The southern part of Okinawa Island retains its original landscape, with sugarcane fields and traditional houses with red tile roofs. Here, a sacred atmosphere permeates the area, with places associated with deities and sites of prayer for peace. Here are some recommended tourist spots in the southern area, where you can trace history while feeling the sea breeze and enjoy sightseeing.

<Table of Contents>
Part 1. Gangara Valley
Part 2. Okinawa World
Part 3. Himeyuri Tower
4. Peace Memorial Park
5. Seifa Utaki
6. Chinen Cape Park
7. Kyan Cape
8. Gushikawa Castle Ruins
9. John Man Beach (Odohama Coast)
10. Okinawa Outlet Mall Ashibinaa
Part 11. Senaga Island
Final thoughts

This subtropical valley, where abundant nature remains, was formed when a limestone cave system collapsed hundreds of thousands of years ago. Caves and ancient trees are scattered throughout the approximately 4,500 square meter site. To allow visitors to better experience the rich and valuable nature of Okinawa, admission is by reservation only on guided tours. The tour takes you to the mystical Saninushi Utaki shrine and the 150-year-old Ufushu banyan tree, among other sights.

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Deep within the valley forest lies the great banyan tree, Ufushu. Its overwhelming vitality is breathtaking.

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The Cave Cafe is the meeting point for tours. It's an open-air cafe located within a natural limestone cave. Of course, you can also use the cafe without visiting the tour.

■Gangara Valley
Address: 202 Maekawa, Tamagusuku, Nanjo City
TEL: 098-948-4192
Reservations accepted: 9:00 AM - 18:00 PM *Entry is not permitted outside of tours.
Regular holiday: No holidays
Access: Approximately 30 minutes by car from Naha Airport (using the expressway)
Official website

Okinawa's largest theme park, packed with Okinawa's nature, culture, and history. The grounds include Gyokusendo Cave, said to be the most beautiful limestone cave in the Orient, Kingdom Village, which recreates the streetscape of old Okinawan houses, and a tropical fruit garden. In Kingdom Village, you can also experience traditional crafts and brown sugar making.

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Kingdom Village feels like you've wandered into the castle town of Shuri Castle. Inside the houses, you can see demonstrations and workshops of traditional crafts.

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Gyokusendo Cave was formed over a long period of 30 years. The 890-meter section open to the public allows visitors to enjoy walking through a mystical cave system lined with strangely shaped Ryukyu limestone rock formations.

■ Okinawa World
Address: 1336 Maekawa, Tamagusuku, Nanjo City
TEL: 098-949-7421
Hours: 9: 00 ~ 18: 00
Regular holiday: No holidays
Access: Approximately 30 minutes by car from Naha Airport (using the expressway)
Official website

This is a memorial monument to the "Himeyuri student nurses" who were mobilized as medical personnel and died during the Battle of Okinawa (a ground battle fought in Okinawa for about two months starting in April 1945). It is said to have been erected by the families of the students as soon as possible, the year after the end of the war. More than 60 people visit the site each year for peace education, memorial services, and sightseeing, in order to convey the realities of war to future generations.

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The "Himeyuri Student Corps" was formed at the request of the military, consisting of female students from the normal school's women's division and the First Girls' High School. The names of the victims are inscribed on the memorial monument.

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The Himeyuri Peace Memorial Museum is located next to the Himeyuri Tower. It displays valuable materials related to the Battle of Okinawa, such as photographs and personal belongings.

■ Himeyuri Tower
Address: 671-1 Ihara, Itoman City
TEL: 098-997-2100 (Himeyuri Peace Memorial Museum)
Opening hours: Open for viewing
Access: Approximately 30 minutes by car from Naha Airport
*ひめゆり平和祈念資料館This is a paid service.
Adults: 310 yen, Junior and Senior High School Students: 210 yen, Elementary School Students: 110 yen

This park was built on the site of the final ground battle of World War II and the fiercest fighting in the Battle of Okinawa. The spacious grounds, adorned with flowers and greenery, include the Okinawa Prefectural Peace Memorial Museum, which displays photographs and personal belongings of the war dead, the Cornerstone of Peace, which bears the names of those who died, and the Peace Memorial Statue, which commemorates the war dead and prays for eternal peace. Visitors can freely explore these sites.

