As one of the most popular spots for domestic holidaying, periods like Golden Week see prices skyrocket and seats sell out fast, so are best avoided. August is also peak travel time due to the number of summer events and festivals usually taking place across Japan —and the Okinawan resorts and beaches can get packed despite it being typhoon season.
They do have quite a few sales, however, and budget fares can be snapped up as early as January for the summer months—just bear in mind that they sell out fast. There are also specials on travel between the main island of Okinawa and outlying islands, like Ishigaki more on this area below. Both of these deals work on a coupon system; the prices we give here are for two coupons, the minumum you can buy. Flights to Okinawa will be half that amount. Pro tip: Book a private transfer from Naha Airport or an airport limousine bus to your accommodation in Okinawa before you set off.
Before you give up on your Tokyo to Okinawa holiday quest, note that sales often feature more flights between Osaka and Okinawa. So, if you are traveling there anyway, flying out of Kansai Airport might be preferable.
With some luck and searching, you could even catch a highway bus to Osaka specially for a cheap flight. You can check booking sites like Kosoku Bus and Willer Express to see what bus deals are available for your travel dates.
If you are determined, you can catch a Shinkansen all the way down to Kagoshima and then hop on a ferry for 26 hours. Yeah, maybe time-consuming was an understatement. Note that the website is mostly in Japanese. Okinawa is jam-packed with things to see and do, especially in and around the water. For ideas, check out these snorkeling and diving tours. For more on what there is to see and do in Okinawa, have a look at our dedicated Okinawa page or this guide on how to enjoy the islands on a tight budget.
The main hub of the Yaeyama Islands and miles from Okinawa proper, Ishigaki is an even more idyllic area—full of beaches, coral-filled seas and a national park. Ishigaki is popular enough to have its own airport, meaning you can fly direct from Tokyo, or from Naha in Okinawa.
Alas, there is no ferry service from Okinawa to Ishigaki. But from Ishigaki, you can catch a ferry to the nearby islands of tiny Taketomi , wild Iriomote and more. Day or overnight trips are possible.
Few of the cheap airlines fly directly from Tokyo to Ishigaki, so it is rather pricey. ANA and also JTA part of JAL service the route, though, so if you can use those magical foreigner passes, this is a great way to make the most of them. You may be able to use the special passes mentioned above, and Solaseed offers discounted Enjoy Japan fares too.
Read more about traveling to Ishigaki Island. You could always stay Tokyo-side and head to the island of Shikine-jima instead. Lying at roughly the same latitude as Hawaii, Florida, and the Bahamas, Okinawa enjoys similar mild sub-tropical weather.
It rains almost half the days of the year, and the rainy season is usually in May, and lasts about a month. Annual rainfall is 1, mm. Humidity is high throughout the year. Okinawa lies in the path of the East Asian Typhoon System, and from July through November may be hit by typhoons and monsoon rains.
Humans are believed to have settled on the Okinawa islands about 4, years ago. There was some migration from southern Kyushu to the northernmost islands, but the largest migrations came from Melanesia to the south. In the 11th century castles began appearing around the islands and all the islands became unified under the Sho Dynasty in the 15th century. Known as the Ryukyu Islands, the 15th and 16th centuries are considered the Golden Age of Okinawan history, when the islands flourished through maritime trade between Southeast Asia, China, Korea, and Japan.
In the early 17th century Japanese from Satsuma invaded and began to exert more control over the islands, though a tributary relationship with China continued to operate. Commodore Perry called in the Ryukyu islands on his way to Shimoda in the s. In Japan abolished the Okinawan royalty and formally annexed Okinawa as a Japanese prefecture. Suppression of Okinawan language, customs, and culture followed, and in response to a ban on Okinawans owning weapons they invented the martial art of karate.
In the closing stages of the Pacific theatre of World War II, Okinawa was the site of one of the bloodiest campaigns of the war, with both the American and Japanese militaries suffering heavy losses. Hardest hit though were the Okinawan civilians caught in between, and it is estimated that one third of the Okinawan population died in the campaign, many through suicide 'encouraged' by the Japanese military.
Following the war, Okinawa was under the control of the U. There remains a sizable American military presence on the islands and continuing tensions between the Okinawan authorities and inhabitants and the American military on one hand and between Okinawans and mainland Japanese politicians who broker the deals that keep a US presence on the islands.
Okinawa's unique culture came about from the diverse influences of the many cultures of those she traded with, although Chinese culture dominated.
Okinawan dance is still very popular, incorporating Chinese, Japanese, and South East Asian elements in a lively mix, and is performed all over the islands. Okinawan music is enjoying somewhat of a boom, not only in Japan but globally, and often includes the distinctive sound of the sanshin , a snakeskin-covered string instrument similar to a banjo that was originally introduced from China.
Okinawan Music CD Reviews. Many traditional crafts including pottery and laquerware are still produced, but Okinawa is most famous for its distinctive woven and dyed fabrics. Okinawan food also reflects the diversity of cultural influences that have affected it over the centuries. Being islands, seafood dominates, together with sweet potato and dofu as staples. Dofu is Okinawan tofu, is firmer than Japanese tofu, and also saltier, as it is made with seawater.
The preferred meat in Okinawa is pork. Probably the best-known Okinawan food though is goya bitter melon which, even though very bitter, is consumed widely and is attributed by many to contribute not only to Okinawans' extremely long lifespan Naha Fukushu-En Garden is a huge garden in Chinese style incorporating architecture of different Chinese ages and traditions. Near Kenchomae monorail station.
Kokusai Dori, i. Distant memories of independence, followed by an invasion by Satsuma a feudal domain of Japan in and its annexation by Japan in and the accompanying assimilation policies have resulted in an uneasy relationship between the Okinawan islands and mainland Japan.
Events such as the Battle of Okinawa, which saw more than 30 per cent of the population perish and resulted in US rule until , shapes Okinawan identity and its relationship with Tokyo. This history shows that Okinawa is psychologically remote from Tokyo.
In Okinawa the strategic justification for the bases is less compelling than it is in Tokyo. The relationship between Okinawa and the US military is also tense. There is also a common suspicion that many attacks on Okinawan women go unreported. Okinawans still remember the gang rape of a year-old and have little faith in the US military justice system, which is perceived as favouring US military personnel.
The Okinawan government has called for stricter discipline measures and curfews, but while in the short term this might please the opposition, in the long term the distance and lack of understanding between the Okinawans and US military personnel will likely continue. Sadly, there is no quick solution. Locals often argue that if bases were scaled back the land could instead be commercialised. Most of the US bases are situated in the flat south, where there are aspirations to develop Okinawa into a regional trade hub, expand tourism and explore other potential industries such as IT call centres.
But there is no consensus over the best use of the land and the private owners of land would have to be compensated. In any case economic revitalisation would take time. Okinawans will eventually have to accept a solution with some kind of US presence. Many feel uncomfortable suggesting bases relocate to Guam because they understand the burden placed on the host.
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