If Japan is near the top of your travel wishlist, you’re not the only one. According to the Japan National Tourism Organization, the country experienced a record-breaking number of visitors in 2024. Nearly 37 million international travelers entered the country over the span of those 12 months, and 2.7 million of them were Americans.
Of course, the bright lights and culture of Tokyo and Osaka, the temples and gardens in Kyoto, and the ski resorts in Hokkaido provide plenty of reasons to plan a trip, but Japan also delivers on another front: its beaches. There’s even a region that’s been given the moniker the “Caribbean of Asia.” Gorgeous beaches and some of the world’s best scuba diving and snorkeling sites await in Okinawa.
The southernmost prefecture of Japan, Okinawa is made up of about 160 islands—roughly 40 of them are inhabited—surrounded by clear, turquoise waters. This island chain is part of the larger Ryukyu Archipelago, and its main island, also called Okinawa, is about a 2.5-hour flight from Tokyo.
Like in the Caribbean, the main tourist attractions throughout Okinawa revolve around the water, namely, the incredible scuba diving and snorkeling opportunities. The islands are ringed by coral reefs known for their biodiversity. Keep an eye out for sea turtles, hammerhead sharks, and manta rays. The underwater topography is also noteworthy—depending on where you’re exploring, you may see arches, tunnels, caves, or crevasses.
There’s no shortage of spots where you can dive or snorkel, but the Okinawa Convention & Visitors Bureau shares that some of the most sought-after places are found near the outlying islands, like the Kerama Islands. To get to the Kerama Islands, you can take a high-speed ferry from Naha, which is the capital and biggest city of Okinawa Prefecture, and it’s located on the main island of Okinawa. Some travelers opt to ferry from Naha to Tokashiki Island (the largest of the Kerama Islands), where two specific beaches, Aharen Beach and Tokashiku Beach, are accompanied by sea turtle and other marine life sightings.
As far as the best time of year to visit Okinawa, you’ll find the weather is relatively similar to that of the Caribbean islands; winters, however, do tend to be a bit cooler. Okinawa has a subtropical climate—while the Caribbean has a tropical climate—and temperatures range from 60 to 90 degrees Fahrenheit. You can definitely snorkel, swim, and dive all year round, but be wary of typhoon season, from June through September.
And if you needed a bit more motivation to finally book that plane ticket to Japan? We’ve got it: Okinawa is a Blue Zone, one of the select places around the world where people tend to live longer, healthier lives.