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This beautiful park is situated on a hilltop overlooking Mabuni Hill to the south and offering magnificent views of the coastline to the southeast. It also features a multi-purpose plaza for recreation.

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The Okinawa Peace Memorial Hall was built as a symbol of peace and remembrance of those who died in war. Based on the philosophy of "beauty and peace," it displays memorial statues and works of art donated by various leading artists.

At the center of the Cornerstone of Peace Square burns the "Flame of Peace." This flame was collected on Aka Island, where the U.S. military first landed, and is combined with the "Flame of Peace" from Hiroshima City and the "Flame of Vows" from Nagasaki City to light this flame.

■ Okinawa Prefectural Peace Memorial Park
Address: Mabuni, Itoman City
TEL: 098-949-7421
Hours: 8: 00 ~ 22: 00
Regular holiday: No holidays
Access: Approximately 35 minutes by car from Naha Airport
Official website

Okinawa is dotted with many sacred sites called "utaki" that attract worshippers, but Seifa Utaki is considered the most prestigious of them all. This is because it is believed to be one of the seven utaki created by Amamikiyo, the goddess of Ryukyu's creation, at the beginning of the country. Within the utaki grounds, there remain places of worship used by ordinary people at the time, as well as places of worship where priestesses performed rituals.

Seifa Utaki has a mystical atmosphere. Passing through the gaps between the giant rocks, you can see Kudaka Island to the east. A World Heritage Site.

The first place you arrive at after entering the sacred site is the "Ufugui," the site of worship where the enthronement ceremony of the Kikoe-Ōgimi, the highest priestess of Ryukyu, took place.

■Seifa Utaki
Address: Chinen Kudeken, Nanjo City
TEL: 098-949-7421
Hours: 9: 00 ~ 17: 30
Closed: November 18th - 20th, 2017
Access: Approximately 50 minutes by car from Naha Airport

This park is located behind the Chinen Gymnasium in Nanjo City. From the tip of the cape, you can enjoy a panoramic view of the vast southern ocean, the uninhabited island of Komaka, and Kudaka Island, where Amamikiyo, the Ryukyuan creation goddess, is said to have begun building the nation. Chinen Cape is only a 5-minute walk from the parking lot of Seifa Utaki and Ganju Station/Nanjo, so visiting them together is highly recommended.

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The park overlooks a stunning cobalt-blue sea. Beautifully maintained walking paths with lush green lawns make it perfect for a leisurely stroll.

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The rest area with its red tile roof is first-come, first-served! The entire cape jutting out into the sea has been turned into a park, so it feels like you're surrounded by the ocean on about 270 degrees.

■ Chinen Cape Park
Address: Chinen Kudeken, Nanjo City
TEL: 098-948-4660 (Nanjo City Tourism Association)
Access: Approximately 50 minutes by car from Naha Airport

This cape is located at the southernmost tip of Okinawa Island. Sheer cliffs and a beautiful azure sea stretch as far as the eye can see. Designated as part of the Okinawa War Memorial National Park, this place holds a tragic history, as it is said that during the Battle of Okinawa, soldiers were cornered by the US military and committed suicide by jumping to their deaths. A memorial monument, the "Tower of Peace," stands at the tip of the cape.

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The area extending at the top of the photo is called Arasaki, and strictly speaking, this is the southernmost point of the main island. If the weather is good, the view is spectacular.

The beautiful "Peace Tower," a memorial monument designed with curved lines, was erected in 1969. It might be worthwhile to visit it along with the Peace Memorial Park.

