Assuming that most of the travelers in the capital Naha Arriving in the south becomes a route around the Okinawa Island(Japanese: 沖 縄 本 島, Okinawa-hontō) described clockwise from south to north.
background
Around 1¼ million people live on the elongated island, around 315,000 of them in the capital Naha. In addition, there are an estimated 100,000 American military personnel. While the northern third is almost deserted and forested, the south is more or less completely built up - with quickly erected functional buildings and the Japanese preference for concrete. Regarding the world cultural heritage sites, it should be noted that nothing is original, but was rebuilt in a historicizing manner after the destruction of the war.
Okinawa is highly developed in terms of tourism, but by Japanese, for Japanese. So you can only expect a little knowledge of foreign languages, and then only rudimentary English - unfortunately, this also applies to the use of the emergency number! Fortunately, numbers for bus routes are understandable if you print out the corresponding map. Likewise, you shouldn't have any problems with pointing to the food models on display - and you won't even be cheated by taxi drivers in Japan.
As everywhere in Japan, there is fixed seasonal operation. If the beaches are managed, this is done from the beginning of April to October 31st.
getting there
Turnstile is the one described in the local article for both international and domestic Japanese arrivals Naha Airport.
How to get out with the ship Kyushu, if necessary by Kagoshima Island hopping from Kagoshima is explained in the section on Okinawa Prefecture (Okinawa-ken).
The Naha Tourist Information Office (on the Kokusai-dōri) also arranges tickets for four different tourist day tours (A-D ¥ 4800-7200) to the main attractions in the center and south of the island. Anyone who wants to be rushed as part of a real Japanese tour group should do it to themselves.
mobility
As a tourist you will primarily want to rent a car or that local bus system, whose hub was the new one, which was completed in April 2018 Bus terminal in Naha is to be instructed.
The central transfer point for the north is the bus station of Nago (local route network). Smaller towns are only served by 2-3 buses a day.
In the local area, the prices for single journeys are between ￥ 150 and zwischen 300, depending on the route Okica- Value card replaced. This offers a 15% discount when charged with 10 journeys. There are also various 1-3 day tickets, with or without monorail use: details.
- Island wide Find bus routes (engl.)
- English speaking information (9.00-21.00): ☎ 0570-077201, or Skype: call center en01 and call center en02.
Special tourist lines are:
- 111 and 117 Airport ↔ North Okinawa: directly to the hotel Orion Motobu Resort & Spa, it is also on Churaumi Aquarium Made a stop in 2½ hours for ￥ 2500.
- 120 and 20 Airport ↔ Nago Bus Terminal via Busena Marine Park, Orion Happy Park, Ryukyumura, Yachimun no Sato. (Similar too 28.)
- 70 and 76 Airport ↔ Aeon Mall Okinawa Rycom via Okinawa Fruit Land, Nago Pineapple Park
- 152 Airport ↔ Ashibinaa (shopping mall)
- 95 Bus station Naha ↔ Sēfa-utaki
Rental car is there "on every corner," the usual restrictions for foreigners must be observed, see in the Country article. When the vehicle is returned, the last fuel receipt is usually requested.
The highway between Naha and Ishitake Okinawa Expressway is subject to a toll.
Bike tours around the island are possible without any problems. The traffic is tolerable on country roads north of Ginowan. More or less wild camping near the beach is tolerated.
Hiking trails are rarely shown in the national parks of the north. Maps and GPS don't do any harm on wilderness tours, also to avoid straying into a real jungle camp run by the Americans.
activities
- golf
Gone are the days when golf club memberships were an expensive investment in Japan, but the game is still popular among the upper middle class, even if the green fees are high. By helicopter directly from Naha airport one reaches:
- 1 Chura Orchard Golf Club (美 ら オ ー チ ャ ー ド ゴ ル フ 倶 楽 部), 恩納 村 安富祖 1577. Tel.: 81 98-967-8711. Connected to the relatively cheap hotel Miyuki Beach, a bar reminiscent of Torremolinos right on the beach.Open: 6.20 a.m. - 7.00 p.m.
