Spots in Okinawa

Each spot shows when its facts were last checked against official sources.

By prefecture:

HokkaidoHokkaido (60)

TohokuAomori (30)Iwate (30)Miyagi (40)Akita (30)Yamagata (30)Fukushima (30)

KantoIbaraki (30)Tochigi (30)Gunma (30)Tokyo (30)Kanagawa (30)

ChubuNiigata (30)Ishikawa (30)Yamanashi (30)Nagano (30)Gifu (30)Shizuoka (30)

KansaiMie (30)Kyoto (30)Osaka (30)Hyogo (30)Nara (30)Wakayama (30)

ChugokuHiroshima (30)

ShikokuKagawa (30)

Kyushu & OkinawaFukuoka (30)Nagasaki (30)Kumamoto (30)Oita (30)Okinawa (30)

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No photo yetKunigami, OkinawaAsumui Hikes (formerly Daisekirinzan)The four rocky peaks seen from Cape Hedo, the northern tip of Okinawa Island, are called "Asumui", said in the "Chuzan Seikan", Okinawa's oldest history, to be the first thing made by the creator god Amamiku. On "Asumui Hikes" you walk the forest on its slopes guided by audio, among strange rocks, giant stones and one of Japan's largest banyan trees; there are also a Stone Museum and the restaurant "Nantoya".Official check: 26 Sept 2026
No photo yetMotobu, OkinawaBise Fukugi Tree RoadThe Bise district near Ocean Expo Park is a village laid out in a grid, and almost all of its about 250 houses are surrounded by thick groves of fukugi trees. Fukugi has long been used as a windbreak in Okinawa, planted especially around houses near the sea, and the oldest of the several thousand fukugi in Bise is estimated to be 300 years old.Official check: 26 Sept 2026
No photo yetOnna, OkinawaCape Maeda and the Blue CaveA cape facing the cobalt-blue west coast, known for the Blue Cave, snorkelling and scuba diving; divers are moved by the many kinds of friendly tropical fish, and the Blue Cave is a mysterious blue world. From February to April you can watch whales heading north from the observation deck.Official check: 26 Sept 2026
No photo yetOnna, OkinawaCape ManzamoA cape northwest of the Onna village office, a grassy plateau of raised coral reef with sheer cliffs. From the tip the cobalt-blue sea spreads out and waves break on the rocks; to the north you can see the mountains of the northern peninsula and Iejima's Tacchu, and to the east Mt. Onna. It is said to have been named when King Sho Kei visited in 1726 and praised it as "enough to seat ten thousand people". The plants growing on its limestone are a prefectural natural monument.Official check: 26 Sept 2026
No photo yetYomitan, OkinawaCape ZanpaA cape jutting out on the west side of central Okinawa Island, with 30 m cliffs continuing for about 2 km. At its tip stands the white Zanpa Misaki Lighthouse, and walking paths around it let you see subtropical coastal plants such as pandanus. On clear days you can see the Kerama Islands, and it is known as the last place on the main island where the sun sets; the "Zanpa Misaki Ikoi no Hiroba" marked by a giant shisa has play equipment, a mini zoo, a restaurant and a shop.Official check: 26 Sept 2026
No photo yetNaha, OkinawaDaiichi Makishi Public MarketA public market near Kokusai-dori packed with all kinds of Okinawan food, reopened after renovation on March 19, 2023. The 1st floor is the market and the 2nd floor a food court; colourful tropical seafood, pork sold in whole blocks and simple island vegetables show Okinawan food culture at a glance.Official check: 26 Sept 2026
No photo yetItoman, OkinawaHimeyuri Monument and Peace MuseumThe "Himeyuri Monument" was built in 1946, the year after the Battle of Okinawa, to console the souls of the Himeyuri students who died in it. The Himeyuri Peace Museum next to it opened in 1989, founded by the Himeyuri alumnae association to pass on the war experiences of the student corps mobilised as nurses. It shows portraits and belongings of the 227 students who died, survivors' testimony videos and memoirs, and a life-size model of the nearby cave (Ihara Third Surgical Shelter).Official check: 26 Sept 2026
No photo yetIshigaki, OkinawaIshigaki Island Limestone CaveThe largest limestone cave on Ishigaki, created by nature over 200,000 years, with glittering stalactites, a cave illumination and a "suikinkutsu" water chime.Official check: 26 Sept 2026
No photo yetIshigaki, OkinawaKabira BayAn inlet on the northwest coast of Ishigaki with nine small islands at its mouth; the clear blue sea, white sand and green islets are said to be the most beautiful scenery on the island. Swimming is prohibited because of strong currents, but glass-bottom boats show the underwater scenery, and black pearls have been cultivated in the bay since the Taisho era.Official check: 26 Sept 2026
No photo yetUruma, OkinawaKatsuren Castle RuinsFamous as the castle of Amawari, a powerful lord who resisted the king to the end as the Ryukyu Kingdom stabilised. Built on a hill at the base of the Katsuren Peninsula in central Okinawa Island, from the first enclosure you can see the mountains around Kin Bay and Uruma's islands to the north, and the Chinen Peninsula, Kudaka Island and Nakagusuku Castle to the south.Official check: 26 Sept 2026
