r/okinawa

Hi everyone,

I'm planning a trip to Okinawa with my girlfriend, and after spending a few days in Miyakojima we'll fly into Naha. Our flight is scheduled to arrive around 10:35 AM.

We're planning to stay on Zamami for 3 days, and I'm trying to decide whether it's realistic to book the 1:00 PM Queen Zamami high-speed ferry or if I should play it safe and take the 4:00 PM ferry instead.

My main concern is whether we'll have enough time to:

• Land around 10:35 AM
• Collect our checked luggage
• Get from Naha Airport to Tomari Port
• Check in and board the 1:00 PM ferry

I know we'd have about 2–2.5 hours, but I'm not sure how reliable that is in practice.

The reason I'd really like to make the 1 PM ferry is because we'll only have 3 days on Zamami before flying back to Tokyo the following day, so I'd love to maximize our first afternoon on the island instead of arriving around sunset.

Has anyone done this connection recently? Would you book the 1 PM ferry, or is the 4 PM option the smarter choice?

Thanks in advance!

So I am White/Okinawan, but have always just said White/Japanese. I’m not too in touch with my Okinawan side now, for example I used to do Eisa but I just didn’t like being on stage. I’ve seen a couple of people recently online talk about how theyre not Japanese, they’re Okinawan. I’ve always struggled with Racial Impostor Syndrome, but I feel more Okinawan after a recent trip where I met more of my family and experienced the culture again. So I am just wondering when I meet people, do I say im okinawan and NOT japanese, is it rude to our people to say I am japanese and from okinawa?

TLDR; I am Wasian & struggle with Racial Impostor Syndrome, recently have been embracing and bonding with my culture more. Is it rude to our people to call myself Japanese but from Okinawa? Or is it just preference.

Hi, I'm 22 year old and I'm going to Okinawa on August 16th. I plan to rent a car there with my friend, who can't drive, so it'll just be me registered as the driver.

I've seen a few places where I wanted to rent have a requirement that says the driver needs to have had their license for at least a year, which I understand to avoid problems, but I've heard not all rentals have this.

Can anyone recommend me a rental car company without this requirement?

I'm already aware of the fact that I'll need to have a shoshinsa mark on my rental car if this goes through, and I also already have an IDP for Japan.

From reading your comments, it seems like a lot of you are perfectly happy swimming in the ocean even in April or November. Aren't you cold?

When I went to the beach around April, the water was so cold that I only splashed around in the shallows.

Google is all over the place and I'm reading a lot of mixed reviews about Miyakojima in December - some are saying not to go at all, while others are saying its a perfectly fine beach vacation that time of year. Going to Japan early December and would really love to go, but will probably reconfigure our travels if it's not going to be pleasant.

Has anyone been early December and would you recommend going or not going?

Flying in on July 7 morning for a week, is it gonna be bad?

From Ireland and currently on holiday looking to possibly play golf 5/6th July somewhere in Naha but finding it hard to book/ see anywhere that accepts single players.

I was looking to see if it’s possibly to play southern links golf club or does anyone recommend somewhere else that I can play?

Cheers

Hi folks
Coming to Okinawa for a week with family (kids 14 and 12). Any recommendations on what to see/experience that wouldn’t in regular tourist guide book?
Thanks

Hi all, if you had to choose between staying 1 month in September, October or November which would you choose?

My main priorities are warm weather and beach days/snorkelling!

Thanks in advance!

I’m trying to decide between spending September in the Maldives or Okinawa for a month and would love to hear from anyone who’s been.

The main thing I enjoy is snorkelling, so having easy access to a good house reef is really important. At the same time, I’d like somewhere that has a bit of life in the evenings. I’m not looking for clubs or partying, but it’d be nice to have restaurants, cafés, maybe a few bars, and the chance to meet other travellers.

I’ll be working remotely, so decent Wi-Fi is also a must.
I’m also a bit worried about the weather. I know September is typhoon season in Okinawa and rainy season in the Maldives. Is one noticeably better than the other that time of year?

If you had a month to spend in one of them, which would you choose and why? I’d also appreciate any recommendations for specific islands in the Maldives or places to stay in Okinawa.

Hey, I'm a student who's been nominated for a semester abroad from Toronto to Tokyo, and although of course I might not be accepted by the university or for a visa, I've been looking at things to do during my university breaks in case everything is successful. Since I only really have Golden Week and a few days after exams, I was hoping to visit Okinawa, but I've noticed that's one of the more popular destinations for the holiday. How far in advance would you recommend booking a hostel, flights, ferries, etc.? And anywhere else I should visit instead in case this mini-trip doesn't work out?

Hi everyone, I’m in desperate need of advice, any help is much appreciated. I just landed with my girlfriend in Naha and we’re staying until the day after tomorrow and we were hoping to visit zamami island tomorrow but the tickets offices for the ferry is already closed (we had booked a tour, but we canceled it because with the whole typhoon situation we were in doubt of going to okinawa at all). Do you think that if tomorrow early in the morning we went to the ticket office in person we would be able to buy a ticket for the ferry? We already booked a trip to tokashiki the day after tomorrow very early and then we leave. Thanks in advance! 🙏

Okay, maybe not drumcircles everynight at sunset but if you could live anywhere in Okinawa for a month—not as a tourist, but as someone who wanted a healthy, social, conscious lifestyle—where would you choose? I'm looking for a place with yoga, meditation, running groups, healthy cafés (açaí bowls, avocado toast, muesli), digital nomads, sunsets, and again, genuine community. Where would you base yourself? Can it be done on a shoestring budget? Bascially, Where do the yoga people, runners, remote workers, meditators, creatives, and healthy café crowd actually spend their time?

Hi everyone, I am planning my 2weeks- trip to Japan in October. We decided to spend 4days in the islands but I am uncertain which one I should pick. Budget apart, I am looking for a " slow life japanese experience" and we would like just to relax and see some beaches and try local food, not a fan of hiking or wild experience. Just simple things. The purpose of those days will be to take it easy, to avoid particularly touristy sites and to enjoy time as "local tourists". I do not know if I explained myself. I would be happy to hear any advice or experience which will help me to decide. I have read that Okinawa is more touristy and less sea life, and ishigaki is more wild but has a bigger cities with better restaurants but miyakojima has better beaches. Thank you so much for your help!! 😊

Would the bars in American village be playing it? Or anywhere good? Thanks!