{"id":4838,"date":"2017-01-16T00:00:55","date_gmt":"2017-01-16T00:00:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.expedia.com.sg\/stories\/okinawa-itinerary\/"},"modified":"2022-07-11T19:21:58","modified_gmt":"2022-07-11T19:21:58","slug":"okinawa-itinerary","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.expedia.com.sg\/stories\/asia\/okinawa-itinerary\/","title":{"rendered":"48 Hours in Okinawa – Itinerary"},"content":{"rendered":"

Tokyo might be the first thing that comes to mind when tourists plot their Japan trip, but there really is so much more to the Land of the Rising Sun. A less popular but equally fascinating destination is\u00a0Okinawa<\/a>, Japan\u2019s southernmost prefecture.\u00a0It consists of several dozen small islands, including Okinawa Island, where\u00a0Naha, the capital city of the prefecture, is located.<\/p>\n

Looking to just make a quick stop while visiting Japan? If you\u2019ve only got a weekend to spend in Okinawa, here’s how to cover the the top attractions and experiences over 2 days.<\/p>\n

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Okinawa Trip – Day 1 in\u00a0Naha<\/strong><\/h2>\n

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Morning<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Upon arrival, have your first taste of local Okinawan food at\u00a0Naha\u00a0Airport before heading out to explore\u00a0Naha\u00a0city. Okinawa is known for a few of its own tasty specialty dishes, and with only a weekend in the city take every chance you get to try them! Popular dishes include soba, orion beer, shoyu pork, muchi.<\/p>\n

With its wide range of luxury brands all at duty-free prices, T Galleria Okinawa is a must if you\u2019re looking to get some shopping done.<\/p>\n

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Afternoon<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Now the fun begins! After freshening up at the hotel, visit the famous\u00a0Shurijo\u00a0Castle Park<\/a>, where you can experience a little bit of Ryukyu culture by trying on traditional costumes, getting your photo taken, and spending an hour or two touring the historic landmark, which was designated a world heritage site in 2000.<\/p>\n

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Ladies who do decide to don the traditional Japanese attire might also like to spend an hour getting their hair and make-up professionally done to go with their costumes. Pretend you\u2019re a member of the royal family from an old Ryukyu kingdom as you wander through the castle.<\/p>\n

Next, head to the\u00a0Makishi\u00a0Public Market<\/a>\u00a0for some fresh local seafood. Known as \u201cthe kitchen of Okinawa\u201d, here you can get all kinds of traditional\u00a0Okinawan\u00a0food items, including dried sea snake, vegetables that you can\u2019t get on the mainland, and edible seaweed.<\/p>\n

\"Makishi<\/p>\n

You can also take fresh fish from the first floor of the market to a restaurant on the second floor and have it cooked and served to you for a small fee.<\/p>\n

While you\u2019re in the area, it\u2019s just a short stroll to explore all that\u00a0Heiwa\u00a0Street (great for crafts and souvenirs),\u00a0Tsuboya\u00a0Yachimun\u00a0Street and\u00a0Kokusai\u00a0Street have to offer.<\/p>\n

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Evening<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Finish up your first day in Okinawa at the\u00a0Zizake\u00a0Yokocho, an\u00a0izakaya\u00a0(an informal Japanese drinking establishment) on\u00a0Kokusai\u00a0Street that serves\u00a0Okinawan\u00a0cuisine with the local sake\u00a0Awamori.<\/p>\n

Enjoy traditional folk music as you eat and drink, and if you feel your feet starting to tap along, don\u2019t be shy \u2013 get up and dance!<\/p>\n

Address:\u00a02-8-13,matsuo naha ctiy, Okinawa Prefecture, 900-0014<\/em><\/p>\n

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Okinawa Trip – Day 2 Island-hopping<\/strong><\/h2>\n

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By now you\u2019ll definitely be wishing you had more time, because this region boasts some of the most stunning seas in the world, rich in marine wildlife and breathtaking coral reefs. It\u2019s no wonder ocean activities such as\u00a0snorkelling\u00a0and scuba diving are among Okinawa\u2019s most popular attractions.<\/p>\n

Morning<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Scuba diving might be out of the question if you\u2019re only in town for 48 hours, but you could still explore some of the islands around Okinawa.<\/p>\n

\"IshigakiCC 2.0 \/\u00a0typexnick<\/a><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Popular ones are the Kerama Islands, Miyako\u00a0Island<\/a>,\u00a0Ishigaki\u00a0Island<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0Iriomote\u00a0Island. Ferries are great for day trips. Don\u2019t forget to pack water, some food, sunscreen, a towel and a change of clothes.<\/p>\n

Alternatively, you could keep things closer to home \u2013 or, in this case, your hotel \u2013 by visiting the\u00a0Busena\u00a0Marine Park<\/a>\u00a0on the west coast of Okinawa. Excellent even on rainy days because it\u2019s indoors, this amazing offshore underwater observatory lets you get up close to colourful marine life without getting wet!<\/p>\n

Afternoon<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Move on to\u00a0Kouri\u00a0Island<\/a>,\u00a0also called \u201cthe love island\u201d, by crossing the\u00a0Kouri\u00a0Bridge. Look out for the Heart Rock, a heart-shaped rock in the ocean, and the\u00a0Kouri\u00a0Ocean Tower, a white building with a triangular roof that sits on top of a hill.<\/p>\n

\"Heart-Rocks-in-Kouri-island-Okinawa-800x533\"<\/p>\n

Visit the museum, which has more than 10,000 shells on display, and grab a bite to eat at the\u00a0onsite\u00a0restaurant, which serves a special curry and pizza.<\/p>\n

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Next on your list should be the\u00a0Okinawa\u00a0Churaumi\u00a0Aquarium<\/a>, home to some 740 species of underwater wildlife and 21,000 animals, among them whale sharks and manta rays, which you can observe from one of the world\u2019s largest acrylic tanks.\u00a0\"Okinawa<\/p>\n

Evening<\/h3>\n

Last but not least, have dinner at the much-talked-about\u00a0yakiniku\u00a0(BBQ) restaurant\u00a0Shimabuta\u00a0Shichirin-yaki\u00a0\u201cManmi\u201d in\u00a0Nago\u00a0City<\/a>. We hope you like pork, because that\u2019s their\u00a0speciality! Each part of the pork is cut differently so you get only the finest meat, and the restaurant also serves the rare parts of pork that you won\u2019t get anywhere else.<\/p>\n

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A photo posted by \u02e2\u1d31\u1d41\u1d3a\u1d33 \u1d2c. \u1d5e\u1d3c\u1d3c (@__seunga.y)<\/a> on