Okinawa's Naha serves as port for international cruise ships like Spectrum Of The Seas. — Photos: FLOREY D. MIKIL/The Star
Okinawa Prefecture’s Naha and Ishigaki are among the top ports of call in Japan for international cruise ships.
If you are going on a cruise that stops at either port – or both – you might be wondering if it’s possible to forgo shelling out for taxis and choosing the more budget-friendly option of walking.
Having been on a recent cruise that docked at Okinawa’s Naha Cruise Terminal 2, and later at Ishigaki, we can assure you that getting around on foot is absolutely doable – to some degree.
Walking in Okinawa
Your experience might mirror ours if you decide to walk. Disembarking at Terminal 2, which is a largely industrial area, means it won’t exactly be a scenic route as you follow Google Maps’ directions to reach the city’s edge. But it will be a relatively safe walk, with not too many cars zooming by.
Once you do start seeing heavier traffic, this indicates you have now walked the roughly 20-minute journey into the suburbs.
Maybe because it was a Sunday when we docked in Okinawa or perhaps that’s just how laidback the island is, but you won’t exactly feel the urge to rush around everywhere.
Convenience stores, like Lawson and Family Mart, dotting the roadsides make for good pit stops. You can purchase refreshments, and also stop for bathroom breaks. Do make at least a small purchase before using the facilities.
Okinawan foods and souvenirs can be found at Kokusai-Dori.
Depending on your walking speed and pit stop frequency, it will take roughly 50 minutes to reach Kokusai-Dori – a shopping street famous for local foods and souvenirs.
Along the way you can stop at places like the Tomari Iyumachi Fish Market (for fresh seafood) and Naha Hari Museum, where Hari dragon boats used during Okinawa’s sea-god festival are displayed.
The sea will occasionally make an appearance as you walk; at one point, you can even see the Terminal 1 cruise port, where smaller boats and ships are docked.
Once at Kokusai-Dori, there are plenty of small eateries to stop at for lunch. The Makishi Public Market within the area offers fresh seafood.
For dessert, try the Blue Seal Ice Cream. It incorporates local delicacies into its flavours, like beni-imo, Okinawan salt cookies, and Ryukyu tea warabi mochi.
Beni-imo is Okinawa’s sweet potato that can be found in various forms, including tiny cakes and cookies that are ubiquitous in the island’s souvenir shops.
Other places of interest
Find tranquillity in Fukushuen Garden, located 20 minutes from Kokusai. Pay 200 yen (about RM6) to enter the traditional Chinese garden, built for the 10th anniversary of Naha’s relationship with its sister city, Fuzhou in China.
Aside from its intricately adorned pagodas and pavilions, the garden features plenty of flora. The most memorable of these blooms, for us, were the sakura-like peach blossom – and hibiscus! The latter grows to sizes that are remarkably larger than what we’re accustomed to in Malaysia.
Naminoue Shrine is popular among tourists.
From the garden, Naminoue Shrine is approximately 20 minutes away. Be prepared for a little climb over a hill. (Tip: Take a break at the Naminoue Observation Deck to enjoy the panoramic views of Naha.)
Naminoue Beach is just a couple of minutes away from the shrine. Here you might find yourself wishing your cruise ship is docked at the much closer Terminal 1.
Alas, you have to return to Terminal 2. It is advisable to book a taxi, using a ride app like Go or Didi Rider, to avoid being lost or late.
Ishigaki’s coastal charm
Docked at the decidedly more scenic Ishigaki port the next day, you might want to forgo the 50-minute walk into town and fork out US$20 for the shuttle bus. You might not get a seat, but at least you’ll be in an air-conditioned space.
Once you’re dropped off at the Euglena Ishigaki Port Remote Island Terminal, the closest attraction is the Ishigakijima Hoshinoumi Planetarium. Here you can learn about the starry skies of Yaeyama Islands, the Okinawan archipelago that Ishigaki is part of.
The turquoise waters surrounding the Ishigaki port.
Seven minutes away is Euglena Mall, a shopping arcade reminiscent of Kokusai-Dori in style and offerings, albeit smaller. Located within it is the Ishigaki City Public Market, where you can find local foods, like sata andagi (Okinawan donuts).
Nearby there is the 730 Monument, a stone memorial commemorating July 30, 1978, the day the Okinawa Prefecture switched to driving on the left side of the road. (Since the United States occupied Okinawa in 1945, driving on the right had been the norm, even after the prefecture’s return to Japan in 1972.)
Regrettably, we did not get to explore much in Ishigaki. We did try taking the local bus just to get a feel of Ishigaki outside of its touristy areas. You can do the same, or just return to the port earlier and enjoy staring at the turquoise waters twinkling under the bright sun before boarding the ship.
The calming turquoise waters of Ishigaki.
You might notice that we did not suggest any recommended time length for each island’s itinerary. This is entirely dependent on your own shore excursion schedule, and whether you go through disembarkation earlier or later.
Just remember to keep track of the “all aboard” time. That is when you’re required to be back on the ship.
You do not want to miss this deadline – unless you aim to star as a pier runner in a viral video titled Cruise Ship Leaves Straggler.
