Okinawa

Okinawa was the heart of the Ryukyu Kingdom for more than four centuries, trading with China, Japan and Southeast Asia, and although it came under the control of the Satsuma domain in 1609, it was only annexed by Japan in 1879, and the islands still feel culturally distinct from the mainland in ways that go well beyond the subtropical climate: a different cuisine built around pork and bitter melon, a slower rhythm of life credited with the region's unusually high concentration of centenarians, and the most extensive coral reefs in the country.

The main island's Shuri Castle, seat of the old Ryukyu kings, anchors Naha's cultural core, while the outlying Kerama Islands, a short ferry from the capital, hold water clear enough to rank among the best diving and snorkelling anywhere in Japan, sea turtles included. It's a different trip from a Tokyo-Kyoto itinerary, and increasingly the destination travellers add once they've already done Japan's headline cities.

We charter private boats out to the Kerama Islands' quieter reef sites, away from the day-tripper crowds from Naha, and arrange a Shuri Castle visit with a guide versed in Ryukyu Kingdom history the mainland-focused guidebooks skip entirely.

Shuri Castle was severely damaged by fire in 2019, and its main hall is being rebuilt using traditional techniques. The grounds remain open, and the reconstruction work, with craftspeople visible at work, has become part of the visit. The castle had already been rebuilt once, after it was destroyed in the Battle of Okinawa in 1945.

That battle, one of the bloodiest of the Second World War, killed a large share of the island's civilian population. The Peace Memorial Park in the south of the main island, with its museum and the names of all who died inscribed on stone walls, is a moving place to understand the island's history. The United States military still maintains major bases on Okinawa, a subject of ongoing debate on the island.

Kokusai-dori, Naha's main street, is busy with shops and restaurants, and the Makishi Public Market nearby sells fresh fish that you can have cooked upstairs. The Tsuboya pottery district, a short walk away, has workshops and small museums dedicated to Okinawan ceramics.

The north of the main island is quieter and greener. The Churaumi Aquarium, one of the largest in the world, has a vast tank with whale sharks and manta rays. The Yanbaru forest, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2021, is home to rare species found nowhere else. Kouri Island, connected to the main island by a long bridge, has beautiful beaches and clear water.

Beyond the main island, the Kerama Islands are the most accessible, reached by ferry from Naha in around an hour. Further south, the Yaeyama Islands, including Ishigaki and Iriomote, offer mangrove kayaking, jungle trails and some of Japan's best diving, with manta rays at certain sites.

Okinawan food is distinct from the rest of Japan. Goya champuru, a stir-fry of bitter melon, tofu, egg and pork, is the signature dish. Okinawa soba uses thick wheat noodles in a pork broth. Rafute, pork belly slow-cooked in soy sauce and awamori, the local rice spirit, is a classic.

The best time to visit is from April to June and October to November. The rainy season arrives earlier than on the mainland, usually in May and June, and typhoons are possible from July to October. Winter is mild, though too cool for most people to swim.

Naha airport has frequent flights from Tokyo, Osaka and other Japanese cities, as well as international connections. A car is the best way to explore the main island beyond Naha. Four days covers Naha and the main island, and a week or more makes room for the outer islands.