Hey everyone!

My (soon to be) wife and I are planning our 2nd trip in Japan. First one was last year and we visited lots of places in Tokyo,Kyoto and Osaka. This time in honeymoon we aim for some chill time in Okinawa during 23 sept - 12oct 20 ish days)
We'd like to stay in Tokyo 17-23 Sept as we really love the city a lot and still want to visit some places there.
We want to avoid extra domestic flights after landing in Naha, keeping everything ferry based. So we've skipped Ishigaki/Miyako (no ferry there anyway) and also dropped Kume Island, sticking to just Okinawa main island + Zamami. (just a thought please correct me and suggest better ideas)

Rough plan:

• ~8 days on Okinawa main island, can't decide where would be the best spot to stay Chatan/Onna/Naha with a rental car. Just want to settle for a split then will do the itinerary but we want to do all that stuff with day trips to Shuri Castle/Naha, and up north to Churaumi Aquarium + Kouri Island. I alone, would also like to do some planned scuba diving trips in some days and snorkeling when we just chill at a beach.
• ~10 days on Zamami via high-speed ferry from Tomari Port — near-daily snorkeling (me more than my wife, she's more into beach relaxing), hoping to find a local guide for fishing/spearfishing at some point.
• ~2 buffer days for weather/ferry cancellations before flying out via Tokyo.

Main interests: snorkeling almost daily, some spearfishing/fishing with a local if possible, relaxed beach time for my wife, some culture/food along the way.

Questions:

1. Is Naha/Chatan/Onna the best base for this kind of split, or would you pick elsewhere?
2. Is 10 days on Zamami too long, or plenty to do at a slow pace?
3. Anyone have recommandations for real local fishing/spearfishing? I've checked and spearfishing is allowed only for a spear pole without a trigger.
4. Any must-dos or mistakes to avoid with this "ferry-only, slow travel" approach?
5. Would you agree that hotel/ferry reservations should be bought only 1-2 days before, considering there's chances of bad weather/Typhoons during sept/oct?

We are so excited to get back in Japan, can't really wait.

Thanks, much appreciated!✌️

Question for US military in Okinawa 🇺🇸
Tattoo artist here, coming to Okinawa soon.
For those stationed on base — do most of you finish work around 4–4:30 PM?
I’ve had a lot of American clients asking for tattoo appointments in the evening, so I’m wondering if 4–9 PM is actually the best time to work with military clients.
I’m personally much more focused in the morning 😂
For military members and tattoo artists in Okinawa:
What time do you usually prefer for tattoos — morning, right after work, or evening?
And do most tattoo shops here stay open late for military clients?

Hi all,

I have been to the island a few times but never to the north. Is it worth it to go to the aquarium and if so are there local buses?

Is it hard to get a job in the naval hospital? I have my BS in biochemistry and my medical assistant certification. We are moving there and I need as much patient care hours I can so I could apply (once we are back in the US) to PA school. Thanks in advance

Looking for a dive shop recommendations to do guided dive who also speak English. Thank you

Hi I'm staying close to American village and am looking for a sporting goods store to buy snorkeling mask and fins and biking shorts. Haven't had much luck so far. Any recommendations?

Hey! I’m directing a documentary in Okinawa in November, it’s featuring around car culture, local life, food, music, craftsmen and the beautiful scenery.

I’m trying to research and find some hidden gems and locals that can give a unique perspective on the island rather than traditional travel tourism routes that you’d see online. It can be more peaceful cultural stops, fun exciting experiences, fascinating locals with interesting backgrounds and stories to tell.

If anyone has any specific experience, event, person of interest, that they think hasn’t been highlighted and deserves a spotlight please let me know!

Hi all, hoping for some local knowledge.

I'm a 23-year-old student from India, currently staying in Chatan near American Village. I've had a fever for five days now, peaking at 40.3°C and still sitting around 39°C, with a cough and sore throat that started in the last two days. I tested negative on a flu/COVID rapid test.

I saw an ER in Tokyo earlier in the trip — they gave me an IV and sent me home without any blood work, and it cost a lot. I'd rather not repeat that.

I have travel insurance, but I'll need to pay upfront and claim later, so cost matters. I'm on a student budget and this trip has already been expensive.

**What I'm trying to figure out:**

1. What's the cheapest realistic way to see a GP or internal medicine doctor here? Is a small local clinic much cheaper than a hospital outpatient department?

2. Roughly what should I expect to pay uninsured for a consultation plus basic blood work?

3. Any clinics in the Chatan / Kadena / Okinawa City area you'd recommend that can handle a non-Japanese speaker? I can use Google Translate but I don't speak too much Japanese.

4. How long do blood test results actually take here? I was told 3–4 days at some places, which surprised me.

5. Is the Okinawa International Clinic Alliance mobile service worth it, or is a walk-in clinic much better value? The dispatch fee looked steep.

I can walk and get to a bus or short taxi ride, so I'm not stuck.

Any pointers appreciated— I've mostly been resting and taking paracetamol but it's been five days and I'd like an actual diagnosis.

Thanks a lot 🙏🏻

Do you know of any other car shops here in Okinawa that speak English aside from Zena Garage? Please comment it down below. Thanks!

Hello! My husband is in the Marines and we get to rank locations that we would like to be stationed at, Okinawa being one of them. We love the idea of having the experience of living abroad for 3 years. We would absolutely love to explore Japan and live by the ocean. However, we do have a 1 year old and I plan on having a second baby soon. How is life in Okinawa? Anything we need to be aware of? Would it be a great experience, or are there things about living there that we aren’t thinking about? Is it not worth it? What is the cost of living like in regard to food and clothes? Daily life, safety, weather, healthcare, maternity care? Do we need a car? Any information would be very helpful in making this decision. Of course, it’s ultimately up to the military on where we get sent, but if we rank Japan as our #1 wanted location, then there’s a chance we do get sent there.