- Located on the east coast 3 Kanucha Golf (カ ヌ チ ャ リ ゾ ー ト), Nago-shi, Abu, 156-2. With a 300-room hotel, the Kanucha Bay(カ ヌ チ ャ ベ イ ホ テ ル & ヴ ィ ラ ズ 内) which is considered to be the second best on the island. All kinds of water sports are also offered on the private beach. Shiraishi Takeharu, the eccentric owner, is a huge fan of Bill Clinton. He has a replica of the house that that one in his youth in Hope, Arkansas inhabited as a museum built with contemporary furnishings. It was open to the public for a while; today it is used as a kindergarten.Price: Hotel: Double room from ￥ 40,000 without anything.
From Naha north along the west coast
The capital flows seamlessly into:
Urasoe (浦 添 市)
The town has little to offer for tourists.
- getting there
The monorail turns just before the Naha city limits at Furujima station (古 島 駅) from.
To the north of this is:
Ginowan
1 Ginowan (宜 野 湾 市) From a culinary point of view, the presence of numerous American soldiers, especially in Chatan, which has degenerated into an “American Village” - they want to copy southern California beach baths - has a very negative impact on the fact that there are a number of hamburger shacks, Starbucks and the like. gives. If you are into American-style nightlife, you will find Sunabe in the local district (砂 辺) to become happy.
Okinawa City
Kadena (嘉 手 納 町)
Kadena is dominated by the American air force base.
At the tip of the headland of Cape Zampa (残 波 岬) there is a lighthouse (can be climbed during the day, ￥ 150). Directly behind it is the luxury hotel Royal with its own 18-hole golf course.
- accommodation
Kise
A cluster of luxury hotels can be found between Kariyushi and Kise Beach.
The one that follows directly on a headland Marine Park, has a pier at its end that ends in an observation tower from which you can also look out into the sea underwater (￥ 1030).
Nago-Montobu Peninsula
Dynamic cardsNago (名 護 市)Although it is the second largest city on the island with 60,000 inhabitants, it is of little interest, but mainly a transit point to the touristically well-developed peninsula. The Orion-Brewery can be visited after registration. The cherry blossom, which is celebrated here at the end of January, is the official opening of this season for all of Japan. The evening television weather report shows “the advance of the SakuraFront “to the north.
Montobu (本部 町)
To the island of Sesoku-jima off the port (瀬 底 島) there is a bridge.
In the hills above is that Bell Beach Golf Club.
Churaumi Aquarium
To the south (towards the center of Motobu) follow:
- the museum village Okinawa Village
- Oceanic Culture Museum with planetarium 海洋 文化館 ・ プ ラ ネ タ リ ウ ム
- a nine-hectare botanical garden with an arboretum that is well worth seeing for connoisseurs. You can also join a guided tour for the orchid collection.
- a butterfly garden
- accommodation
In the immediate vicinity behind the park (from north to south)
- 6 Orion Motobu Resort & Spa, 本部 町 備 瀬 148 番地 1. 4 * complex with private beach.Price: from ￥ 20,000 p.p.
- Yugaf Inn, 3 * building typical of the country, ☎ 81 980-48-4388
- Centurion Hotel Resort
- Yukarina Resort(ゆ く り な リ ゾ ー ト), small family hotel
- Minshuku is much better Sendan (☎ 0980-48-4113) a few doors away 山川 ５５４ for ￥ 17000-23000 per double w.F.
- Hotel Mahaina large house with wellness offers.
- Churaumi Village two approximately 700 m apart facilities with bungalows for ￥ 5000-8500 p.p.
- Marine piazza, Hotel bar with sea view from 49 rooms.
The island of Yagaji in the north of the peninsula can be reached via two bridges. From there it also goes over a bridge to the circular island of Kouri (古 宇 利) with a small beach and a lookout tower.
Detour to Iejima (伊 江 島)
This small island is located a few kilometers from Montobu and is home to a golf course and American troops, which is why the village's beach GI Beach called.
At the Ie Beach is the campsite Ie Village Youth Travel Village(伊 江村 青少年 旅行 村)
The caves of 5 Nyata
Un'ten (運 天)
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Detour to Iheya and Izena
The is near the southern tip, in front of the bridge to the islet Noho-jima
7 Izena-jima (伊 是 名 島)
Cape Akamaru (赤 丸 岬)
The beaches on either side of this headland halfway to the northern tip of the island are beautiful. Only the southern one was reopened to the local population in 1977, and a few hotels were built. The north side still only serves to relax the occupiers.
