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

Taxi Bus Monorail Bicycle

Taxi Taxi base fare is ¥450 for the first 1.8km (US$3.90 for first 1.1 miles) Additional fare of ¥60 for each additional quarter mile. Taxis are ubiquitous. Any major street will have an empty cab available within minutes. If traveling … Continue reading

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Shikinaen Royal Garden

Shikinaen was the largest second residence for the Ryukyu royal families. The garden and villa were constructed in 1799 to entertain envoys of the Chinese emperor. It is one of Okinawa’s 9 World Heritage sites and a designated national place … Continue reading

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9 World Heritage Sites

World Heritage Sites of the Ryukyu Kingdom These 9 UNESCO designated World Heritage sites on Okinawa give us insight into the Ryukyuan civilization that prospered between the end of the 14th century to the end of the 18th century.

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Busena Marine Park

Busena Marine Park is located on the Busena Cape just south of Nago. The facility includes an underwater observatory and glass bottom boats.

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Churaumi Aquarium and Ocean Expo Park

Churaumi Aquarium is a world class aquarium located on the Motobu peninsula. Attractions include one of the world’s largest tanks with huge whale sharks and manta rays. The aquarium is located in Ocean Expo Park with a beautiful public facility … Continue reading

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Gushikawa Beach

Gushikawa Beach on the Pacific side near Uruma City.

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Uken Beach

Uken Beach on the Pacific side near Uruma City.

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Yaka Beach

Yaka Beach near Kin.

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Kana Beach

Kana Beach on the Pacific near Ginoza.

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Yagaji Island Beach

Yagaji Island is east of Motobu and north of Nago, connected by a bridge to the main island.

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