Welcome to this my First-Timer Road Trip to Okinawa – Part 1. To most travellers, a trip to Japan is usually the mainstream cities like Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto, or the winterland Hokkaido. Unlike the key cities, Okinawa is less on the mind of most travellers heading to Japan. Personally, my interest in Okinawa was roused by pictures of Whale Sharks at the renowned Churaumi Aquarium. And being a military enthusiast, the happenings at Kadena Air Base, which is the largest and most active US Air Force base in the Far East.

So it was the recent resumption of direct flight by Jetstar that I decided to explore this island that many likened to “Japan’s Hawaii”. And to better explore the beautiful island, we decided on self-driving. This travelogue is structured like a detailed road trip guide for first-timers, with the telephone number of highlighted places as it is needed to be keyed in the rental car GPS system. The travel route is easy to self-drive and the itineraries are suitable for families or couples alike.

A Brief Insight on Okinawa

Okinawa is the southernmost island in Japan, consisting of the main Okinawa Island, Miyako Islands and Yaeyama Islands. It is closer to Taiwan than it is to the Japanese mainland. Also known as “Ryukyu,” Okinawa has a distinctive dialect, architecture, and cuisine due to its close relations with China and Southeast Asian countries since ancient times. Local signature dishes such as Goya chanpuru, Rafute (Shoyu pork), and Umibudo (Sea Grapes) are a must-try when visiting the island.

After World War II, Okinawa was governed by the U.S. until the 1970s, which explains the deep-rooted American culture here. Through multicultural influences, today’s Okinawa exhibits a unique appeal that differentiates it from mainland Japan. Touring in Okinawa includes sightseeing and shopping at numerous popular spots, particularly in the capital of Naha. These destinations include Shuri Castle, Naminoue Shrine and the bustling Kokusai Street called “Miracle Mile.” (excerpts from Odigo)

Road Trip Route in Okinawa

Our 7D6N road trip totalled about 800km. Part 1 of the blog covers our adventure in the laid-back northern part of Okinawa while part 2 details some activities you can enjoy in bustling Naha city. Some driving / rental car insights:-

• Tip #01 – Please retain the receipt when pumping petrol. The rental car company may ask for the latest receipt when you return the car.
• Tip #02 – Driving on Okinawa roads are generally safe as most drivers are law-abiding. Okinawa traffic rules are similar to Singapore and cars are on the right-hand drive.
• Tip #03 – An international driving license is required, which you can apply online with AA Singapore. But your local driving license will still be needed for verification by the rental car company.
• Tip #4 – Download the Google Translate app on your smartphone, if you do not speak the Japanese language. It’s indispensable, especially when reading menu or voice translation. There are many useful apps for trains schedule or even restaurants recommendation but personally, Google Maps is the most useful and easiest to use. Train, food, car parks, etc, are all you need in one platform.

DAY ONE

The flight to Okinawa via Jetstar from Changi Airport T1. One of my fun photographic “rituals” is to get my wife to push our daughters on the trolley. I have been doing this since they were little so it’s hilarious seeing them getting bigger by the trips.

Lunch @ Nakamura Soba

The eatery’s nondescript facade, is easily spotted from the main road.

After a 5.10hrs overnight flight from Singapore to Okinawa and about an hour’s drive from Naha Airport to our hotel at Manza Beach, we proceeded to have our first meal on the island. And what better introduction to Okinawa food than the fabulous soba at the popular Nakamura Soba (Telephone no. 098-966-8005), just 3 minute drive from the hotel.  The soba noodles into which asa (sea lettuce) has been kneaded and the signature soki (pork rib) soba are favourites among customers.

The eatery is cosy and has an unobstructed view of the East China Sea. Complimentary water is served with the meal and the prices are easy on the wallet. This meal was one of our firm favourites on the entire trip.

After the meal, you can stroll a little at the esplanade along the windswept Manza Beach just across the restaurant to enjoy the cooling and strong sea breeze. My family was tickled by how their hair flew in the billowing wind. Definitely a fun start to our coastal phase of the road trip.

Just look at the sea breeze giving my daughter a “hair-raising” moment. Little wonder that there are wind turbine power generation plants on the island.

Local produce @ Okasigoten Onna 

From Nakamura Soba, you can enjoy Okinawa wide range of local snacks at Okasigoten (Tel:98-982-3388), just 4 min drive away. You might be forgiven if you drove past this venue without stopping (which happened to me) thinking it’s a shrine. The facade was in fact modelled after the Shuri Castle, an iconic heritage landmark that I will touch on in Part 2 of this blog.

