36 Best Sights in Okinawa, Japan

A real hidden gem, Ichiro Kikuta is a wildlife artist and nature guide who lives in the remote village of Ada. His gallery is located inside the Ada Garden Hotel Okinawa and is themed around the plants and animals that surround him in the Yambaru National Park. Kikuta's work varies in scale from delicate watercolors in his notepad to traditional Japanese room dividers with scenes of the forest printed on the washi paper. His gallery is open to the public, but you need to call in advance, as he divides his time between working in his gallery, and exploring the forests.

Underneath the waters off Yonaguni Island, Japan's westernmost point, is an enormous series of ancient stone structures believed to have been a settlement that dates back to 8,000–10,000 BC, which would make it the oldest—by 5,000 years—human structure of this sort. The site has become popular among divers, especially because schools of photogenic hammerhead sharks migrate through the area in winter. Marlin fishing here is also highly rated. Yonaguni Island is also known for the enormous Yonaguni atlas moth and the wild Yonaguni ponies that roam the blustery cliff tops. To get to Yonaguni Island, you can fly via JAL operated by Ryukyu Air Commuter from Ishigaki Island or Okinawa Main Island. Accommodation is limited to family-run minshuku. If you'd like to dive Yonaguni, contact the dive shops on Okinawa Main Island, as some run winter tours to see the hammerhead sharks. 

Great swimming and snorkeling are yours at the sparkling Yonehara Beach. Watch out for strong currents during tidal changes and various types of critters that can sting or bite. There are several places to rent masks, fins, and snorkels, including the beach shack next to the main parking area. On the island's northern shore, Yonehara is about an hour from Ishigaki City by bus, or half an hour by car. You'll know you've found the right area when you see the giant multicolor shisas of Yoneko-yaki Pottery on Route 79. Amenities: food and drink; parking (free); showers; toilets; water sports. Best for: snorkeling; swimming; walking.

Shisa are the talismanic guardians perched on the terracotta tiles of Okinawan homes. As they were designed to scare away evil spirits, they usually had stoic or wrathful expressions. The shisa of Yoneko-yaki Pottery are more Hello Kitty than ferocious lions. Bright colors and cute expressions have made them very popular, and you can spot them at souvenir shops across Okinawa. The pottery, right next to the idylic Yonehara Beach, is a great place to see them being made, grab a few gifts, and pose for pics with the giant technicolor shisa assembled on the opposite side of the road.

The water here is said to have the highest concentration of colorful fish in all of the Miyako Islands; it's an awesome spot to snorkel. The beach is just north of Cape Higashi-Hennazaki. If Yoshino Beach is packed with busloads of tourists, try Aragusuku Beach a little farther north. Bathrooms, showers, vending machines, and parking (¥1,000) are up on the clifftop; a shuttle bus transports visitors half a kilometer down the winding road to the beach. Amenities: parking (fee); showers; toilets; water sports. Best for: snorkeling; solitude; sunrise.

This little island paradise offers wonderful beaches, snorkeling, diving, and sea kayaking. The period from late January through March is prime whale-watching season, and during those months you can join two-hour boat tours from Naha. From land, the north shore gives you the best chance of seeing whale tails and fin-slapping humpback antics—but bring your best binoculars.

Furuzamami Beach, a short walk south of the harbor and village, is picture-perfect. There are vendors renting umbrellas and snorkeling equipment; however, in summer, the lifeguards insist snorkelers wear a lifejacket and swim only in a netted area. There's also a restaurant. Shuttle buses run to and from the port.  

Although most visitors are here on a day trip, there are several minshuku on the island if you'd like to stay overnight.