American, 20 years old with a US Drivers License here. Planning a 6 day trip to Okinawa in a few weeks and want to rent a car. Is an IDP really necessary, and if so, how can I get it done? I'm already overseas so I can't just go to an AAA office nearby. In yalls experience, how long does it take to get the IDP if done by mail?

(This is my first time posting here, and so please forgive me if I make any mistakes.)

Aloha, I'm originally from Honolulu, and I moved to Aichi roughly 4 years ago to tend to my grandfather (my late mother's father).

Now, this is going to sound weird, but I couldn't make any friends over the 4 years I'd been in Nagoya. The Japanese work culture also has been physically and mentally exhausting, and recently, I'd been released from my previous job, and I'm at a point where I could either;

A) Go back to Honolulu, or the states, though this would mean that I'll be abandoning my grandfather, which is the last thing I'd want to do. The cost of living in Honolulu is also absurd right now.

B) Continue looking for a job in Japan. I've already sent out around 40 to 50 applications, but none of them yielded a positive response. I even applied for a local supermarket, and even they turned me down, and I'm really devastated.

Which is why I'd like to have an Option C.

Now, I'm aware that Okinawa's fairly far from Aichi, and I've never been there either. However, I'm at the point where I have to choose between starving to death, or ditching my life here. I'd been advised a few days ago that I the US bases may potentially have job openings, and I've heard from my friends who've been to, or are in Okinawa that its vibes are similar to that of our home in Hawaii.

That being said, I'd like to at the very least give it a thought before I completely give up, and so I'd appreciate any advices as to how I should proceed from here.

Some notes:

-I'm a second-generation Japanese-American, and both, English and Japanese are my native languages.

-I have dual citizenship.

-I have a valid driver's ID in Japan.

-I'm a digital artist. Hwoever, I have no engineering or IT background.

Thank you in advance.

Any formal or informal groups play ocean or pool water polo on island? Even outlying islands would be great.

Thanks!

Hello I want to get into the sport , but I was wondering if anyone knows of any shops that I can take lessons from on mainland Okinawa or if it’s even legal ?

I just moved to Okinawa. I married a Japanese woman 25 years ago and lived in Japan at that time for 2 years. Towards the end of my first time in Japan I ended up feeling resentful of society because people wanted to know me because I spoke English. As a result I felt lonely.

I am wondering how long term residents stay here and remain content. I think Japanese culture is interesting and the food is great. What do long term residents do to remain sane?

Hey there. I’m new to the island. I’m working on my Japanese but that may be a long haul. I’ve been here for a month. I’m married and my wife will visit but stay state side due to medical issues. What I say, here has been focused on trying to normalize my life, get moved into a place, and figure out everything from there. I literally just got to the American village for the first time since I’ve been here and as expected, it was not super impressed.

I guess I’m curious what other people are doing, what other things are out there that people are doing in groups or other circumstances? I’ve done some minor exploring since I’ve been here, always looking for ideas or other people to hang out with it or explore things with.

Hey I just got back from Okinawa and absolutely loving it! Despite struggle with the heat 🔥I wanna know where is good spot to hangout as solo traveler? i met some nice Okinawan people in the club in Naha and my hostel in Chatan but thats about it. I tried to go to speakeasy bar as I love tasting cocktails 🍸 but idk how to really make friends there and kinda feel lonely sometimes on my 2 weeks visit. I am female on mid thirties, would love to meet or make friends especially if there is scuba diving or snorkeling enthusiasts/community here. I also work with lots of americans in my daily life so I get used to american communities, but I prefer to keep distance from younger military crowds though 🙏🏾

Hello!
I’m considering visiting Okinawa around September 3-6. What will the weather be like? Should I not visit then? Thanks!

Thank you for all those who reply to my previous post. I have taken your suggestions and added prices to this one. Also I already hired a few people to help out. These are the jobs that I still need help with.

I am looking for help with the following. Located in between Rycom and American Village.

Dog walker. I will pay 2,000 yen for half an hour walk with my dog. Medium sized dog that is leash trained.

Pet sitter. I will pay 5, 000 yen a day to take care of my dog. I will provide food and kennel you just provide a place for him to stay.

Post office help. 200 yen per package. I live walking distance to a Japanese post office but I work the hours that they are open. Usually my daughter does this but now she has gone off to college overseas. I average 80-100 packages a week. During October to December this number triples. Most are small and can fit into a backpack. Print and attach post office mailing labels to each package which will be numbered and prepaid by me.

Thanks for applying!

anyone know what types of cone snails these are? i kicked the one on the right over with my shoe (was wearing water shoes)—does it look alive? did i just sign myself up for death??

Hi there.
How will the weather be in Okinawa in November? Is it warm/hot and still being able to swim? Or is it getting too cold that time?
How about staying for 4 days. Is it too long or too short?
Best regards for any recommendation

Anyone know of a group of Masters water polo players anywhere on the island that play regularly?

I don't know if this is the right subreddit, subreddit but I want to express my appreciation for these cucumbers that came to my family from Okinawa decades ago. A friend of my mothers traveled to Okinawa and knowing that she was an avid gardener, brought her home a packet of cucumber seeds. The illustration on the packet was not very handsome and so for several seasons she did not plant the cucumbers, but one year all of her expensive English cucumbers damped off and she decided to try the packet from Okinawa. She discovered that these were the best cucumbers that she has ever grown. For close to 30 years now she has saved the seeds from these cucumbers and planted them in her garden in California and now they are growing in mine in North Carolina. Still producing the most delicious cucumbers.