Okinawa Island - Japan

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Okinawa Island (沖縄本島 Okinawa-honto) is by far the largest and most densely inhabited island in Okinawa Prefecture. Flipping through Japanese history book few pages before the ending period of WWII where Hiroshima and Nagasaki were attacked by atomic bomb, you will see the allied bombing that obliterated the oldest heritage of Okinawan.

This island was once prosperous under the rule of the powerful Ryukyu Empire. There had been apparent cultural differences with mainland Japan which could be perceived from its architecture, until nearly all traces were utterly demolished during WWII. Fortunately, bombing attack was not deadly enough to obliterate other remnants of Okinawan culture. After the end of the war, the embers had rather turned into furious blaze in the heart of its people and Okinawa Island was developed into the busiest and most urbanized island in the prefecture. Today, travelers have the chance to experience the one-of-a-kind culinary, artistic and musical tradition.

Geographically, Okinawa main island could be divided into southern part (Nanbu), middle part (Chubu) and northern part (Hokubu) with Naha, well-known as the prefectural capital and largest city that functions as the regional transportation hub, Nago, the former Expo site renowned for its aquarium, and Okinawa City, the second most populous city after Naha, being the three main cities.

The Magic of Okinawa Island

It’s true to say that there are unique cookery, arts, music and tradition of the original Okinawa culture. However, throughout the past few ten years, Okinawa Island has become the home of a mélange of various breed of cultural influence, especially the impact of American imperialism after WWII. The island’s economy and culture are heavily manipulated by more than 25,000 American military workforce stationed there. Just like how frequent you see an onsen in Nikko or a gourmet restaurant in Osaka, you will see an abundance of strip malls, fast-food shops and used-car dealers along the highways, which anytime conjures up the picture of suburban America. Indeed, the process of westernization has beckoned plenty of the Japanese families from the mainland to enjoy shopping spree for American products or indulge in the mouth-watering American-style steakhouses. Here, even sushi is prepared more to American’s tastes than traditional Japanese sushi. All in all, the trend to come here and soak in the American lifestyle has helped bloom the tourism industry, though a little bit of an odd one.

Once utterly blown out during WWII, Naha was tenaciously rebuilt with the ganbaru spirit that mirrors that of the people in Hiroshima. It is now undergoing a population explosion as well as rapid development of overhead monorail and contemporary sky-high condominiums. Other than that, this prefectural capital has the fame for its vivacious nightlife that is the chemistry of an exhilarating mix of American Gls, college students and Japanese tourists from mainland. You can catch the action live on Kokusaidori (International Blvd), a vibrant stretch of hotels, restaurants, clubs, bars as well as souvenir shops that virtually sell everything you could dream up. Other highlights in or around Naha includes Shuri Castle, the Peace Memorial Park and the Himeyuri Monument.

Apart from that, a cluster of war memorials could be spotted in the southern part, while a couple of historic ruins and few fascinating culturally rich destinations are nestled in the central area which houses also military bases. What about outdoor activities? The beaches certainly offer more than sunset and surfing that Kamakura offers. However, among numerous activities, scuba diving and snorkeling at Motobu Peninsula should come before everything else. In general, Okinawa is an exciting island that makes a perfect poise between the futuristic system in Tokyo and traditional pace in Kyoto or Nara. The subtropical lifestyle in the midst of white-sand beaches, gracefully swaying palm trees and heavenly isolation could be the sweetest runaway to taste the different façade of Japan.

Travel To Okinawa Island - Top 10 Best Places

Okinawa consists of 3 major islands and countless smaller islands that it easily makes one directionless. Even Okinawa mainland could be a challenge if you have never come across with the A-list of top 10 must-visit places and their short descriptions shown below. (Also refer to the map at the bottom of the article.)

Shuri Castle - Reconstructed former Ryukyu royal palace.
War Memorials - Peace Park and other war related sites.
Ocean Expo Park - Amusement park with Japan’s best aquarium.
Nakagusuku Castle - Beautiful ruins of a former Ryukyu castle.
Shikinaen Garden - Second residence of the former Ryukyu kings.
Hedo Misaki - Cape at the northern tip of Okinawa Honto.
Tsuboya Pottery District - District with many pottery shops.
Nakamurake Residence - Traditional Okinawan style residence.
Kokusaidori - Main shopping and entertainment street.
Okinawa World - Featuring a cave and folk craft village.

3 Reasons Why I Love Okinawa Island

Of course there are more than 3 reasons to fall in love with this island considering that it has so many attractions and activities to do, but here are the top 3 reasons.

First thing first, Okinawa is somewhere you can see something so un-Japan though geographically it is matter-of-factly located at the south-west of this archipelago. Or I should say it’s not un-Japan, but it rather reflects a mixture of different culture and essence of different cities in the mainland of Japan. Fun huh?
Secondly, it’s the subtropical climate that attracts me. To explore the many caves, especially the most popular Gyokusendo in Nanjo is one of the many things in my travel list. What more? The coral reef at the southern end of the island is mesmerizing, if you would do a research on that topic.
It’s a bless to have the chance to see how a once flattened city keeps those remnants of historical buildings and war memorials while undergoing an evolution towards modern outline and how the people keep the past in the mind while moving on resolutely towards greatness. Okinawans who speak Japanese but also speak in Okinawan dialect are just as great as the Japanese in Hiroshima who speak only Japanese. Okinawa Island is kind of amazing too right?