Want a tropical place to visit in Japan? Okinawa is the place to go and this Okinawa itinerary for 2 days will tick off the best things to do there.
Okinawa is said to be the “Hawaii” of Japan and is one of the most popular destinations during national holidays. These are some things to do in Okinawa on an escape there that are made into a 2-day Okinawa itinerary for you.
The beautiful dive sites, unique culture, and delicious cuisine are just a couple of reasons to fall in love with this island prefecture in the land of the rising sun.
If you are thinking about a short visit to Okinawa during your Japan adventures, this two-day itinerary will help you make the most of your time and provide useful tips for your trip planning.
The itinerary assumes that you arrive in Naha, the capital of Okinawa, and have two full days on the island.
All suggestions are for reference only.
Okinawa Itinerary
The Best time to visit Okinawa
Okinawa, like many tropical destinations, has dry and rainy seasons. The best time to visit is during spring or autumn (Between March to May or late September to December).
The weather is great during these periods with moderate temperatures.
Avoid July to mid-September as it is typhoon season. You won’t want to deal with crazy winds and heavy rain, especially if all you have is two days!
How to get around Okinawa
It’s best to get around Okinawa by rental car and this can make for a good Okinawa self-drive itinerary.
The island is quite big with the points of interest spread out all over the place.
The public transportation system is not too great. It’s easy enough to get around Naha, with subways and monorails.
However, beyond the city, you would have to deal with inefficient long bus rides to get anywhere.
Here is your sample Okinawa itinerary for two days.
Okinawa Itinerary Day One
Get breakfast at Makishi Fish Market
Start your first morning on the Okinawa itinerary in Naha with a seafood breakfast.
Naturally, Okinawa is famous for seafood. Head to the Makishi Market in central downtown for the freshest catch of the day.
From oysters to giant prawns, to all sorts of fish, you will be overwhelmed with choices.
You can select one of the pre-cut sashimi packages or choose to have your seafood cooked in one of the many restaurants upstairs in the market.
For more yummy treats, check out this list of food in Okinawa you can’t miss for more choices if seafood doesn’t appeal to you.
Roam around Kokusai Dori
After breakfast, explore downtown Naha by strolling down the most famous street, Kokusai dori. Literally meaning “International street” in Japanese, this is a massive strip of shops and restaurants.
It’s a great place to experience the local vibe, buy some unique souvenirs, and sample some more classic Okinawan tastes.It won’t be long until you are hungry again after all that walking.
Try some Sata Andagi (Okinawa doughnuts), sea salt ice cream, sweet potato tarts, chinsuko (shortbread cookies) and more.
If you like something you’ve eaten, you can likely get some to take home for your friends from many of the stores along the street.
Visit Shuri Castle
In the afternoon, take the monorail to Shurijo Castle, a proud symbol of the ancient Ryukyu Kingdom in Okinawa.
The palace was the home of the Ryukyu kings for centuries until Okinawa became a Japanese prefecture in 1879. A great place to learn about the history and traditional culture of Okinawa.
This UNESCO World Heritage site is absolutely stunning, so make sure to take lots of photos.
Have a Yakiniku dinner
Wind down a day of walking and feast like royalty at an all-you-can-eat BBQ dinner! My recommendation is Yakiniku King.
Enjoy a selection of fresh meat, seafood, and side dishes at an awesome price!
The service here is also top-notch.
Okinawa Itinerary Day Two
Get breakfast at Pork Tamago
A quintessential food in Okinawa is spam.
It comes from the huge American influence back in the war days.
So you cannot leave the island without trying something with spam in it, unless of course, you hate spam or meat.
Start day 2 at Pork Tamago (my favourite breakfast shop ever).
Pork Tamago downtown sells Japanese rice balls stuffed with spam and other yummy ingredients like fried tofu, egg, vegetables and more.
You can watch all the grandmas crafting these sandwich-like rice balls with love in the store.
Make sure to get there early as the line gets huge!
I’d also advise picking up a couple of extra sandwiches for later on in the day.
