Aka-jima
阿嘉島26°11′ N 127°17′ EKerama Islandssmall villageKerama deerbridges
Aka-jima is a 3.80 km² island of about 235 people in Zamami Village that the high-speed Queen Zamami reaches from Naha's Tomari Port in about 50 minutes, and its 530 m bridge to Geruma makes it the one place in the Keramas where you can ride between islands.
Photo keiyac · Flickr · CC BY-SA 2.0 and others, credited in the gallery
Aka's village fills the flat land behind the port, and the paths out of it lead north to Nishibama, the island's main beach. TripAdvisor's 2016 Travellers' Choice list ranked Nishibama ninth in Japan. The national park's coral centre, Sango Yuntaku-kan, opened in the village on 5 March 2018 and explains the reef before you swim it.
The Aka Ohashi opened on 24 June 1998 and runs 530 m across the channel to Geruma, and the older Geruma bridge carries on to Fukaji. That chain of three islands makes Aka a base for anyone who wants to get around under their own power. Kerama deer live on Aka and Geruma, and the Ministry of the Environment describes them as smaller than the sika deer of Kyushu.
Shiro was the Aka dog whose romance with Marilyn on Zamami inspired the film Marilyn ni Aitai, and his statue stands on Aka. US forces landed at Menu-hama on Aka in 1945, and the island also holds the Sakubaru castle ruins and the Sakubaru rock formations. About 235 people lived here in May 2024, according to the village.
Getting there
Zamami Village's boats from the north bank of Tomari Port in Naha call at Aka. The high-speed Queen Zamami takes about 50 minutes and Ferry Zamami about 1 hour 30 minutes. The village boat Mitsushima crosses to Zamami every day, and it runs to Aharen on Tokashiki when someone books by 17:00 the day before.
Getting around
Aka has no route bus and no taxi, and the village sits close enough to the port to walk. Tatsunojo and Minshuku Harumi rent bicycles, and Sango Yuntaku-kan rents tuk-tuks. The 530 m Aka Ohashi carries the road on to Geruma, and from there the Geruma bridge reaches Fukaji and the Kerama airport.
Riding on Aka-jima
Aka gives you the one road ride in the Keramas that links islands. From the village the road crosses the 530 m Aka Ohashi to Geruma and then the 240 m Geruma bridge to Fukaji, where the Kerama airport sits, so a rental bike from the village covers all three islands in a morning. Expect short steep rises on Aka itself, where the land climbs to 187 m.
Tatsunojo and Minshuku Harumi rent bicycles in Aka village. Ferry Zamami carries bicycles as freight from Tomari.
December to March
December to March brings the north wind, and Nishibama, whose name is written 北浜 (north beach), faces into it. The boats from Tomari can be cancelled on rough days, so leave slack in the plan. The cool months suit walks and rides across the bridges to Geruma. The Japan Meteorological Agency's closest coastal sea area to the Keramas lies south of the Okinawa main island, and its 1991–2020 normal sits at about 22 °C through February.
Worth knowing
- Buy anything you need on Zamami or in Naha first. Supermarket Tatsunojo is the island's general store, and the tourism association warns that shops across the village are few and many take cash only.
- Zamami Village says mornings and evenings are the times to see Kerama deer on Aka, Geruma and Fukaji.
- Plan the ride to Geruma and Fukaji as a there-and-back from Aka village, since Fukaji and the Kerama airport are the end of the road.
- Read the coral displays at Sango Yuntaku-kan before your first snorkel at Nishibama.
Where to base
Towns and villages on Aka-jima町
FAQ
Quick answers about Aka-jimaよくある質問
How do you get to Aka Island?
By boat from Tomari Port in Naha. The high-speed Queen Zamami reaches Aka in about 50 minutes and Ferry Zamami in about 1 hour 30 minutes. The village boat Mitsushima also links Aka with Zamami every day.
Is Aka Island connected to Geruma by bridge?
Yes. The 530 m Aka Ohashi has joined Aka-jima and Geruma-jima since June 1998, and the Geruma bridge continues to Fukaji, where the Kerama airport sits. You can walk or cycle across.
Can you rent a bike on Aka Island?
Yes. Tatsunojo and Minshuku Harumi rent bicycles in Aka village, and a rental bike covers Aka, Geruma and Fukaji over the two bridges.
How big is Aka-jima?
Aka-jima covers 3.8 km² and is home to about 235 people.
Can you cycle on Aka-jima?
Aka gives you the one road ride in the Keramas that links islands. From the village the road crosses the 530 m Aka Ohashi to Geruma and then the 240 m Geruma bridge to Fukaji, where the Kerama airport sits, so a rental bike from the village covers all three islands in a morning. Expect short steep rises on Aka itself, where the land climbs to 187 m.
What is Aka-jima like in winter?
December to March brings the north wind, and Nishibama, whose name is written 北浜 (north beach), faces into it. The boats from Tomari can be cancelled on rough days, so leave slack in the plan. The cool months suit walks and rides across the bridges to Geruma. The Japan Meteorological Agency's closest coastal sea area to the Keramas lies south of the Okinawa main island, and its 1991–2020 normal sits at about 22 °C through February.
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