Places to go in Okinawa

Okinawa has thousands of white sandy beach islands with crystal blue waters, colorful coral and fish. Some islands have jungle and mangrove forest as well. The most popular among the large islands include Ishigaki-jima Island, Iriomote-jima Island and Miyako-jima Island.                                     Click here for more great images of Okinawa                                      Click here for more great images of Okinawa        Click here for more great images of Okinawa                   Click here for more great images of Okinawa                                        Click here for more great images of Okinawa Southern Okinawa Tour Fukushu-en  (Fukushu Garden) is a beautiful Chinese-style garden that includes a pond, a waterfall, and buildings designed and constructed using traditional Chinese techniques. Okinawa had close relations with China during the years of the Ryukyu Kingdom. This relationship included periodic visits from envoys of the Chinese emperor. Fukushu-en was constructed to celebrate the city’s historical ties to China’s Fujian province and current relationship with the city of Fuzhou. Chinese technicians came to Okinawa to ensure the gardens were as authentic as possible, and even imported special materials for the project. The result is a tranquil space where visitors can relax and reflect in the middle of the bustling city. National Okinawa Memorial Peace Park  - The beautiful and spacious Peace Memorial Park is located near the southern tip of the island. Its main attraction is the Okinawa Prefectural Peace Memorial Museum, which gives a sobering overview of the road to the battle, the battle itself and the reconstruction of Okinawa. Other monuments in the park include the "Cornerstone of Peace", a collection of large stone plates with the names of all fallen soldiers and civilians, including Koreans, Taiwanese, Americans and Britons. Navy Underground Park  – The Okinawa District Headquarters of the Japanese Navy was in this underground shelter during the war. At the end of the war, Commander Minoru Ota and other officers committed suicide here at the shelter. The interior of the shelter is kept as it was. Okinawa World – also known as the Culture Kingdom Gyokusendo, is a touristy theme park about Okinawan culture. The park's main attractions are the Gyokusendo Cave, a crafts village and a snake museum. With a total length of five kilometers, Gyokusendo Cave is the longest of the many caves in the south of Okinawa Island, and Japan's second longest. 850 meters of the cave are open to the public and feature spectacular stalactites and stalagmites. The so called Kingdom Village is a nice replica of a traditional Ryukyu village with workshops introducing the various traditional Okinawan crafts, such as weaving, dyeing, paper making, pottery, sugar cone processing, the making of music instruments, brewing and the more recently introduced glass blowing. Visitors can gain hand-on experiences at many workshops and have ample of opportunities to purchase the local products at numerous souvenir shops. There is also a restaurant specialized in Okinawan cuisine. The Habu Park, named after the infamous, poisonous, local Habu snake, consists of a snake museum, a small zoological garden, and a snake show. Ryukyu Glass Village  - The unique beauty of Ryukyu glass and the brilliance of the red, blue and green, in which Okinawa's abundant nature can be felt, gives warmth and deep relaxation to the hearts of those who see it and use Ryukyu glass. The Ryukyu Glass Village is the largest glass factory in Okinawa. The production process of cups and goldfishes can be seen at the same time, and glass making can also be experienced here. Traditional handicrafts of Okinawa, such as Ryukyu glass and pottery, are also displayed and sold along with various folk crafts. Seifa Utaki  - This is the most sacred site in Okinawa. A legend of the origin of the Ryukyus holds that the first of all gods, Tedako (god of the sun), ordered two gods to land on the islands and organize them as nations. The first thing they did during this process was to establish sacred sites, one of which was Seifa Utaki. The kings also used to visit the site every year to pray for a rich harvest. The sanctuary used to be closed, with the ordinary public forbidden even to pass through the gates. There are six places of worship within the precincts where you can see indigenous trees such as kubanoki (a kind of palm) and yabunikkei or Cinnamomum japonicum (wild cinnamon). The trianglular cavern, formed naturally by gigantic rocks, is the symbol of Seifa Utaki, designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in December 2000. The Himeyuri Peace Museum and Himeyuri War Memorial  – they were built in honor of the 194 schoolgirls and 17 teachers mobilized as nurse assistants during the Battle of Okinawa in 1945. Tragically, only