Zamami Village

Zamami Village governs 20 islands, and Zamami, Aka and Geruma are the three that people live on. Its main settlement fills the small plain behind Zamami Port, and the tourism association says the shops and kitchens cluster around the ferry terminal. The village counted 878 people at the end of September 2026.

The settlement was a waypoint for Ryukyu trading ships waiting for the wind, the village says, and in 1901 its first mayor started the bonito fishery that spread across Okinawa. In winter the Zamami Whale Watching Association works out of the port, and its spotters climb to the lookouts above the village every morning in season.

Food here runs from fishermen's co-op bowls at the pier to izakaya that need a booking, and many places close at short notice or keep irregular days in winter, a 2026 visitors' guide warns. There is no convenience store. Plan to carry cash and book dinners before you sail.