A must-see in Okinawa! 10 sightseeing spots and things to do!
Where to go on a trip to Okinawa? Even if you search for what to do, you'll find a lot of things like [30 tourist spots in Okinawa] and [40 things to do in Okinawa], so where should you go? There are many people who are worried about this.
Okinawa has many sights and tourist spots such as the sea, historical sites, and gourmet food, but most Okinawa trips have trip itineraries of 2 nights and 3 days or 3 nights and 4 days, so even if you want to visit as many as 30 or 40 tourist spots, The truth is that we don't have enough time.
Morio and Mizuki, seasoned travel bloggers who have visited Okinawa multiple times, have carefully selected tourist attractions like "Must-Visit Spots in Okinawa" and activities such as "Must-Do Things in Okinawa" for you. We want to introduce a carefully curated selection of 10 recommended Okinawa sightseeing spots that you should definitely visit and experience when traveling to Okinawa.
These 10 recommended sightseeing spots in Okinawa are filled with Okinawan entertainment and culture, including the sea, history, gourmet food, and more. If you are planning a trip to Okinawa, where should you go? If you are worried about this, please refer to it♪
Recommended sightseeing spot in Okinawa 1: Beach & Sea
The first recommended sightseeing spot you definitely want to visit when sightseeing in Okinawa is the beach and ocean! When you think of Okinawa, you think of the sea/beach. Okinawa's sea is famous for its high transparency and beauty. Actually, we love beaches and have been to many beaches around the world, but I think the beauty of Okinawa's sea is close to the top class.
Many beaches in Okinawa are managed by resort hotels, so if you want to enjoy the sea and beaches to your heart's content, we recommend staying at a resort hotel right in front of the beach. However, if your hotel is not near the beach, one way to enjoy the sea in Okinawa is to rent a car or head to the beach yourself.
That's why Measuretrip has picked up 10 beaches on the main island of Okinawa that you'll want to visit on your trip to Okinawa! For the location of each beach, please check the link for each beach (Google Map).
Although some beaches in Okinawa are open all year round, the swimming season generally runs from April to October. If you want to enjoy a trip to Okinawa that focuses on beaches and the sea, we recommend making your travel plans between April and October.
Tropical fish in snorkel
Speaking of the sea, it's also fun to enjoy marine activities. In Okinawa, you can enjoy a variety of marine activities, but one of the most recommended is snorkeling.
One of the highlights of a trip to Okinawa is snorkeling, where you can enjoy underwater activities while being surrounded by lots of tropical fish and coral in Okinawa's exceptionally clear waters.
In addition, if you are used to snorkeling in Okinawa, you can go to the sea by yourself and snorkel on your own, but the sea in Okinawa has strong currents and the risk of water accidents is high, so you need to be careful. If possible, we recommend signing up for one of the snorkel tours below.
Recommended sightseeing spots in Okinawa 2: Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium
The next recommended tourist spot in Okinawa is Churaumi Aquarium. Churaumi Aquarium is an aquarium with plenty to see, recreating the ocean of Okinawa and housing representative sea creatures such as whale sharks and manta rays.
Approximately 2 hours by car from the airport via the highway.It takes about 3 hours by express bus (approximately 20 buses run per day) from Naha Airport. We recommend accessing by renting a car.
If you don't have a rental car to go to the aquarium, or if you want to easily go sightseeing to Churaumi Aquarium from Naha city, we recommend using the Okinawa local tour like the one below.
Recommended sightseeing spots in Okinawa 3: World Heritage Site [Nakijin Castle Ruins]
The next recommended spot for sightseeing in Okinawa is the Nakijin Castle Ruins, one of Okinawa's world heritage sites. It is also read as [Nakijingusukuato].
In the 14th century, Okinawa was in a period known as the ``Gusuku Era,'' when the northern part of Okinawa's main island was ruled by Kitayama, the central part by Nakayama, and the southern part by Nanzan. It is said that they ruled northern Okinawa under their control and traded with China.
Kitayama was then destroyed by King Nakayama in the 15th century, but Nakayama continued to use Nakijin Castle as a base for monitoring northern Okinawa.
Time passed from there, and in 1609, the castle was destroyed in a fire during the invasion of Ryukyu by the Satsuma army. However, even after that, the Nakijin Castle ruins continued to be a place of worship for Okinawans, and continues to carve its history to this day.
Approximately 2 hours and 45 minutes by car from the airport via the expressway.If you are using a bus, take the Yanbaru Express Bus or the Motobu Loop Line and get off at [Nakijin Village Tomari Nakijin Castle Entrance], then walk for 15 minutes.We recommend renting a car.