No photo yetNaha, OkinawaKokusai-dori StreetA street in Naha near the Okinawa Prefectural Office, lined for about 1.6 km with souvenir shops, variety stores, izakaya, cafes and restaurants. It was called the "Miracle Mile" for recovering quickly in a city left in ruins by the Pacific War. Every Sunday (not in rain) from 12:00 to 18:00, about 1.3 km is closed to ordinary cars for the "Transit Mile", with open cafes, street performances and events.Official check: 26 Sept 2026
No photo yetNakijin, OkinawaKouri BridgeA 1,960 m bridge linking Kouri Island in Nakijin with Yagaji Island in Nago, opened on February 8, 2005, the second-longest toll-free bridge in the prefecture. Emerald-green sea spreads on both sides, making it a scenic drive; just across it on the left are Kouri Beach and a plaza selling local products.Official check: 26 Sept 2026
No photo yetNakijin, OkinawaKouri IslandA small island of about 1 km radius northeast of the Motobu Peninsula, surrounded by emerald-green sea; since the Kouri Bridge from Yagaji Island opened in 2005 you can drive there. The "Kouri loop road" circles the 8 km island in about 10 minutes by car, and in summer many come to swim and snorkel at Kouri Beach, Tinu Beach with the Heart Rock, and Tokei Beach with its potholes. The island has a myth of human origins like Adam and Eve and is called "island of the gods".Official check: 26 Sept 2026
No photo yetChatan, OkinawaMihama American VillageA "town resort" popular with local young people, full of amusement spots and distinctive shops: a cinema, a large supermarket, import markets and casual shops, restaurants, cafes and resort hotels, with Chatan Park and Sunset Beach nearby.Official check: 26 Sept 2026
No photo yetNago, OkinawaNago Pineapple ParkA park themed on the pineapple, grown here in about 120 kinds (edible and ornamental), where a self-driving "Pineapple Train" tours the subtropical garden. You can learn about the pineapple's history and growth, eat at the "Ananas Kitchen" and "Sweets de Pineapple", and the adjoining Nago Pineapple Winery makes wines from Okinawan pineapples; the "LA PIÑA DISTILLERY" makes spirits including a pineapple brandy.Official check: 26 Sept 2026
No photo yetNakagusuku, OkinawaNakagusuku Castle RuinsA mountain castle of six enclosures on high ground facing Nakagusuku Bay, the gusuku among Okinawa's World Heritage sites that best preserves its original stonework. In 1440 Gosamaru is said to have moved here from Zakimi Castle and extended the walls; most of the walls are cut Ryukyu limestone, and enclosures built mainly in different masonry styles suggest different building periods. It was registered as a World Heritage site in December 2000.Official check: 26 Sept 2026
No photo yetNakijin, OkinawaNakijin Castle RuinsThe main castle of the Hokuzan king in the Sanzan period, when Ryukyu was divided into the three areas of Hokuzan, Chuzan and Nanzan; also called Hokuzan Castle. Built on a hill 90-100 m high with a 70-80 m valley to the east, its walls of Paleozoic limestone are 3-8 m high and reach 1.5 km in length; inside are ten enclosures, with a stone-paved path from the gate to the great court. It was registered as a World Heritage site in December 2000.Official check: 26 Sept 2026
No photo yetNaha, OkinawaNaminoue ShrineA place of prayer to "Nirai Kanai" since ancient times. Ships entering and leaving Naha Port looked up to the high cliff and shrine and prayed for safe voyages; first of the eight Ryukyu shrines, it was revered as "the foremost shrine of the land". Damaged in the war, the main hall was rebuilt in 1953, the worship hall in 1961 and all the shrine buildings in 1993; it was designated a Naha City historic site in 2006.Official check: 26 Sept 2026
No photo yetMotobu, OkinawaOkinawa Churaumi Aquarium (Ocean Expo Park)An aquarium where the world of Okinawa's sea unfolds. The sunlit "Coral Sea" tank shows large-scale coral, the huge "Kuroshio Sea" tank has whale sharks, the largest fish, and manta rays, which it was the first in the world to breed, and the "Deep Sea" tank recreates Okinawa's deep sea.Official check: 26 Sept 2026
No photo yetItoman, OkinawaOkinawa Peace Memorial ParkA park in Mabuni, Itoman, the scene of the last ground battle of World War II and the fiercest fighting of the Battle of Okinawa. In about 40 ha of grounds overlooking the blue sea, cemeteries, memorial towers and monuments, a museum of materials on the Battle of Okinawa, a memorial hall and squares are laid out on the theme of "repose of souls, prayer and peace"; about a million people visit each year.Official check: 26 Sept 2026
