2 days in Okinawa

Day by day

1. Day 1: Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium and Nakijin Castle

   Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium, Nakijin Castle, Kouri Island and Bise Fukugi Tree Road, then Kokusai-dori in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium

      Coral-reef and deep-sea zones lead down to it, and the surrounding Ocean Expo Park has a free dolphin show, a turtle pool and Emerald Beach.

   2. Late morning

      Nakijin Castle

      Early-blooming cherry trees colour the approach from late January.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Goya champuru

      Every shokudō diner and izakaya on the island; it is the default order in local canteens.

   4. Afternoon

      Kouri Island

      The beach by the bridge is a good place to paddle, and the island's restaurants serve sea-urchin rice bowls.

   5. Late afternoon

      Bise Fukugi Tree Road

      You can walk, rent a bicycle or take a slow water-buffalo cart.

   6. Evening

      Kokusai-dori

      Explore the covered side arcades rather than the main street for better prices on crafts and snacks.

2. Day 2: Shuri Castle and Daiichi Makishi Public Market

   Shuri Castle, Daiichi Makishi Public Market, Tsuboya Yachimun Street and Naminoue Shrine and Beach, then Mihama American Village in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Shuri Castle

      Its vermilion main hall burned in 2019 and has been undergoing reconstruction scheduled for completion around 2026; the restored gates, including Shureimon, the stone ramparts and views over Naha remain open, and parts of the rebuilding have been shown to visitors.

   2. Late morning

      Daiichi Makishi Public Market

      The ground floor sells colourful reef fish, lobster, Agu pork and sea grapes; buy seafood downstairs and restaurants upstairs will cook it for a fee, a system known as mochiage.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Okinawa soba

      Soba shops across the island, including old wooden houses in the Motobu area known as the 'soba road'.

   4. Afternoon

      Tsuboya Yachimun Street

      A stone-paved lane of about 400 m is lined with studios and shops selling yachimun (Okinawan pottery), and the Tsuboya Pottery Museum explains the craft.

   5. Late afternoon

      Naminoue Shrine and Beach

      It is the island's busiest shrine at New Year, and the small beach is pleasant for a swim between sightseeing.

   6. Evening

      Mihama American Village

      Arrive before sunset, walk the seawall to Sunset Beach and stay for dinner and drinks.

Before you go

If it rains

• Swap in Himeyuri Peace Museum (Nanjo and the south): It is emotionally heavy; combine it with a quiet walk or cliff-top café rather than a theme park afterwards.
• Swap in Okinawa World and Gyokusendo Cave (Nanjo and the south): Do the cave first while you are fresh; it is cool and humid inside, a good choice on a rainy day.

Where to stay for this itinerary

Pace and daylight

The sights in this plan add up to roughly 16–19 hours of visiting over 2 days, before meals and getting between them. Daylight runs from about 10.5 hours in December to 13.8 hours in June.

Getting between stops: Car. Rental cars are the practical way to explore, with the Okinawa Expressway running from near Naha to Nago.

More or fewer days

• One day in Okinawa
• 3 days in Okinawa
• 5 days in Okinawa

Questions travellers ask