The most beautiful beaches in Okinawa
- Published on : 04/08/2025
- by : Charley Z.
- Youtube
Plage de Kita Nashiro au coucher de soleil, Okinawa.
© Japan Experience
Although we often forget that, geographically speaking, Japan is a tropical archipelago, some places leave no room for question. Okinawa is one of these destinations, whose crystal-clear waters and white-sand beaches leave an impressio just about anyone who visits. Travel with us to discover the most beautiful beaches of Okinawa-Honto, the main island of this archipelago of a thousand treasures, a must on your Japan itinerary.
Okinawa is an area of unparalleled cultural richness in Japan. This archipelago of 160 islands is Japan's southernmost and westernmost prefecture. The island of Yonaguni, the westernmost of the archipelago, is just 110 kilometers from Taiwan. Steeped in a distinctive culture inherited from the Ryukyu Kingdom, a former independent vassal of China until the 19th century, the Okinawa region boasts a unique local gastronomy, abundant nature, ancestral crafts and know-how, and of course, its paradisiacal landscapes. It's for its tropical beaches that the Japanese come here on vacation or honeymoon with family or friends, as do many international tourists.
While many of the most famous paradise beaches can be found on the archipelago's wilder islands, such as Ishigaki, it's entirely possible to enjoy a tropical getaway just a stone's throw from Naha, the prefecture's capital and the main gateway to the archipelago, thanks to its airport with links to Tokyo, Fukuoka, Osaka and many other Japanese cities.
We take you on a journey to discover our 7 favorite beaches in Okinawa-Honto, the most beautiful and secret beaches on the main island!
Mibaru Beach
In the southeast of Okinawa's main island, Mibaru Beach is a dream setting for a little Japanese-style idleness. From the colorful “Okinawa” sign that greets you as you enter, to the beachside rocks where tropical fish swim peacefully, to the traditional fisherman's beach atmosphere, Mibaru Beach is one of Okinawa's most beautiful stretches of sand.
Its shallow, transparent waters are ideal for snorkeling, and the calm of the small waves lapping against the shore makes it a perfect place for family bathing. From Mibaru Beach, transparent-bottomed boats can also take you above the coral reefs off Okinawa!
Mibaru Beach is also one of the easiest beaches to get to in our selection, with parking and a visitor center at the entrance. The beach is also surrounded by a number of cafés and restaurants, making it easy to spend the whole day at Mibaru.
Plage de Mibaru, Okinawa
© Japan Experience
Plage de Mibaru, Okinawa
© Japan Experience
Plage de Mibaru, Okinawa
© Japan Experience
Ukun Beach
One of the lesser-known beaches that we recommend, Ukun Beach is also one of the most difficult to access. Ukun Beach is not technically on the main island of Okinawa, as it lies on the small island of Miyagi, linked by a bridge to Okinawa-Honto.
Accessible only by car, via small roads through fields, its access is sometimes blocked by a gate, never closed. Behind the gate, a small winding path descends some fifty meters to a hidden cove, with the air of a lost paradise. A concrete slab and its path to the sea bear witness to its naval past, now discreetly erased by the waves and sand.
Two strips of rock and vegetation isolate this magnificent beach with its turquoise waters, which is surely the most intimate in Okinawa and entirely worth the detour on the small island of Miyagi. This island, and the neighboring islands of Ikei and Henza, are among the highest points in the archipelago, and the road that crosses them is breathtaking, thanks to their unobstructed ocean views.
Plage d'Ukun, Okinawa.
© Japan Experience
Plage d'Ukun, Okinawa
© Japan Experience
Plage d'Ukun, Okinawa
© Japan Experience
Kita Nashiro beach
Almost at the southern tip of Okinawa Island, Kita Nashiro is a little slice of paradise, especially at sunset. This beach, popular with locals, offers simply outstanding views of the sun setting behind the horizon on the East China Sea. The beach is wide and open on one side and dotted with small rocks on the other, towards Ejina Island and its two small islets linked to the beach by a sandbar.