Go to the Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium
Get up close to sea life at the Churaumi Aquarium, one of the largest aquariums in the world.
Located on the north side of the island, it will take about a 1.5-hour drive from Naha to get there.
Otherwise, you can take the airport limousine bus from Naha, which will take roughly 2.5 hours.
The mission is definitely worth it. Crazy sea creatures, giant whale sharks, manta rays, mesmerising feeding shows. It’s an underwater fantasy land.
Especially if you are not into diving or getting into the ocean much, this makes a great place to see sea life, part of what Okinawa is known for.
This should definitely be on your itinerary for Okinawa.
Dive at Maeda Point
After a morning at the aquarium, spend the afternoon in the sea yourself!
There are many beautiful diving sites in Okinawa. Maeda Point is a convenient and popular spot on mainland Okinawa.
Arrange a dive trip beforehand with a dive company.
I recommend Sealovers Okinawa. The guides here are friendly and speak English well. They will take care of you especially if you are a beginner diver.
Watch Sunset at Moon Beach
If you still have any energy left after diving, drive 12 minutes to Moon Beach, a private hotel beach close to Maeda Point.
This gorgeous gem has few people, as it’s meant for hotel guests. But other visitors are allowed in as well.
I speculate that they secretly hope you will fall in love with the beauty of the beach and hotel facility, and opt for a night’s stay (Exactly like what my partner and I did on our visit).
Dinner at Moon Beach Hotel
Conclude your packed two days in Okinawa with a relaxing buffet dinner at Moon Beach Hotel (You can still pay and eat here as a day visitor). It’s one of the best hotels in Okinawa.
Watch dazzling dance performances to tropical music while you enjoy delicious food. I guarantee you will be exclaiming “This is the life!”
FIND PLACES TO STAY IN OKINAWA HERE
Okinawa
There is much more you can get up to in Okinawa of course, but if you’re heading there for a short break, for a weekend perhaps from mainland Japan, then this makes a good basic itinerary.
If you have time then you could visit the beautiful islands nearby Okinawa (will cost more money naturally), or even head to some of Japan’s most southern islands like Ishigaki and others.
For example, if diving is your thing the island of Yonaguni where there are some excellent ruins to see, and on Ishigaki, you can dive with manta rays.
Akajima Island is easy to get to from mainland Okinawa and worth a visit for the beaches, and a possible hike if you feel energetic.
On some of these other smaller islands, it’s also possible to hike in the interiors in pristine jungle forest, or even kayak around them.
Once you are in Okinawa, you might never want to leave.
Is Okinawa on your Japan bucket list? Be sure to do this itinerary for Okinawa!
For more on Okinawa have a read of the 7 best books about Okinawa.
You can find loads more advice for travel in Japan in my Japan guide.
Also if you’re worried about the costs of a visit to Japan see this post about how Japan is cheaper than you may think. I was surprised at how I managed to travel Japan on a lower budget than I expected.
Useful Okinawa links:
Okinawa Airport to Naha shared transfer.
Definitely take travel insurance before going to Japan as it’s an expensive country for medical treatment if you get sick on your trip. I recommend using SafetyWing Travel Insurance for your trip, just in case, it’s best to be prepared.
If you’re travelling around mainland Japan a lot then getting a Japan Rail Pass (get one with that link) can save you a bunch of money.
Author Bio
Viola is a Canadian girl who is obsessed with seeing the world. She loves hunting for unusual destinations and best sunset spots with her camera.
Viola currently documents her adventures living in Japan and travels throughout Asia. Read her easy to digest itineraries, foodie guides, packing advice and more on her blog theblessingbucket.
Like this Okinawa itinerary? A share would be appreciated! –
Hello, you have provided many information in this blog. Especially I like the diving part, Maeda point is really good place to dive. Thanks and keep sharing!
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I loved living in Okinawa for a year and this is a great 2 day trip. I would also suggest stuff like the dragon boat racing, amateur sumo wrestling, and any festivals that may occur should be added for upcoming travelers