five of them survived the carnage. They were known as the Himeyuri Student Corps. The Peace Museum exhibits photographs of the many victims, their personal effects, model reconstructions of the appalling conditions, and testimonies from survivors in an appeal against the misery of war. Today, as memories of Okinawa's war experiences wear ever thinner, the Himeyuri Peace Museum and war memorial serve as places that can teach the importance of peace. Central Okinawa Tour                        Click here for more info about Shuri Castle American Village  – A popular hangout for many Americans living on Okinawa, Mihama is home to the "American Village," which offers visitors many different ways to meet new people and enjoy their time here. Located in Chatan Town, which is in the vicinity of Kadena Air Base, Camp Lester and Camp Foster, Mihama allows visitors a hybrid of American and Japanese culture. No matter what time of day or night, Mihama has an attraction for all ages. One popular attraction and easily identifiable land mark is the large Ferris wheel. The Ferris wheel, spinning at the top of a small shopping area filled with restaurants and retail stores, is a great way to get a birds-eye-view of the area. While browsing through the stores under the Ferris wheel, patrons can take a break and enjoy a meal at one of the many traditional Japanese restaurants or choose from American favorites like Baskin Robins or the A & W Restaurant. Futenma Gongen (Futenma Shrine)  - In the midst of Ginowan City, within earshot of the humming traffic and bustling crowds, stands a shrine for the gods of Okinawa. Futenma Gongen is made up of two shrines and a series of caves, which serve as a shrine for the Okinawans. The two large, gold-laced shrines materialize between the modern buildings of Ginowan. The buildings loom over the caves that house the old altars of Futenma Gongen. The new shrines were commissioned by King Sho Kinpuku five centuries ago, during the first Sho dynasty, to honor the gods of caves. Through a large wooden torii gate stands the largest shrine of Futenma Gongen. Within it lies a public altar where the priests of Futenma Gongen conduct ceremonies and the public can come to pray. The altar is beautifully shaped and is a magnificent piece of history. The shrine is said to be home to the god of Futenma Gongen. Behind the shrines there is a door that leads down a flight of moss-covered stairs to the caves of Futenma Gongen. These caves were the original place of worship for the Okinawans. The original altars still rest at the foot of the stairs. Visitors are asked to pay their respects to the spirits before following the path deeper into the caves. The caves are well lit, and filled with stalactite and stalagmite formations that sparkle from moisture seeping through the ground above. Many of these formations are said to symbolize fertility. Heiwa Dori - or "Peace Street," and Ichiba-hon Dori. Branching off from Kokusai near its center, these covered pedestrian streets are a great area to find bargain prices on a variety of items, including some unusual gifts. Kokusai Dori - Considered one of the top tourist destinations in Okinawa, Kokusai Dori, or "International Street," is a mile long selection of food, shopping, music and an overall view of Okinawan culture. Kokusai-dori was born immediately after the end of the World War II and is a perfect symbol of Okinawa's revival. Kokusai Dori is the largest shopping district and the main street in Naha, the Capital of Okinawa. It is a must for any die hard shopper. Shuri Castle  – It was the palace of the Ryūkyū Kingdom. In 1945, during the Battle of Okinawa, it was almost completely destroyed, with only a few walls standing as high as a few decimeters. In 1992, it was reconstructed on the original site based on photographs, historical records, and memory. Shuri castle has become one of Japan's best known sites since its Shureimon was chosen to appear on the new 2000 yen banknotes (released in 2000). In 2000, it was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Shikina-en Royal Garden  – Built in 1799, this is a garden that contains one of the royal family's residences. In fact, it was the largest country villa of the royal family. It was used as a retreat not only for the royal family but also for envoys from the emperor of China, thus playing an important role in the diplomacy of the Ryukyu Kingdom. The Shikina-en Royal Garden was completely destroyed in the Battle of Okinawa of 1945, but has been neatly restored in the postwar years. It features beautiful, relatively simple, wooden palace buildings with Okinawan style, red tile roofs and a spacious Japanese style landscape garden. The pleasant garden can be viewed from a circular path, which leads through the woods, along the ponds, over the bridges and past a pretty hexagonal building on a small islet. While