■ Cape Kiyan
Address: Kiyan, Itoman City
TEL: 098-840-8135 (Itoman City Commerce and Tourism Division)
Access: Approximately 40 minutes by car from Naha Airport

Built on a cliff approximately 17 meters above sea level, the Gushikawa Castle ruins are beloved by castle enthusiasts who appreciate their location, offering panoramic views of the Pacific Ocean. The castle is said to have been in use from the 13th to the 15th centuries. Visitors can see stone walls built by piling up natural stones along the cliff face, as well as a blowhole (suufuchimi) leading to the sea, which was apparently used for loading and unloading goods.

Except for the area near the main gate, the grounds face the sea on three sides and are known as a scenic spot offering panoramic views of the Pacific Ocean.

This is the entrance to the Gushikawa Castle ruins. The castle ruins are just ahead. It's about a 15-minute walk from Cape Kiyan, so let's go see it together with the cape!

■Gushikawa Castle Ruins
Address: Kiyan, Itoman City
TEL: 098-840-8135 (Itoman City Commerce and Tourism Division)
Access: Approximately 40 minutes by car from Naha Airport

This beach is famous as the landing point of John Manjiro, who played a key role in the signing of the Treaty of Peace and Amity between Japan and the United States, upon his return from America during the late Edo period when Japan was isolated from the rest of the nation. It is a natural coastline teeming with beautiful coral reefs. In the summer, it is also known as a place where sea turtles come to lay their eggs.

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This natural beach is perfect for exploring tide pools and snorkeling, as it's shallow, easy to swim in, and teeming with fish. Fish watching is possible even at a depth of 3 meters, making it a popular spot for beginner divers.

Please be sure to wear swim shoes or sandals when enjoying swimming in the sea, as there is a risk of injuring your feet.

■ John Man Beach (Odohama Coast)
Address: Odo, Itoman City
TEL: 098-840-8135 (Itoman City Commerce and Tourism Division)
Access: Approximately 40 minutes by car from Naha Airport

Okinawa's only outlet mall. Within its vast grounds, approximately 100 stores are gathered, offering famous European and domestic brands as well as Okinawan souvenirs. Popular brands like Coach and Marc Jacobs can be purchased at a whopping 30% to 80% off the regular price! Its convenient location, just a 15-minute drive from Naha Airport, makes it an easily accessible spot for tourists.

In addition to stock items, discontinued products, and sample items, they also have limited-edition items that can only be found here. It's a great spot to stop by when sightseeing in the southern area.

The spacious grounds are dotted with colorful and pop art pieces by an illustrator from Okinawa. Friendly Shisa statues are also displayed throughout. There's even a cute Shisa high up on the roof!

■ Okinawa Outlet Mall Ashibinaa
Address: 1-188 Toyosaki, Tomigusuku City
TEL: 098-891-6000
Opening hours: 10:00 AM - 20:00 PM (may vary by store)
Closed: Open all year round
Access: Approximately 15 minutes by car from Naha Airport

Located just south of Naha Airport, the gateway to Okinawa, this small island is connected by a causeway. With its panoramic view of the Naha Airport runway and the opportunity to watch planes taking off and landing, the island is a popular local spot for relaxation, where visitors can play on the beach or go clam digging.

Originally, Senaga Island had almost nothing on it, but in 2014, the "Ryukyu Onsen Senaga Island Hotel" opened on a small hill on the island. Its open-air hot spring bath overlooking the emerald blue sea is extremely popular with both overnight guests and day visitors.

Furthermore, "Senaga Island Umikaji Terrace," which opened in August 2015 , is located near the airport and can be said to be one of the most talked-about spots on Okinawa Island!

■Senaga Island
Senaga, Tomigusuku City
TEL: 098-851-7446 (Senaga Island Tourism Association)
Access: Approximately 15 minutes by car from Naha Airport

Final thoughts

How did you enjoy your trip to the southern area of ​​Okinawa? Its many attractions, such as the historically significant Seifa Utaki and Peace Memorial Park, and the interactive Okinawa World, make it a place you can visit year-round. Be sure to enjoy these spots along with the stunning ocean views!

Please make your hotel reservation here.

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