Parking
Free (320 spaces available)
The historic site [Nakijin Castle Ruins] is a very important place to learn about the history of Okinawa, and is one of the must-see tourist spots in Okinawa for history buffs.It is about a 15 minute drive from the Churaumi Aquarium mentioned earlier, so it is highly recommended to visit the Nakijin Castle ruins and Churaumi Aquarium as a set.
Nakijin Castle ruins as a famous cherry blossom viewing spot in Okinawa
The World Heritage Site [Nakijin Castle Ruins] is actually famous as a famous cherry blossom viewing spot in Okinawa, and the [Nakijin Gusuku Cherry Blossom Festival] is held every year during Okinawa's cherry blossom season.
The cherry blossoms in Okinawa are called "kanzakura" and are at their best from late January to early February every year. Many people come to see the cherry blossoms at the Cherry Blossom Festival held at [Nakijin Castle Ruins]. For more information about [Nakijin Gusuku Cherry Blossom Festival], please refer to the article below.
Traveling to Okinawa during the winter doesn't get much attention, but since the end of January to February is the winter cherry blossom season, it's actually a very good season to travel. If you have a chance to visit Okinawa in winter, be sure to visit the Nakijin Castle Ruins Cherry Blossom Festival.
Recommended sightseeing spots in Okinawa 4: Okinawa soba tour
When it comes to traveling, it is essential to enjoy local food/gourmet food. Speaking of gourmet food when traveling to Okinawa, it is Okinawan cuisine. Among them, a tour of famous Okinawa soba restaurants is a content that rivals a tour of famous tourist spots in Okinawa.
However, even if travelers try to find famous Okinawa soba restaurants on their own, it is difficult to find them. The best thing to do is to interview the staff at the hotel where you are staying and the people at the shops where you bought souvenirs.
If you want to eat delicious food while traveling, the best way is to ask the locals. When we previously traveled to Nago, Okinawa, we heard about some delicious Okinawa soba restaurants and went there (please check the article below for details).
If you ask the locals, they will often tell you about old-fashioned restaurants that are loved by locals rather than tourists, so you are sure to be able to experience the true taste of Okinawa soba. Please enjoy communicating with the locals and find your favorite Okinawa soba restaurant!
Recommended sightseeing spots in Okinawa 5: Yomitan Village Yachimun no Sato
The next recommended tourist spot in Okinawa is [Yomitan Village Yachimun no Sato]. Yomitan Village (pronunciation: Yomitanson) is located in the central part of the main island of Okinawa and is the most populous village in Japan. This is the village of Yachimun (meaning pottery in the Okinawan dialect).
[Yachimun no Sato] is an old-fashioned craft village where 19 workshops are currently operating.There are pottery shops set up by the workshops in the area, and there are many items that can be used as souvenirs, as well as unique items. You can find a variety of Okinawan pottery.
Yachimun no Sato
Name
Yachimun no Sato
Place
2653-1 Zakimi, Yomitan Village, Nakagami District, Okinawa Prefecture
Business hours
It varies by store, but many stores close around 5pm, so we recommend going during the day.
Admission fee
Free
Directions
Approximately 50 minutes by car from the airport via the expressway. We recommend accessing by rental car.
Parking
Free
At Yomitan Village Yachimun no Sato, you can purchase a wide variety of Okinawan pottery, and some shops accept credit cards (there are many shops in Okinawa that do not accept credit cards).
We can also deliver items purchased from the store where you purchased them.
In addition. Please refer to the article below for detailed information about Yachimun no Sato.
Recommended sightseeing spots in Okinawa 6: Kouri Island
The next recommended spot for sightseeing in Okinawa is Kouri Island, a remote island that can be reached by car from Nakijin Village on the main island of Okinawa.
Kouri Island is a small island with a population of approximately 350 people, whose main industries are agriculture and fishing.It is a remote island with a traditional Okinawan scenery that soothes the soul with its beautiful sea and idyllic sugar cane fields.
The sightseeing spot of [Kouri Island] is the peaceful and beautiful scenery of the island itself.
Even if you drive around the island aimlessly, or even just get out of the car and wander around, you can feel the beautiful charm of Kouri Island through the sea breeze.
Kouri Island
Name
Kouri Island
Place
Nakijin Village, Kunigami District, Okinawa Prefecture
Directions
It takes about 2 hours to 2 hours and 30 minutes by car from the airport via the expressway. We recommend accessing by rental car.
