Okinawa

Pure-white beaches, abundant nature and
a traditional culture like no other

You are embraced by the sun’s warmth and Okinawan hospitality when you explore this subtropical prefecture’s 160 idyllic islands. You’ll find nature at its most perfect and culture at its truest, with indigenous performing arts like Kumiodori dance. Okinawa is also the birthplace of karate, the world’s most famous martial art.

On Okinawa and the many nearby Ryukyu Islands, white-sand beaches appear like a spotless canvas designed for serenity and leisure. Yet activities around them will leave you with memories imprinted like coastal fossils. The eight Miyako Islands feature fishing villages, rugged coastline and reef diving, plus some of the world’s best mangoes. Spot whales in winter around the Kerama Islands, or encounter sea turtles while scuba diving off Ishigaki Island. Nature is also found in abundance on Okinawa’s main island, among the mountains, waterfalls and forests of Yambaru National Park.

In traditional Okinawan pottery, known as yachimun, a story is written in the shapes and designs that appear like abstract depictions of the local landscape. In 1682, pottery became centred around Tsuboya Yachimun Street on Okinawa’s main island, when vast numbers of roof tiles were needed for nearby Shurijo Castle. Wander the winding alleyways and peek inside enduring one-storey buildings to see artisans at work in ateliers, crafting the plates and vessels that are still an integral part of everyday local life.

To discover the full spectrum of shopping in Okinawa, explore bustling Kokusaidori Street in the main city of Naha, where local and international stores nestle among convivial restaurants and bars. This thoroughfare has a long history as a place where residents and visitors gravitated to be fed and entertained – you’ll get a sense of such a past when you grab an al fresco table among the charmingly cluttered food stalls of Kokusai Dori Yataimura.