Dane and Mindy Arnholt lived in Okinawa from 2014-2017, this list was made during our time on-island.
I decided to format my Okinawa Bucket List the way my brain formats everything: with lists and pictures. I’m using my own photos for the things that have been “crossed off” but I’m using photos from OkiHai and several of my Oki Blogging buddies sites for the others. Each caption links to a site with information and (usually) directions… because let’s be honest- I’ll never cross everything off of this list if left to my own sense of direction
The lists are broken down geographically in the simplest way I knew how: Northern Okinawa (basically everything north of Nago), Central Okinawa (south of Nago and north of Naha), and everything that falls “South of Central” (near Naha and below). I’ve also included sections for Dive Sites, Festivals, Must See/Must Do’s, Outer Islands and Mainland Japan.
I expect that my Okinawa Bucket List will grow and evolve over the next few years as I discover more things to do in Okinawa, but it’s an ambitious list and it gives me goals. What do you think? Am I missing anything? Feel free to comment if there’s anything I should change or add!
North of Nago
Higashi Village Azalea Festival (March)
Okinawa- Home Sweet
South of Central
Dive Sites
Sunabe Seawall
Keramas- Akajima
Bolo Point/ Cape Zanpa
Hedo Point
Horseshoe Beach
Junkyard
Kadena North
Maeda Flats
Blue Cave
Maeda Point
Onna Point
Toilet Bowl
Mermaids Grotto
Festivals & Events
Shishimai Festival (Oct)
Must Do’s
Outer Islands
~Approximate~ Map of the Okinawa Outer Islands
Tsuken-jima Carrot Season (Feb-May)
Mainland
Wow! This is amazing!
I grew up in Okinawa, but I’ve never been to some of the places and Ieven didn’t know couple of them you mentioned! I will be in Oki for a month in May or June, so I will deffinitely visit those places! Thanks for the awesome list!
I’m so happy you found it useful! I wish I was still there to check off everything else!
What an awesome list, I like how you organized it!! I may have to add some to mine, as well as my Mainland bucketlist!!
I’m not into diving but i just learned there’s a Navy shipwreck up north that you can dive to! One side of the building where i work just got turned into training center and it was named after the USS Emmons. They have a tv showing a GoPro video of the dive site and it looks pretty cool :P
Thanks for featuring some of my posts :D
Wow!!! Save some for summer 2016! So beautiful.
Also you might want to add senega island to your list! I went their today and loved it.
Yes! I was actually supposed to go out there the day after I broke my foot (obviously had to cancel). I just added it on! I will link it to your page if you do a post on it!
This is the most complete and thorough bucket list I have ever seen!!! i LOVE IT!!! you are awesome.
Okay, this is going to be a long comment… but I have tips and tricks. ;)
1. Don’t let things like the aquarium and Hiji Falls slip away. I made the mistake of “oh, I’ll get there… everybody goes there”-ing places. Then, I left Oki without ever seeing Hiji Falls. HOWEVER, if you have to pick… pick Tadake, but don’t bring the pup unless you can put her in a bag.
2. Combine the beer factory with something like the cherry blossom festival. It’s not worth the trip just for the factory.
3. Dive Toilet Bowl sooner than later because you’ll want to go back & add Mermaids Grotto to your dive list. We wanted to go, never made it, Kacey went, said it was amazeballs.
4. Agena Castle Ruins are…. umm… a let down? I would skip it, but if you go make it a trip and visit Katsuren Castle & then eat at Soupcon, Exit Cafe, or some other amazing restaurant that I miss dearly.
5. Combine Peace Memorial Park and Ryukyu Glass Craft – they’re really close together & you won’t spend a ton of time at RGC. Also, if you want to blow glass (you want to, for sure) call and make an appointment just to be safe… I think they speak English??
6. When you go to Tsuboya Pottery Villlage, eat at O’Crepe for lunch – it’s on my blog and is amazing. My friend’s own it and they are super nice.
7. Get to the burger festival when it starts or maybe even before it starts. Otherwise, you’ll be eating burgers made out of fish or chicken because all the beef will be sold out. Not a terrible thing, but burger fests are meant for….. burgers.
8. Bring a cooler and something squishy to sit on for the Uruma Bull Fight. It’s a concert stadium and you can bring your own food & drinks. We enjoyed sub sandwiches and cold beer while watching some guy when a bull during intermission. lol
9. The turtle release is a lottery, I think. Look up the links like… yesterday… to find out the deadlines to enter to be there. I tried for two years and never got my shit together in time.
10. Only go to Carrot Island (Tsuken-jima) during carrot season. Otherwise, there’s absolutely nothing to do or see…. trust me.]
11. Don’t skip the snow monkeys. They’re so cool!
12. Kyoto ANY TIME is amazing, but I’d venture to say Fall is the best. I’d say winter, but they don’t get a lot of snow so that’s too unpredictable.
Okay…. there ya have it! Kassie’s tips and tricks for successfully marking shit off of your bucket list! I’m telling you, planning a day a week is the way t go. You’ll leave so satisfied with what you’ve seen and done on that beautiful island…. and you’ll miss it like crazy when you leave.
You are aaaaaaaaaaaamazing!!!! I can’t tell you how grateful I am to have your insight! And I’m adding mermaids grotto and updating carrot season info. :)
Wow! I am going to use this too! I LOVE your list… I thought I had done more and I realized I have not.
The only thing I would add is Akajima! It is halfway to Zamami island, and it is where I swam with turtles every day!
Added!! Do you have a post about it? I will link it back to you!