designed in a style seen elsewhere in Japan, the garden is given a distinct Okinawan flavor by its buildings and subtropical flora. In 2000, The Shikina-en Royal Garden was added to the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Northern Okinawa Tour          Click here for more info about the aquarium Botanical Gardens - Japan's largest tropical gardens, the Southeast Botanical Gardens in Okinawa display over 2,000 varieties of plant species gathered up from all over the world. The gardens are 100 acres in size -- or over eight times the size of the Tokyo Dome -- and are always in blossom. The gardens boast a Polynesian lake filled with thousands of carp and also have an Insect Specimen Gallery that holds numerous varieties of butterflies and beetles. The gardens are also proud of their collection of 450 different varieties of palm trees. Turtles, lizards and birds also share this outdoor sanctuary, which is touted as the "Garden of Eden in Okinawa." Busena Resort  - one of the best resorts in Okinawa. They have an underwater tower and glass boats that allows visitors to experience the beautiful Okinawa sea. There is also a main conference center, Bankoku Shinryo Kan, used for the 2000 G8 Summit. Manzamo  - literally meaning a place where 10,000 people are able to sit together. It is situated on a field created by coral reefs, and its grassy top is a familiar place for picnics and sports games. It is a sheer 50 meter drop off Manzamo to the bottom of its cliffs where strong waves constantly splash the spray of the sea. The northern views from the cliff top of Manzamo are spectacular, where one can see the deep blue waters of Nago Bay, Mount Katsu, Mount Yae on Motobu Peninsula and Ie Tacchu, the rocky outcrop on Ie Island. One day in 1727, the villagers welcomed the Shuri King Sho Kei on his visit to Manzamo; and Nabi Onna, a well-known and passionate poetess of the time, created a poem for the king. From that time, Manzamo has been considered a site that inspires poetic feelings. Nakijin Castle - selected as one of the nine world heritage sites in Okinawa. Nakijin Castle is a major tourist attraction. It is believed that Nakijin Castle was built in the 13th century as a place of religious worship. On the 14 acres of castle grounds you can see several religious objects, such as prayer nooks, the fire-god shrine and the houses of the sacred maidens who presided over religious festivals. Recent excavations of pottery and utensils from the castle prove that there was tributary trade being conducted between Okinawa and China. Okinawa Churaumi (Okinawa Aquarium) - Okinawa also boasts one of the best aquariums in the world! The Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium is the largest in Asia and the main attractions are its manta rays and three whale sharks. Pineapple Park  – Pineapples have been cultivated on Okinawa as an agricultural product since they were brought here by the Dutch in 1866. The park experience begins with a ride through pineapple fields and tropical, botanical gardens in a four-person, automatic pineapple-shaped cart. After the ride, visitors can begin the indoor, self-guided tour at the Shell Exhibition House, featuring various shells, coral and crustaceans native to Okinawa. The gallery also features a small gift shop with figurines, decorations and jewelry made from shells and coral. The next stop of the indoor tour will take you to the winery. It was opened in 1992 and is the first of its kind on Okinawa. The winery offers visitors all-you-drink wine and juice samples. The last stop of the indoor tour is the Haisai Market. Here visitors can have their fill of free samples of pineapple chocolate, cakes, cookies, candy, jelly, as well as fresh and canned pineapple, goya, seaweed and sugar cane. Visitors can also buy products made from pineapple such as lotion, shampoo, conditioner, face wash and soap made from charcoaled pineapple. Shoppers will also have the opportunity to purchase souvenirs like t-shirts, ceramic crafts and children's toys. Ryukyu Mura  - includes several old homes that have been gathered from around the Ryukyu Islands to preserve historic Okinawan culture. The buildings contain artifacts that also help to explain customs and life in traditional Okinawa. The Ryukyu Folk Village also offers demonstrations of pottery making, weaving and bingata - an Okinawan brand of fabric dyeing. The village includes mills tread by water buffaloes. Another highlight is a race between a "habu" (an Okinawan viper) and a mongoose. Zakimi Castle  - The ruins of Zakimi are all that remain of the castle originally built about 570 years ago. During World War II this historic site was used by the Japanese Army as a missile base before it was destroyed in battle. In 1972 the Japanese government formally recognized it as a National Treasure. It was named a World Heritage site by UNESCO in 2000.