Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium
Large aquarium in the Ocean Expo Park on the Motobu peninsula, centred on a huge tank where whale sharks and manta rays swim. Coral reef displays and a dolphin area are also nearby.
Okinawa
A distinct Ryukyu culture marks these subtropical southern islands, which also have beaches, coral reefs and a large aquarium.
Attractive locations
Nakijin Castle
Ruins of a Ryukyu-era fortress on a ridge in the north, with long curving stone walls and sea views. It is part of the Gusuku Sites World Heritage listing and has early-blooming cherry trees.
Shureimon
Red gate with a tiered roof at Shuri in Naha, widely seen as a symbol of Okinawa. Shuri Castle, damaged in a 2019 fire, lies just beyond it.
Sefa-utaki
Sacred site in forest on Okinawa's southeast coast, long the most important place of Ryukyuan religion and part of the World Heritage listing. Visitors walk marked paths quietly, as it remains a place of worship.
Tamaudun
Royal mausoleum of the Ryukyu kings in Naha, a stone-walled tomb complex that is part of the island's World Heritage listing.
Cape Manzamo
Dramatic sea cliff with an elephant-trunk rock formation and a grassy clifftop path on the west coast, a popular stop for sunset views.
Kerama Islands
Group of small islands west of Naha with exceptionally clear water, white beaches and coral reefs, reached by ferry. Whales pass nearby in winter.
Airports
Naha International Airport OKA
It is about 45 km in a straight line from Okinawa.
Yoron Airport RNJ
It is about 77 km in a straight line from Okinawa.
Aguni Airport AGJ
It is about 72 km in a straight line from Okinawa.
Scams and safe taxis
Weather by month
Each month shows its average temperature in °C and its mm of rain per month.
- Jan18.1 °C68 mm
- Feb18.3 °C62 mm
- Mar19.2 °C91 mm
- Apr21.3 °C143 mm
- May24.0 °C228 mm
- Jun26.6 °C309 mm
- Jul28.6 °C138 mm
- Aug28.9 °C173 mm
- Sep28.1 °C195 mm
- Oct25.9 °C140 mm
- Nov23.1 °C87 mm
- Dec19.9 °C78 mm
Driest months: Jan, Feb, Dec. Wettest months: May, Jun, Sep.
Costs
Prices here are about 65% of US prices (World Bank, 2025). This compares a country's overall prices, not the cost of a trip.
Who can help
Emergency
Police 110. Fire and ambulance 119.
local government
Japan Visitor Hotline (Japan National Tourism Organization)
Helps with: Hotline run by Japan's national tourism organization. It gives support in emergencies such as accidents, illness and natural disasters, plus general tourist information, in English, Chinese and Korean, 24 hours a day.
Who qualifies: Visitors to Japan, calling from inside Japan or from overseas.
Phone: +81-50-3816-2787
local government
Police emergency number 110
Helps with: Japan's police emergency number, for reporting a crime or an accident. For less urgent matters, visitors can also go to a neighbourhood police box (koban).
Who qualifies: Anyone in Japan who needs the police urgently.
Phone: 110
local government
Ambulance and fire emergency number 119 (Fire and Disaster Management Agency)
Helps with: Call 119 for an ambulance or a fire. First say whether it is a fire or a medical emergency, then give your location; a nearby building or intersection helps if you lack the address.
Who qualifies: Anyone in Japan; the ambulance service is available to everyone.
Phone: 119
ngo
Japanese Red Cross Society
Helps with: Japan's national Red Cross society. In disasters it sends medical relief teams, sets up aid stations, gives psychological care in evacuation centres and hands out relief supplies such as blankets.
Who qualifies: People in Japan affected by disasters, through its relief work.
un agency
International Organization for Migration (IOM) Japan
Helps with: The UN migration agency. In Japan it supports migrants through work against human trafficking and help with voluntary return home and reintegration.
Who qualifies: Migrants in Japan, including people affected by human trafficking. It is not a help service for ordinary tourists.
Phone: 03 (3595) 2487
embassy
Foreign embassies and consulates in Japan (JNTO list)
Helps with: For a lost passport, an emergency or a natural disaster, contact your own country's embassy. This Japan National Tourism Organization page gives addresses and phones, but only for some countries.
Who qualifies: Citizens of each listed country, through their own embassy or consulate.