Kouri Bridge
From Okinawa Main Island, you can head to Kouri Island by crossing the Kouri Ohashi Bridge, which opened in 2005 and spans a total length of 1,960 meters (crossing is free).
On both sides of the bridge, you'll be greeted with breathtaking views of the clear blue sea, making it well worth visiting Kouri Island just for the purpose of crossing this bridge.
The scenery from the Kouri Ohashi Bridge on a clear day is so stunning that it can easily become a highlight of your Okinawa trip. If you have a rental car, be sure to enjoy a drive across this bridge as part of your Okinawa road trip adventure!
Stylish cafe restaurant
Although Kouri Island is a small island, there are several stylish cafes and restaurants. We also went to a cafe restaurant with delicious coffee that was recommended to us by the staff at the hotel where we were staying.
That is the shop in the photo above called [L LOTA] (official homepage). Drinking coffee while looking at the peaceful scenery was the best!
This place is open for business from around 12:00 PM until approximately 4:00 PM in the afternoon. Additionally, they offer dinner service only on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, from 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM. So, if you're planning to drive to Kouri Island, it might be a good idea to make a pit stop and take a break at this restaurant.
Recommended sightseeing spots in Okinawa 7: Okinawa Steak
For meat lovers, this is a must-visit gourmet spot in Okinawa tourism! Okinawa has a unique food culture where, instead of [ramen as a late-night meal after drinking,] it's known for [steak as a late-night meal after drinking.]
When you visit Okinawa, one thing you definitely want to try is Okinawan steak. Enjoy some delicious Okinawan steak during your trip!
I'm a big meat lover, so whenever I go to Okinawa, I always try to eat steak somewhere (lol). This time, I would like to introduce a delicious steak restaurant in Nago City that a local told me about.
The steakhouse is [FLIPPER], a long-established restaurant founded in 1971 (FLIPPER official website). The business hours are 11:00 am, and the closing time varies depending on the crowd, but it is a steakhouse that is only open during the day, and the closing time is around 3:30 pm.
Furthermore, it is a very limited restaurant as they only accept cash payments and do not accept reservations, but Furippa's fillet steak (3,000 yen / 230g of meat, soup + rice or bread + coffee or tea or orange juice) was very delicious and very good as rumored. Meat is also available in small sizes, including lobster and hamburgers.
Okinawa is also the birthplace of the nationwide steakhouse chain [Yappari Steak], which is cheap and offers great value for money. There are eight Yappari Steak restaurants in the central Naha city alone, so if you want to eat a cheap and delicious steak, we recommend stopping by Yappari Steak.
There are various steakhouses in Okinawa like this, and it is a very deep gourmet genre, so if you are a meat lover, please try Okinawa steak!
Recommended sightseeing spots in Okinawa 8: Shuri Castle
The eighth recommended spot for sightseeing in Okinawa is Shuri Castle, which is synonymous with sightseeing in Okinawa. [Shuri Castle] is a very common sightseeing spot in Okinawa, but if you come to Okinawa, you should definitely see it at least once.It is the largest building of the Ryukyu Dynasty and is rich in Okinawa's history.
However, the main hall was destroyed in a major fire in 2019, and reconstruction work is currently in progress with preparation for 2026. You may be hesitant to see historical buildings under construction, but now is the only time you can see Shuri Castle under construction. If you have time, I would definitely like to visit it.
Shuri Castle
Name
Shuri Castle
Place
1-2 Shurikinjocho, Naha City, Okinawa Prefecture
Business hours
July to September 8:30 - 20:00(Admission reception Until 19:30)
December - March 8:30 - 18:00(Admission reception Until 17:30)
Others 8:30 - 19:00(Admission reception Until 18:30)
Admission fee
Adult 400 yen
High school student 300 yen
Elementary and junior high school students 160 yen
Free for children under 6 years old
Directions
Approximately 40 minutes by car from the airport (depending on road congestion). The monorail (Yui Rail) takes about 15 minutes from Airport Station to Shuri Station, and from there it takes about 15 minutes on foot. Local buses also operate from Shuri Station.
Parking
Small car 400 yen
Large vehicle 1,200 yen
Recommended sightseeing spots in Okinawa 9: Kokusai Street
The next recommended spot for sightseeing in Okinawa is Kokusai Dori (Naha Kokusai Dori Shopping Street), the largest downtown area in Okinawa. Kokusai Dori is a 1.6 km (approximately 1 mile) street from the prefectural office north exit intersection in Naha City to the Asato three-way intersection, and is Okinawa's most prosperous downtown area.