No photo yetNanjo, OkinawaOkinawa World (Gyokusendo Cave)One of Okinawa's leading sights, bringing together its attractions: Gyokusendo, a limestone cave about 5 km long formed over about 300,000 years (890 m open to visitors); the Habu Museum Park, the only one in the world, revealing the secrets of the habu snake; a "Ryukyu Kingdom castle town" of relocated old houses over 100 years old with craft experiences; a tropical fruit garden; and the Nanto brewery. The "Super Eisa" traditional dance show is performed every day.Official check: 26 Sept 2026
No photo yetNanjo, OkinawaSefa-utakiThe most sacred site of the Ryukyu Kingdom, registered as a World Heritage site in December 2000. The inauguration of the kingdom's highest priestess, "Kikoe-ogimi", was held here, and it was on the "Agari-umai" pilgrimage. Inside are sacred areas called "Ibi", where the trees, the land and the space itself are treasured as sacred; going round with a guide is recommended.Official check: 26 Sept 2026
No photo yetTomigusuku, OkinawaSenaga IslandA small island 1.5 km around south of Naha Airport, linked to Senaga in Tomigusuku by a sea road; with the airport so close you can watch aircraft take off and land up close. It is busy with people watching the sunset in the evening and the lights of the runway at night, and has the Senaga-jima Hotel, the "Umikaji Terrace" complex, a beach park and a baseball ground.Official check: 26 Sept 2026
No photo yetNaha, OkinawaShikinaen GardenA villa of the Ryukyu royal family on a plateau about 2 km south of Shuri Castle, also called Nanen, built around 1799 and used to entertain the envoys of the Chinese emperor. The stroll garden is centred on a pond shaped like a loosened form of the character "kokoro" (heart), with two islands, a Chinese-style hexagonal pavilion and arched bridges; there is a spring feeding the pond and a viewing platform. It was registered as a World Heritage site in December 2000.Official check: 26 Sept 2026
No photo yetNaha, OkinawaShurijo Castle ParkA park made up of the paid and free areas inside the castle centred on the main hall of Shuri Castle, and cultural properties around it such as the Shurei-mon gate, the Sonohyan-utaki stone gate and the ruins of Enkaku-ji. The castle's founding date is unknown, but it became the royal castle after the unification of the three kingdoms and was expanded by King Sho Shin and others. Burned in the Battle of Okinawa, it was partly restored and opened as a park in 1992, and in December 2000 it was registered as a World Heritage site. Because of the fire of October 31, 2019, the areas open to visitors have changed.Official check: 26 Sept 2026
No photo yetOkinawa, OkinawaSoutheast Botanical GardensOpened in 1968, one of Japan's largest outdoor botanical gardens, with more than 50,000 plants of about 1,300 tropical and subtropical species. Besides plants you can meet about 50 kinds of animals - interacting with capybaras and squirrel monkeys, bird shows - and from late October to late May the "Okinawa Nangoku Illumination" is held.Official check: 26 Sept 2026
No photo yetTaketomi, OkinawaTaketomi Island VillageSelected in 1987 as a national preservation district for groups of traditional buildings, keeping an Okinawan townscape. Taketomi, a low oval coral island about 6 km southwest of Ishigaki, has three villages near its centre (Higashi, Nishi and Nakasuji) that preserve the look of old farming villages: red-tiled houses surrounded by coral limestone walls and fukugi trees line lanes of white sand.Official check: 26 Sept 2026
No photo yetNaha, OkinawaTamaudun Royal MausoleumThe mausoleum of the kings of the Second Sho Dynasty, said to have been built around 1501 by the third king, Sho Shin. Surrounded by stone walls, three connected chambers are cut into a natural cliff; the exterior imitates a wooden building, and stone lions guarding the tomb stand on the towers at each side. It was registered as a World Heritage site in December 2000 and designated a National Treasure in December 2018, the first building in Okinawa to be so designated.Official check: 26 Sept 2026
No photo yetYomitan, OkinawaYachimun no Sato Pottery VillageA pottery village where 19 independent workshops operate. The "yachimun" - chunky vessels with generous painted designs - each show their kiln's own character when you pick them up, and simply wandering in search of a favourite is fun.Official check: 26 Sept 2026
No photo yetYomitan, OkinawaZakimi Castle RuinsA castle built on a 127 m hill overlooking the west coast in the early 15th century; Gosamaru, lord of Yamada Castle 4 km to the northeast, is said to have had it built with stones carried from Yamada Castle, which he demolished. With a main and second enclosure, 365 m around and 7,386 m² in area, it is medium-sized for Okinawa; its walls are mainly "aikata-zumi" masonry of Ryukyu limestone, with "nuno-zumi" around the arch gate. It was registered as a World Heritage site in December 2000.Official check: 26 Sept 2026