Kerama Islands Voyage Tips and guide

Contents

The Kerama Islands (慶良間諸島 Kerama-shotō) are a small archipelago and a National Park in Okinawa, Japan, to the west of the main Okinawa Island.

Map of Kerama Islands

Kerama proper consists of six inhabited islands and twenty uninhabited ones. Three can easily be visited:

• Tokashiki Village
  • 26.199722127.2808331 Akajima (Aka) — smallest and least populated of the trio (300), connected by bridge to Geruma and Fukaji
  • 26.197778127.3644442 Tokashiki — the largest in size and population (all of 700)
• Zamami Village
  • 26.234444127.30753 Zamami — small island with about 600 people

While not strictly a part of Kerama, several islands in the vicinity are covered here as well:

• 26.340694126.8049444 Kumejima (Kume) — a comparative metropolis with 7,000 inhabitants and its own airport, known for its beauty and awamori
• 26.372111127.1410835 Tonaki — a small island at halfway mark between Kume and Okinawa; along with Taketomi, one of only two towns in Okinawa recognized for its historical village architecture
• 26.581778127.2288896 Aguni — one bar, one cop, no restaurants, and a few guesthouses catering to intrepid scuba divers

Accessible in under an hour from Naha, the Kerama Islands are a popular getaway from the big-city bustle of the main island.

Historically, the Kerama Island group was a part of the Ryukyu Kingdom. For some 600 years, the islanders were employed as skillful navigators for the Kingdom’s trading vessels between Okinawa and China.

The local tourist association has a Japanese-only guide site.

Ferries connect Naha to Tokashiki (35/70 min fast/slow ferry), Akajima (50/90 min), Zamami (60/120 min) and Aguni (-/130 min). Kerama Airport on Fukaji, connected by bridge to Akajima, serves only charter flights.

Kumejima has an airport with regular flights from Naha (35 min) and seasonal charters direct from Tokyo. The other way in is a 4-hour ferry ride from Naha, stopping at Tonaki along the way.

Akajima and Zamami are served by the same ferry, as are Tonaki and Kume, but otherwise island-hopping will usually require a detour via Naha.

There are a number of beaches to snorkel from and lookouts around the island on peaks that are used to look for whales when they migrate through the area in the spring. The 3 settlements on the island are diving tourist towns but have many buildings and remnants from WWII including a WWII museum with many original weapons and information from that period.

The Kerama Islands have spectacular beaches with snorkeling and diving in the surrounding coral reefs.

Kume's Kumesen is one of the most famous brands of awamori from Okinawa.