Okinawa
Okinawa Prefecture, The Former Ryukyu Kingdom; UNESCO World Heritage Sites: Gusuku Sites Of The Kingdom Of Ryukyu (2000) And Yanbaru (2021) · Naha, Okinawa
Japan's southernmost prefecture, a chain of subtropical islands stretching toward Taiwan, and once the independent Ryukyu Kingdom, with its own language, music, food and architecture, distinct from the rest of Japan. The main island has the capital, Naha, with the lively Kokusai-dori street and markets, and Shuri Castle, the royal palace, a World Heritage Site that burned in 2019 and is being rebuilt. The north of the island holds the Churaumi Aquarium, famous for its whale sharks, and the Yanbaru forest, also on the World Heritage list. Most visitors come for the beaches and the sea: white sand, coral reefs and some of the best diving and snorkelling in Japan, especially in the Kerama Islands off Naha and the outer islands of Miyako and Ishigaki. The history is heavy: the Battle of Okinawa in 1945 killed a large share of the island's civilians, remembered at the Peace Memorial Park, and the island still hosts most of the US bases in Japan. Typhoons come from summer into autumn. Okinawan food, longevity and islands' slow pace are part of the appeal.
Kokusai-dori, Naha, Naha, Okinawa, 900-0013, Japan
NO OPENING TIME HERE WAS CHECKED. The structure: beaches are open all year, but lifeguards, nets and showers run only in the managed swimming season, roughly April to October, and often only in daylight; the Churaumi Aquarium and Shuri Castle keep daytime hours with last entry about an hour before closing, and some attractions close for a day or two a year for maintenance. The last ferry back from the Keramas leaves in the late afternoon. Typhoons may close everything, including the airport, for days. Confirm before travelling.