What better way to know Okinawa than through your stomach? This huge snack and local produce shop will definitely set you in the mood. Feel free to sample tasting without pressure to buy, that is if you can resist the temptation and eye-catching display. But if you have planned to complete your Okinawa vacation in Naha city, then here is one useful tip – there’s a conveniently located Okasigoten branch at Naha’s famed Kokusai Street. So remember what you liked at this outlet, then resume shopping at the outlet at Kokusai Street without having to lug around boxes of snacks on your very 1st day in Okinawa. Tax-free shopping is available to foreign tourists at this licensed store when making purchases of over 5000¥ on each calendar day. Your passport is required for verification during payment as the staff will not accept handphone camera snapshot of your passport. 

A staff loading the Okinawan Sweet Potato Tarts mixture into the automated machine.

Automated Okinawan Sweet Potato Tarts dispensing machine. I admit it was quite therapeutic just standing at the glass window watching the production line.

You might be keen to know that Okinawan sweet potatoes were considered a Superfood in 2010 by renowned nutritionists. This vibrantly purple sweet potato is rich in flavour and packed with health benefits. The Okinawan sweet potato is not related to potatoes but is actually in the morning glory family. It’s native to America and was introduced to Japan between 1492 and 1605. The versatile and hardy plant grew well in Japan and quickly became a staple in a variety of local dishes.

ANA Intercontinental Manza Beach Resort 

Our 1st hotel of the trip is the superb ANA Intercontinental Manza Beach Resort ( Tel.no: 98-966-1211). One look at the lobby is enough to tell you it is an exceptional resort. A great hotel to come back to after a fun-filled day out always refresh and prepares us for more adventures the next day. Some of the staff here speak competent English which makes the stay more pleasant as it minimises miscommunication and provides an excellent source of local knowledge. For drone owners’ information, be advised that droning is not permitted at the hotel.

The resort reception. IHG members get to check in at a separate dedicated counter. Service was brisk with the staff ever so obliging. But English is not universally understood by all staff. There is a daily car parking fee of 1000¥ (S$12/day).

Our family room with a view of the East China Sea. Cosy and comfortable with soft luxurious bed linen, the bathroom has a powerful rainshower with Shiseido body care products. And great news for Singaporeans, there is ChannelNewsAsia too! WiFi signal strength is good too.

Service with a difference – Pillow a-la-carte shows the hotel’s attention to sleep quality. Pillow has negative ions and other beneficial content.

Dinner at Gansomibudohonten (Ganso Sea Grapes)

Our first dinner at the Gansomibudohonten (Ganso Sea Grapes – Tel. no: 98-966-2588). Fabulous family-run diner with many authentic Okinawan dishes under one roof.  There is a spacious parking bay (parking is F.O.C) just beside the diner.

The eatery has many compliments from happy diners pasted on the wall. I shot this picture only when all the diners have left, for privacy considerations. The staff speaks only Japanese but you may refer to the menu with pictures, which are also posted on the wall. Google Translate app on your smartphone would be helpful in scanning and translating the wording too.

The sashimi platter, though small in portion, was very fresh and reasonably priced. You may change the fish combination served subject to the season availability.

Amaebi, or spot prawns, are cold water northern shrimp and well-known and named as such for their sweet taste. They are the only species of shrimp that are best enjoyed raw, as cooking them will rob them of their full sweetness. They are often served on nigiri-zushi, or fingers of sushi rice and often accompanied with their head still attached.

Umibudou literally translates as “Sea Grapes.” It’s a kind of seaweed but instead of leaves, it has little bubbles growing on its stems. Thus the serving looks like small, green grapes. The bubbles burst on your tongue and release a slightly salty taste of pure Southern Sea freshness. This bursting of little bubbles is called “puchi-puchi” in Japanese, an expression recreating the sound of bursting small air bubbles. Not many foods provide that “puchi-puchi” sensation on the tongue. Thus eating the umibudou is a unique experience.

Chanpurū is an Okinawan stir fry dish. It is considered the representative dish of Okinawan cuisine. The term “chanpuru” originates from the Malay or Indonesian word campur (pronounced “cham-poor”), meaning “mix”. Goya chanpuru is a type of mix-dish that is a popular and widely recognized dish in Okinawan cuisine. It is a stir fry of bitter gourd, tofu, egg and sliced pork or luncheon meat. Oishi indeed!

DAY TWO

Lovely waking up to a fabulous view of the East China Sea with a cooling 16°C sea breeze. A balmy climate like this makes Okinawa vacation a pleasant experience.