Okinawans come here for picnics at the end of the day, to watch the sunset, and to extend the evening by car headlights or around a campfire. The atmosphere at Kita Nashiro is convivial, and every sunset seems to be a real celebration!
But the beach at Kita Nashiro is just as pleasant even under blue skies, thanks to its clear, shallow waters and abundant underwater fauna around the islets. What's more, it's close to Naha, making it one of the closest wild beaches to the city.
Sesoko beach
On the small island of Sesoko, linked to the island of Okinawa by a bridge over the archipelago's turquoise waters, a large white-sand beach is well worth a visit. Like the journey to Ukun Beach on Miyagi Island, the bridge linking Okinawa-Honto to Sesoko Island offers breathtaking ocean views.
On the west side of the island, Sesoko Beach is the main beach, but few visitors venture here. Yet it's one of Okinawa's most beautiful beaches! One of the widest sandy beaches on the main island of Okinawa, Sesoko is an ideal destination for families. What's more, the beach is less than a 30-minute drive from the lovely Churaumi Aquarium, famous for its whale sharks.
For the more adventurous, it's also possible to explore Sesoko Beach and the small jungle that separates it from the rest of the island by quad bike! Sesoko Beach also overlooks 2 islands opposite, including the island of Ie, one of the high points of the Battle of Okinawa during the Second World War, which still bears the scars of history. It can be reached from Motobu, just off Sesoko Bridge.
Plage de Sesoko, Okinawa.
© Japan Experience
Sedake Beach
This is one of our favorite beaches on the main island of Okinawa: Sedake Beach. This atypical little beach is marked by its 3 characteristic rocks, overhung by vegetation, an almost absurd but absolutely magnificent scene.
Located right in the middle of Okinawa-Honto, on the island's east coast, Sedake Beach overlooks Oura Bay and is an ideal spot for snorkeling to admire the underwater fauna that lives in the heart of the rocks that surround the beach. This small beach is easily accessible from the main road running along the coast of Okinawa Island and even has a small parking lot—and a delicious restaurant right next door: Minaminohatake.
Please note, however, that an American military base is under construction on the other side of the bay, so the setting is sometimes not the most tranquil on Okinawa Island.
Rochers sur la plage de Sedake, Okinawa.
© Japan Experience
Arbres sur les rochers de la plage de Sedake, Okinawa.
© Japan Experience
Plage de Sedake, Okinawa.
© Japan Experience
Plage de Sedake, Okinawa.
© Japan Experience
Mermaid's Grotto (Apogama)
This famous diving spot isn't a beach in the strict sense of the word, and it's not advisable to swim here without diving experience, but the beauty of the scenery makes it well worth a visit.
After crossing a path cut through dense vegetation, Apogama Beach is a sublime stretch of sand surrounded by craggy rocks and unique formations. The waves beat relentlessly against the shore and have shaped each of the beach's coves and grottoes, whose name “Mermaid's Grotto” is obviously derived from its geology.
Although sandy strips dot the rocks, this is not the most ideal beach for relaxation, nor is it recommended for families. A beach for the more adventurous among you!
Kibougaoka Beach
This small beach by the road would almost go unnoticed. Yet it hides one of Okinawa's most pleasant spots for sunbathing and cooling off in the water under the shade of palm trees. Just off the main road along the Okinawa-Honto coast, a stone's throw from Onna's restaurants, cafés and boutiques, this beach is calm incarnate.
Its shallow waters allow you to walk along the shore, tropical fish swimming between your feet, or even don your snorkeling gear and explore the reef, one of the closest to the beach at low tide of the shores featured in our selection. At high tide, Kibougaoka Beach is the perfect place for a swim in complete privacy or simply a moment of sunbathing away from the hustle and bustle of Okinawa's busier beaches.
Entrée de la plage de Kibougaoka, Okinawa.
© Japan Experience
Plage de Kibougaoka, Okinawa.
© Japan Experience
Plage de Kibougaoka, Okinawa.
© Japan Experience