Kokusai Dori is a very lively street with a variety of shops, including department stores, restaurants, service shops, general stores, souvenir shops, etc. On Sundays, from 12:00 to 18:00, approximately 1,300 meters of Kokusai Dori becomes a pedestrian paradise. , Open cafes and street performances are held on the street.
It is one of the most vibrant downtown areas in Okinawa, but like any other city, there is no dedicated parking lot, so if you are visiting by rental car, you will need to find out about coin parking in advance, which can be a bit difficult. be careful.
Kokusai Street
Name
Naha Kokusai Street Shopping Street
Place
Naha City, Okinawa Prefecture
Business hours
9:30 - 22:00 (varies by store)
Regular holiday
Irregular holidays (varies by store)
Pedestrian paradise
Every Sunday 12:00 - 18:00
Parking
Use nearby coin parking
Directions
Approximately 20 minutes by car from the airport (depending on traffic). If using Yui Rail, take the train at Airport Station, get off at Kencho-mae Station or Makishi Station, then walk for a few minutes.
10 recommended sightseeing spots in Okinawa: Ryukyu glass making experience
The last recommended sightseeing spot in Okinawa is hands-on tourism [Ryukyu glass making experience]. Okinawa is dotted with workshops that make traditional Ryukyu glass, and some of them offer services where you can experience making Ryukyu glass.
We also had the opportunity to create our own Okinawan memories during our trip by experiencing Ryukyu glassmaking at the [Genka Genkichi Ryukyu Glass Studio] (official website is here) located in Yomitan Village. We made a unique Ryukyu glass tumbler that is one-of-a-kind as a memento of our Okinawa journey.
Creating our own Ryukyu glass tumbler with guidance from a Ryukyu glass artisan, heating the glass, blowing into it to expand it, adding our preferred colored glass and melting it... It was a time-consuming process, but it's a truly memorable experience. The glass we made now graces our dining table every day.
Tourist spots tend to be a passive experience of just going and seeing them, but experiential tourism, where you make things with your own hands, creates unforgettable memories of your trip.
Therefore, at the end of our list of recommended sightseeing spots for Okinawa travel, we would like to introduce a slightly different sightseeing experience: the Ryukyu glass making experience. There aren't that many glass workshops where you can experience making Ryukyu glass, but we've picked out a few of them below, so if you're interested, please visit each website and check the prices. Please try it♪
Please note that the glasses made during the Ryukyu Glass Making Experience can be cooled down thoroughly and taken home the next day, but if you do not have time to go to the store to pick them up, you can have them delivered to your Japan home.(We do not know if it can be delivered to the hotel you are staying at. Please check with each workshop yourself.)
Shisa handmade experience
Speaking of handmade experiences, we also recommend the [Shīsā handmade experience].
Shisa is the guardian deity of Okinawa that has been created since the era of the Ryukyu Kingdom and is the symbol of Okinawa. You can make your own Shisa, the guardian god.
The photo is from when we did the [Shisa-making experience], but on the first day we molded it with clay and painted it the next day.
Our own guardian deity. original shisa
These shisa, which we worked hard to create, are the guardian deities of our home. Every time I see these unique Shisa, I am reminded of my fun trip to Okinawa (lol).
You can search for shops where you can make shisa on [Asoview].
When choosing a shop, it is best to choose a shop near the hotel where you are staying.If you don't have a lot of time, try the Shisa painting experience, where you paint an unglazed shisa yourself, and if you have time, try the shisa making experience, where you mold it with clay or plaster.
Summary of 10 famous sights, sightseeing spots, and things to do in Okinawa
Recommended by travel bloggers! How about the 10 famous sights, sightseeing spots, and things to do in Okinawa? When it comes to sightseeing in a travel destination, it tends to be about visiting tourist spots called famous places and looking around, but you can't feel the true beauty of Okinawa just by visiting tourist spots.
The 10 sightseeing spots for this Okinawa trip include not only the standard Okinawa sightseeing spots, but also exploratory gourmet sightseeing where you can find shops while contacting local people, and making traditional Okinawan products yourself. We have included active experiential sightseeing where you can experience and create tangible memories together.
It may be difficult to experience all of these things in the limited time you have when traveling to Okinawa, but we hope you can find some hints for your next trip to Okinawa from these 10 recommended sightseeing spots in Okinawa.
For other Okinawa information, such as how to rent a cheap car in Okinawa, please check out the link below. Then, create your own unforgettable memories on your trip to Okinawa!See you soon!