The restaurant beautifully prepared signature egg and cheese on toast. I always love Japanese chef attention to detail and aesthetics.

The resort offers a good spread of delicious continental and oriental food to start the day right.

Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium

The Churaumi Aquarium (Tel no.: 98-048-2741) is a part of the Ocean Expo Park located in Motobu, Okinawa. The aquarium is made up of four floors, with tanks containing deep sea creatures, sharks, coral, and tropical fish. The aquarium is set on 2ha of land, with a total of 77 tanks containing 10,000 m³ of water. Water for the saltwater exhibits is pumped 24 hours daily into the aquarium from a source 350 m offshore. The main tank, called the Kuroshio Sea, was the largest such panel in the world when the aquarium was opened. Whale sharks and manta rays are kept alongside many other fish species in the main tank. The first manta ray birth at the aquarium was in 2007. As of July 2010, there have been a total of four manta rays born in the aquarium. It is one of only a few aquariums worldwide that keeps whale sharks in captivity and is currently trying to breed them.

A video of the Whale Sharks feeding session. Amazing to see the ocean’s “gigantic vacuum machine” at work, sucking in carefully prepared food. The aquarium displays two whale sharks as part of its effort to achieve the world’s first captive breeding of the largest fish on Earth. Jinta, a male Whale Shark and the two female whale sharks (1 in a sea pen) have grown 1.5 to two times in total length and four to eight times in weight since their sizes were measured at the aquarium when they began to be raised.

The various exhibits along the way to the main aquarium. Crowd numbers typical of a world-class attraction, as if the whole of Okinawa tourists converges here.

To seat at the Ocean Blue Cafe tank side tables, you need to reserve the seat subject to availability on a first-come-1st serve basis. Duration is limited to 40min per session. Waiting time can take up to 20-30min.

Aquarium staff explaining the feeding session which comes on at 1500 and 1700 hrs daily. After the initial “Hello everybody!” in English, the rest of the talk was in Japanese. For a brief happy moment, I thought he was speaking in English. But it’s all good, you can simply enjoy by observation.

A huge gigantic squid specimen on display. Possibility a Humboldt squid?

A small group of big-eyed Travelly scouting their “territory”. The big eye trevally is a schooling species, known to form a huge mass consisting of more than 1500 fish. The species is often seen in these large schools either stationary or slowly moving around the reef complexes they inhabit during the day. At night, these schools dissolve and the species become active, foraging for its prey during the nocturnal period. But I believe their characteristics changed in an aquarium setting.

Whale Shark sucking in the feed, made of carefully prepared shrimps. Whale sharks are actually sharks but similar to whales, are filter feeders and enjoy a diet of plankton and other small fish, so they are harmless to human beings.

Kouri Island 

Kouri Island is located north of Yagaji Island in the northern part of Okinawa’s main island.  It is a small inhabited island that belongs to Nakijin Island.  How small? Really tiny, with an area of 3.13 km² and a circumference of about 8 km, which you can cover the island in about 10 minutes loop by car. It’s linked to the mainland by a 2km long Kouri bridge – the longest open-road bridge in Japan.

Most visitors will check out the Kouri Ocean Tower (Tel.no: 98-056-1616), an attraction that opened in November 2013. The highlight of this venue is an automated cart ride paired with an audio guide in English (or several other languages) to the hilltop lookout point. The ride costs 800¥ (S$9.70) per adult including entry to the tower. You can also choose to walk up the hill for free but the lookout point is limited to paid visitors.

Nice 7-8min drive slow ride up the scenic and landscaped hill on the automated driver-less cart.

The souvenir shops at the peak also feature more than 10,000 shells gathered from all over the world. If shells don’t interest you, I am sure you will be enthralled by the scenic panoramic views of the ocean and gorgeous sunset vistas (if you go at the right moment during dusk). The shop within the tower has various specialties like Kouri Sea Salt or Pineapple Cake. Free sampling is available here too.

The sunset can be spectacular from this vantage point at the lookout tower. Many visitors mark reaching the peak by ringing the bell here.

Dinner @ Ufuya-Okinawa Old Folk House

We were recommended to this restored quaint Okinawan heritage building which was the birthplace of Ufuya’s president. The name ‘Ufuya’ comes from the style of the Asato residence, the president’s birthplace, where people would gather long ago. Today, Ufuya  (Tel.no: 98-053-0280) has become a world-class famous restaurant that enjoyed wide coverage by both local and foreign TV shows and magazines. It’s very popular and no reservation is accepted. So do go early as there’s usually a healthy queue.

If you want to enjoy the traditional Okinawan cuisine and the famous Agu pork, this is the place.