You don't necessarily have to look at the one in the hinterland Hiji-Waterfall (比 地 大 滝, ￥ 100) unless you are also interested in the rich subtropical flora and fauna of the surrounding national park (￥ 500), then you should stay for 2-3 days. There is a campsite (￥ 1000 p.p.) 40 minutes walk from the waterfall.
East coast from north to south
The north of the island is comparatively sparsely populated, which is mainly due to the fact that the Americans have a large area for their 2 Claim jungle fighter training, the center of which is around Camp Gonsalves.
Cape Hedo (辺 戸 岬)
At this northernmost cape of the island is a small cafe and a lookout point. The cliff is rocky, a not excessive beach is 800 m south.
About ten kilometers to the south is Okinawa's northernmost village, Ata (安 田; 150 pop). There is little to see, but there is a rather monstrous hotel Ada Garden. The uninhabited island is only 400 m from the site Adaka-shima with two beautiful beaches that you can paddle over to if necessary.
For the first forty kilometers along the coastal road there is little to see except landscape. The road near the west coast is well developed, and a tranquil country road leads through the east.
Camp Schwab, base of the leather necks, prevents access to the coast north of 1 Henoko (辺 野 古})
Catsurs
Part of the city of Urama is the Katsuren peninsula.
At Heshikiya is the base of the US Navy, which is closed to civilians, White Beach (including small islands in front of it).
On the bridge to the islands Henza, Miyagi and Ikei stands that
.
Henza is delivered complete with oil tanks. Miyagi and Ikei are farmed inland, but there are sandy beaches on both sides. The Nuchi-uma Salt Factory has a factory outlet and can be viewed on weekdays. The hotel Big Time Resort is Japanese middle class. When the tide changes, vortices form in front of Ikei, which can be dangerous for swimmers.
The 250-meter-long bridge to Yabuchi Island (藪 地 島) is often parked almost too far by anglers, which is not a problem as the island is hardly inhabited any more. The paved road ends behind the bridge. At its end is one Limestone grotto. The beaches are rocky or made of coarse, dark sand.
Day trips are offered to the uninhabited island of Ukibaushima (浮 原 島).
Nakagusuku
The city on the northern border of which there is another preserved castle borders on Ginowan in the west.
South of Naha
Passing the air force base you come to the southern tip. The coast is rocky, if there are beaches they consist of black volcanic sand.
There are quite a few in the region Gusuku- Ruins, these are of little interest to those who are not archaeologically trained. These are the castles of the feudal lords, the aji from the 13th to 18th centuries.
Itoman (糸 満 市)
The 3 The “inner city” of this city on the west coast is built on heaped land, there the streets run in a checkerboard pattern, the original village is in the hilly area.
Buses 34 and 89 go from Naha. To the actual southern tip of the island from the bus station with lines 82, 107 or 108.
- activities
The inner-city one between elementary and middle school Nishizaki Water Park, is nothing more than a playground built around a pond. Right next to it is the Sports Park with tennis courts. An inland barracks of the Japanese "Self-Defense Army" is surrounded by three golf courses.
- accommodation
directory (jap.)
Southern tip
The southern end of the island is Cape Arasaki, at nearby Cape Kyan (喜 屋 武 埼, Kyanmiyazaki) there is a lighthouse.
Nanjō (南 城市)
The community 4 Nanjō covers the south-easternmost tip of the island. An air force base to the south of the village is causing noise pollution. The local beaches are partly made of light-colored sand that is coarse-grained.
Buses 37, 38, 39 go from Naha (approx. 40 minutes).
The Ryukyu Golf Club is considered one of the best Okinawa by connoisseurs Day memberships are available during the week for ￥ 11,100 (plus green fee and caddy)
- accommodation
The prices of the local minshuku are in the usual range around ￥ 5000. These are to be mentioned near the port
Guest House Amawari 10 (あ ま わ り 10, ☎ 81 90-9788-4113), Marinote (マ リ ン ノ ー ト; very easy) and
traditionally with tatami Agaihama (ア ガ イ 浜, 与 那 原 町 字 東 浜 106-4, ☎ 81 98-988-8026).
Detour to Kudaka
North of the fishing port of Azama is a long sandy beach.
trips
Most of them go to the outlying island Ferries from Naha.
literature
See the information in general Okinawa.
Web links
- Itoman (bad English)
- Uruma tourist information center (jap.)
- Report of a bike tour 2016
