All Japan Okinawa

The Atlas Obscura Guide To Okinawa

7 Cool, Hidden, and Unusual Things to Do in Okinawa, Japan

Updated May 28, 2026
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9 miles from Okinawa
10 miles from Okinawa
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Stories About Okinawa

The Underwater Farms of Okinawa's Damselfish (Ōdo Beach)

Glimpse the aquatic homesteads of the "dusky farmerfish."
by Ryan Huling, Community Contributor
Few have ventured into the narrow tunnels of Dai 32 Gunshireibu-go since the Japanese army abandoned the bunker in May 1945 during the Battle of Okinawa.

Could an Infamous WWII Bunker Become a Symbol of Peace?

The tunnels under Okinawa's Shuri Castle should be preserved as a reminder of the costs of war, advocates say.
by Azby Brown, Atlas Obscura
Iriomote is famously unsullied—with the exception of its problematic poop.

Leave Only Footsteps and Take Your Poop When Visiting Japan's Lush Iriomote Island

"Tent toilets" are helping to remedy a stinky situation.
by Alice Barnes-Brown, Atlas Obscura
Shikina Cemetery in Naha, the capital of Okinawa, Japan.

The Graveside Festival That Celebrates the Dead in Okinawa

Shimi, or “grave-sweeping festival,” takes place every April on the southernmost islands of Japan.
by Allan Richarz, Atlas Obscura
The monument commemorating the driving-side switch on July 30, 1978.

40 Years Ago, Okinawans Returned to Driving on the Left

A stone monument marks this symbolic last moment of post-WWII repatriation.
by Allan Richarz, Atlas Obscura
Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
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