The soothing sound from a stream (possibly a man-made installation) enhances the fine-dining ambience. But the tables were a tad cramped and the packages on the menu can be confusing. The average meal is about ¥20,000 for a family of four depending on what the packages included.

Our dinner set and a la carte came meticulously and beautifully prepared. The Agu pork is certainly of high grade as it melts in your mouth. Just remember not to overcook in the shabu-shabu.

DAY THREE

Driving up north along Route 58

Day 3 saw us making our way up to the northern tip of Cape Hedo area just about an hour’s drive from our hotel at Manza. It was lovely having the opportunity to stop wherever we chanced upon a scenic spot. This is the liberating advantage of a self-drive vacation. The drive along Route 58 is easy and Okinawan drivers are generally law-abiding.

Of special mention are the see-everywhere Lawson convenience stores, which you will make your road trip that much more pleasant.  We prefer Lawson over Family Mart as the restrooms are cleaner and their products like onigiri, came clearly marked with a picture. And the staff are friendly too.

The wide range of food and beverages (also hot food) makes convenient stores like Lawson which opens 24/7 a boon for road-trippers.

Ubiquitous giant tetrapods along some parts of the coastal area protect Okinawa coastal areas from tsunamis.

Spotted a couple of fishermen sunning and airing their freshly prepared Mahi-Mahi fish in the sunny East China Sea breeze. And they were there keeping vigil to fan off any houseflies that come to the fish.

The Mahi Mahi fish catches the early morning sun. After the sunning session, it will be going to the market soon.

An encounter with a local Okinawan fisherman, he’s 63 years old. When we told him we are from Singapore, he went “Banzai Banzai! Singapore!”. Moments like this are what make a road trip that much more memorable.

Yanbaru Kiuna Lookout Point

The lookout point at Yanbaru Kiuna Lookout Point (Tel no. 98-041-2101). Yanbaru Kuina is a protected endangered flightless that is found in northern Okinawa. This is a very remote spot that even most Okinawans may not know or go to. We were brought there by ‘error’ GPS guidance. A very narrow 1-way route that got my daughters nervous.

Dai Sekirinzan Park

Our final activity for day 3 was Dai Sekirinzan (Tel. no:  980-41-8117) A karst, limestone plateau eroded over millions of years by water and estimated by geologists to be the oldest part of the island. Describing Dai Sekirinzan can be quite somewhat difficult -It’s a like a “3-in-1 park” – a geological wonder, nature reserve, and great hiking and walking attraction.  Part of the cultural site with sacred shrines even purported to have the power to enable infertile women to have babies.

My fave butterfly pic of the journey,  a beautiful Ceylon Blue Glassy Tiger Butterfly.

A pair of shield bugs in a rather productive moment. Preparing for next-generation indeed.

A customary shot of my family with the karst formation in the background. Do be mindful of the sharp edges of the rocks during trekking.

Pancake prepared with leaves from a plant in the park. The simple eatery is called Energy Cabin & Ashimui Café. It offers light meals and drinks made with natural ingredients.

Sunset @ the East China Sea (Route 58)

On the way back to our hotel, we were blessed to see the gorgeous receding light along Route 58, facing the East China Sea.

Life’s a journey, enjoy the views along the way. Only with a self-drive vacation can you do this.

Dinner @ Manza Table 

We could not locate a popular eatery on our suggested itinerary. So we proceed to check out a sleek restaurant named Manza Table (Tel. no.  98-982-3218)  just across our hotel entrance and it was fabulous!

The Umi-budo – Okinawa sea grapes on a salad. Oishi!

The beef steak turned out pretty amazingly well that one helping was not enough.

Their deep-fried squid was fabulous and I believe will convert non-seafood eaters.

The Manza Table – you can choose dining in a private room or the tables outside, either way, it’s a pretty cosy eatery.

Conclusion to First-Timer Road Trip to Okinawa – Part One 

Our first phase in the beautiful and idyllic Okinawa was surprisingly memorable. Spectacular coastline with turquoise blue water, abundant nature, and wonderful cuisine, Okinawa proves it can hold its own in the travel landscape. It may not be as “scenic” on a ‘surface level’ but it was just our first three days and there are so much more places to uncover. Be it for couples or families, Okinawa has something for anyone and everyone. You might like to check out Part 2 of the trip here. Many sincere thanks for coming along on this first-timer Road Trip to Okinawa.

Footnote: All pictures used in this travelogue are copyrighted to Jensen Chua Photography and all rights reserved. The opinion expressed is factual, objective, and that of the author. The trip is non-sponsored.