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Okinawa

Tropical paradise and a unique culture

About Okinawa
Photo: Roxanne LW / JT

Top Attractions in Okinawa

Okinawa Top 10

Upcoming Okinawa Events

Southern Island Star Festival 2025

Southern Island Star Festival 2025

Early - Mid Aug

The annual Southern Island Star Festival is a celebration of Ishigaki Island's sparkling night skies, and the event includes..

Orion Beerfest in Koza 2025

Orion Beerfest in Koza 2025

Early - Mid Sep

With a history dating back to 1957, Orion is Japan's fifth largest brewery and the producer of Orion Beer, which commands 60%..

Free Entry
Okinawa Zento Eisa Festival 2025

Okinawa Zento Eisa Festival 2025

Early - Mid Sep

Held annually on the weekend after obon festivities since 1956, the Okinawa Zento Eisa Festival is a large-scale celebration of..

Free Entry

Where to eat in Okinawa

Places to stay in Okinawa

Latest Okinawa Reports

Cycling Okinawa

Cycling Okinawa

Emi Kawagoe

Nestled in the heart of Naha, Okinawa, e-CHARIty is transforming the way visitors experience this beautiful island through eco-friendly..

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About Okinawa

okinawa
Okinawa Nagasaki Fukuoka Saga Kumamoto Kagoshima Miyazaki Oita Ehime Kochi Tokushima Kagawa Yamaguchi Hiroshima Okayama Tottori Shimane Hyogo Kyoto Osaka Wakayama Nara Shiga Mie Fukui Ishikawa Toyama Gifu Aichi Nagano Shizuoka Niigata Yamanashi Kanagawa Tokyo Saitama Gunma Tochigi Chiba Ibaraki Fukushima Miyagi Yamagata Iwate Akita Aomori Hokkaido
Region Kyushu
Capital Naha
Population 1,392,818
Area 2281.00 km²

Although each Japanese prefecture is unique in its own way, tropical Okinawa Prefecture (沖縄県, Okinawa-ken) is by far the most distinct, almost like a different country. And that assessment is true to a certain extent; Okinawa, known then as the Ryukyu Kingdom, was independent from Japan until 1879, and was part of US territory from 1945 to 1972. As a result, the culture, food, and even the language (although many do speak standard Japanese) differ vastly from those of any other region.

On Okinawa Island, places of note are the Chura-umi Aquarium, one of the largest aquariums in the world and home to the whale shark, as well as ancient Ryukyu castle ruins, most notably Shuri-jo. Buy your souvenirs at Kokusai-dori, Okinawa’s main street.

Off the main island, the Yaeyama and Miyako Islands have Japan’s most pristine beaches, while retaining traditional Okinawan culture. 

Around Okinawa

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