Tonaki

Tonaki (渡名喜), also Tonakijima (渡名喜島) or Tunachi (トゥナチ) in Okinawan, is a small island at the halfway mark between Kume and Okinawa Island, near the Kerama Islands of Okinawa, Japan.

Understand

Traditional Ryukyuan house in Tonaki

Less than 4 km² in size and with a population of some 300 people, Tonaki is one of only two islands in all of Japan officially recognized as a Rural Island Village (島の農村集落) designated for historic preservation. (The other is Taketomi, also in Okinawa, but in the far south.) Unusually for Japan, even modern municipal buildings like the police box and sewage plant have been built in the traditional style.

Official website

• Tonaki Kanko (Japanese only)

Get in

Tonaki is about 58 km northwest of Naha. Kume Shosen operates one daily service departing from Naha's Tomari Port (泊港) at 09:00 that stops at Tonaki around 11:00 before continuing to Kume, and one daily service in the opposite direction at the same time. In practice, this means any visit to Tonaki requires staying overnight. In summer only, there is sometimes an additional service from Kume that stops at Tonaki around 15:00, allowing day trips. The fare is ¥2750 from Naha to Tonaki, and ¥1160 from Tonaki to Kume.

Get around

Tonaki is small enough to walk around, but it can still get hot in the midday sun. Iriijo (#Drink) rents out bicycles, while Fukugiya offers car rental.

See and do

Forbidden paradise Irisuna-jima (入砂島), also known as Idesuna-jima (出砂島), is a picture-perfect coral atoll 4 km away from Tonaki. Unfortunately it's a live-fire training area for the US military and strictly off limits.

Tonaki's drawcard is the village, which escaped both World War II and post-war development largely unscathed. There are no grand sights, but the roads remain sand paths and the houses have traditional Okinawan red roofs. At night, the main drag is beautifully lit up with foot lighting.

The other draw is the beaches and sea sports. There are no dive operators, but most accommodations can rent out snorkeling gear.

• 1 Agarihama (あがり浜). The beach closest to the village. (updated Jan 2025)
• 2 Angela Beach (アンジェーラ浜 Anjerahama) (2 km from ferry terminal). Perhaps the prettiest beach on the island, with good snorkeling. Sea turtles can often be spotted here. Public toilets, but no other facilities. (updated Jan 2025)

Eat

Most visitors eat at their lodgings. The most reliable option for a meal is the cafeteria at the ferry terminal (ターミナル食堂), which does a solid Okinawa soba. Your other options are side businesses at best, so call ahead to confirm they're free.

• 1 Atoa Shokudo (あとあ食堂), ☏ +81-90-3792-5134. 18:00-. Simple eatery without a fixed menu, they'll cook whatever is available. Dinner only. (updated Dec 2024)

Drink

• 1 Ikoidokoro Iriijo (憩い処 西門), ☏ +81 901-2309-049. Th-Tu 18:30-23:30. The best (and only) drinking hole on the island, more like drinking in someone's house than a regular izakaya. Beer, awamori and simple dishes of whatever is available that day. (updated Dec 2024)

Sleep

There are exactly three places to sleep on the island, all of them simple minshuku B&Bs within easy walking distance from the ferry terminal.

• 1 Fukugiya (赤瓦の宿ふくぎ屋), ☏ +81 090-4350-9299. Red-tiled traditional Okinawan house with six guest rooms. Air-con available, but bathrooms and toilets are shared. Room with two meals ¥9000 per person. (updated Dec 2024)
• 2 Muranaka (民宿ムラナカ), ☏ +81-98-989-2626. Modern concrete house close to the ferry terminal. Rooms have private toilets and coin-op aircon, but shower facilities are shared. Room with two meals from ¥7000/person. (updated Dec 2024)
• 3 Agarihama (民宿あがり浜), ☏ +81-98-989-2888. The cheapest of the lot and the closest to the beach, but this worn-out concrete shed with a grumpy owner has little else going for it. Room with two meals ¥6000 per person. (updated Dec 2024)

Go next

You have exactly two options: Naha or Kume.