusendo, a 5 kilometer limestone cave with a 890 … Continue reading

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Southern Okinawa Guide and Itinerary

Southern Okinawa is the area south of Naha. It’s attractions include most of the World War II memorial sites including Himeyuri Monument and Museum (Cave of the Virgins) . Se-fa Utaki (Okinawa’s most sacred site), Okinawa World Theme Park and … Continue reading

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Naha City Area Guide and Itinerary

Naha is the capital of Okinawa and it’s largest city. Most visitors will fly into Naha Airport and will find Naha the logical place to begin their Okinawa experience. The Naha experience can be roughly divided into three sections. First … Continue reading

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Arrival

Virtually all commercial flights arrive at Naha Airport (OKA). Most foreign travelers will enter Japan through Tokyo Narita or Osaka Kansai airports and take a domestic connecting flight to Naha. Immigration and Customs processing is done at point of entry … Continue reading

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