Kerama Islands

Akajima and Geruma

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.

Islands

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

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

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

• 4 Kumejima (Kume) — a comparative metropolis with 7,000 inhabitants and its own airport, known for its beauty and awamori
• 5 Tonaki — a small island at halfway mark between Kume and Okinawa
• 6 Aguni — one bar, one cop, no restaurants, and a few guesthouses catering to intrepid scuba divers

Understand

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.

Tourist information site

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

Get in

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.

Get around

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

See

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 building and remnants from WWII including a WWII museum with many original weapons and information from that period.

Do

Hire bicycles and cycle to one of the many viewing platforms throughout Zamami Island. The views of the turquoise sea and surrounding islets are well worth the demanding bike ride. Oki Rental at Ama Beach rents bikes and scooters. A bike hired there will cost ¥1,500 per day or ¥1,000 if you take the bike for three days or more. This is significantly cheaper than renting in Zamami Tow.

Furuzamami Beach has a small beach bar which rents parasols, sun-loungers and snorkeling gear. It is the only beach in Zamami with such facilities. The water of Furazamami Beach is crystal clear and coral and fishes are readily accessible.