RYUKYU ISLANDS

(includes Okinawa)

ISHIGAKI
Dives
●Ishigaki Manta Scramble – between April and November (particularly between June and October), mantas congregate off Ishigaki Cape; often crowded.
Restaurants
●Usagi-Ya – Nakamura Heights 1F (Ishigaki); 011-81-98-088-5014; Ishigaki’s finest izakaya cooking, where many small dishes add up to sensational, weird meal; try something with delicious fu (soft, tofulike bean paste); nightly floor show; try soki soba (pork spare ribs cooked in soy sauce, sugar, and awamori (Okinawan rice liquor), in soup with noodles and/or champuru (stir-fried bitter melon, pork, and shima-dofu (island tofu)).



KERAMA
Dives
●Tamana Farm – reef.



OKINAWA
Dives
●Manza Dream Hole – hole opens at 20' down and opens up to large chamber spinning with fish schools; drop to 85' and go through fish curtain at hole exit.
●USS Longshaw.
●Zampa Point – wall that plunges 100', complete with caves, swim-throughs, large fan corals, and pygmy seahorses.

Bise
Hotels
●Yugaf Inn Bise – 1147-1 Nago City; 011-81-98-048-4388; bise.jp/international/english; traditional Japanese rooms and sunsets over East China Sea.
Restaurants
●Parlor Wakaba – 2-9-13 Ominami (Nago City); 011-81-98-054-5438; good, family-style joint for local dishes like goya chanpuru (bitter melon stir-fry) and taco rice.

Chatan
Services
●Reef Encounters – 1-493 Miyagi; 011-81-98-995-9414; reefencounters.org; diving.

Kadena
Services
●Bluefield Dive Shop – 566-15 Mizugama; 011-81-98-957-2200; bluefi.com/english; diving.

Motobu
Dives
●USS Emmons – off Motobu Peninsula.
Restaurants
●Yumenoya Soba – in little house in woods (ask for directions); 011-81-98-048-4529; considered best soba in town; owner, professional ceramist, only makes few bowls daily.
Sights & Sites
●Churaumi Aquarium – Ocean Expo Park; 011-81-98-048-3740; oki-churaumi.jp/en; world’s 4^th largest aquarium.

Naha
Bars & Nightclubs
●Chakra – 1-2-1 Makishi, Mallvie Building 2F (on Kokusai Dori, International Street); 011-81-98-869-0283; champloose.co.jp; Shoukichi Kina’s club; features live, traditional Okinawan music.
Hotels
●Hotel JAL City – 1-3-70 Makishi (on Kokusai Dori, International Street); 011-81-98-866-0234; naha.jalcity.co.jp; sleek and comfortable.
Sights & Sites
●Makishi Kousetsu Ichiba – central market; small alleys around market are lined with stand-style shops.
●Shuri-Jo Castle – 1-2 Kinjo-cho (Shuri); 011-81-98-886-2020; oki-park.jp/shurijo-park/english/index.html; built in 14^th Century.

Okinawa City
Restaurants
●Sam’s by Sea – 1-41-15 Awase; 011-81-98-937-3421; sams-okinawa.com.jp.
Sights & Sites
●Iriomote Jima – island almost completely covered with jungle and mangrove.
●Yakushima – among Osumi Islands; among Japan’s favorite “playground” islands; enjoy onsen hot springs.

Onna
Hotels
●Intercontinental Manza Beach – 2260 Seragaki Aza; 011-81-98-966-1211; ichotelsgroup.com; beautiful; snorkeling and spa.
Sights & Sites
●Ryukyu Mura – 1130 Aza Yamada; cultural village displaying Okinawan artifacts and crafts.



YONAGUNI
Dives
●Irazaki Point – in winter months, hammerhead shark schools gather to give birth.
●Yonaguni Monument – not clear whether geologic or manmade; massive – 8 stories underwater.