Tokashiki-jima
渡嘉敷島Tukashichi26°12′ N 127°22′ EKerama Islandslargest Kerama islandhillstwo long beaches
Tokashiki-jima is the largest of the Kerama Islands at 15.31 km², and the high-speed Marine Liner Tokashiki reaches it from Naha's Tomari Port in about 35 minutes, which makes it the quickest Kerama crossing from Naha; Aharen and Tokashiku beaches sit on its west coast.
Photo keizo okada · Unsplash and others, credited in the gallery
Tokashiki is the closest of the Keramas to Naha, and the Marine Liner Tokashiki gets you from Tomari to the port village in about 35 minutes. The port and the village office sit on the east coast, and the two long beaches lie over the hills on the west side. Aharen has about 800 m of white sand in front of its village, and Tokashiku curves for roughly 800 m in a quieter bay known for its sea turtles. Japanese Wikipedia puts the visibility in the surrounding sea at 50–60 m.
The island climbs to 227 m at Akama-yama, and the village says the view from there reaches Ie-jima and Aguni to the north, Zamami to the west and the Okinawa main island to the east, with Tonaki and Kume-jima on clear days. Teruyama lookout sits between the two beaches and works as a whale lookout in season. The Mihanabaru trail runs about an hour there and back along a white sandstone path, with two shelters and a cliff-top view.
The Kerama Islands were the first place US forces landed in the Battle of Okinawa, and air-raid shelters and memorials remain on Tokashiki. The village sets out its own account of the mass suicides of 1945 on its website. The 2020 census counted 718 people on the island.
Getting there
Tokashiki Village runs two boats from Tomari Port in Naha to Tokashiki Port on the east coast. The high-speed Marine Liner Tokashiki takes about 35 minutes and sails two or three times a day, and the car ferry Ferry Tokashiki takes about 70 minutes once a day. Zamami Village's Mitsushima runs to Aharen Port from Zamami and Aka on reservation.
Getting around
Tokashiki Kanko Bus runs from the port to the village office and Aharen Beach, timed to the boats, with a summer timetable from March to October and a winter one from November to February. Taxis are few, so book Yonehama Kotsu ahead. Kariyushi Rental Service rents bicycles, scooters and cars, and Aloha Rental Kikaku and Kujira Rent-a-car rent cars.
Riding on Tokashiki-jima
Tokashiki is the biggest of the Kerama islands and rises to 227 m at Akama-yama. The port village sits on the east coast, so the ride to the west-coast beaches starts with a climb out of the village. Aharen is about 5 km from the port by road, Teruyama lookout 3.3 km and the Mihanabaru trail 6.1 km, according to the Ministry of the Environment and Mapple.
Kariyushi Rental Service rents bicycles and scooters near the port. Bicycles travel only on Ferry Tokashiki, booked by phone and checked in an hour before departure; the Marine Liner Tokashiki takes no vehicles or freight.
December to March
The village says the Marine Liner Tokashiki may be cancelled once waves reach 3 m and Ferry Tokashiki at 4 m, with the call made at 8:00 on the morning of sailing, and winter north wind raises those seas. Whale spotters work from Teruyama lookout in season. The village flower, the Kerama azalea, blooms from about February, and the bus switches to its winter timetable from November to February. 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
- If you bring your own bike, book the bicycle space on Ferry Tokashiki by phone, since the high-speed boat refuses vehicles and freight.
- Every passenger landing on Tokashiki pays the village's ¥100 environmental cooperation tax; junior high students and younger are exempt.
- The Japan Tourism Agency names Nishiyama and Teruyama lookout as the best places on Tokashiki to watch for whales from land, so carry binoculars on a rough day.
Where to base
Towns and villages on Tokashiki-jima町
FAQ
Quick answers about Tokashiki-jimaよくある質問
How long is the ferry from Naha to Tokashiki?
About 35 minutes on the high-speed Marine Liner Tokashiki and about 70 minutes on Ferry Tokashiki. Both sail from Tomari Port in Naha to Tokashiki Port.
Can you take a bicycle to Tokashiki Island?
Yes. Bicycles travel on Ferry Tokashiki only; Tokashiki Village takes vehicle and freight bookings for the ferry by phone and asks for them an hour before departure, and the Marine Liner Tokashiki carries no vehicles or freight.
Is Tokashiki a good day trip from Naha?
Yes. Tokashiki-jima is the closest Kerama island to Naha, 35 minutes away by high-speed boat, and the island bus runs from the port to Aharen Beach in time with the boats.
How big is Tokashiki-jima?
Tokashiki-jima covers 15.31 km² and is home to about 718 people.
Can you cycle on Tokashiki-jima?
Tokashiki is the biggest of the Kerama islands and rises to 227 m at Akama-yama. The port village sits on the east coast, so the ride to the west-coast beaches starts with a climb out of the village. Aharen is about 5 km from the port by road, Teruyama lookout 3.3 km and the Mihanabaru trail 6.1 km, according to the Ministry of the Environment and Mapple.
What is Tokashiki-jima like in winter?
The village says the Marine Liner Tokashiki may be cancelled once waves reach 3 m and Ferry Tokashiki at 4 m, with the call made at 8:00 on the morning of sailing, and winter north wind raises those seas. Whale spotters work from Teruyama lookout in season. The village flower, the Kerama azalea, blooms from about February, and the bus switches to its winter timetable from November to February. 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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