Kumejima

The "island of Kume" west of Okinawa Island, with the Hatenohama sandbar, the Tatami-ishi rock formation and crystal-clear lagoons — an uncrowded, laid-back outer-island getaway.

Kumejima lies in the East China Sea about 100 km west of Okinawa Island. It is the fifth-largest island in Okinawa Prefecture, with a population of about 7,000, and was known in ancient times as the "Island of Kumi". The resort core is on the east side: hotels cluster around Eef Beach, while Ōjima, linked by bridge to the east, has the Tatami-ishi rock formation and a sea turtle museum. Offshore, the roughly 7 km-long white sandbar of Hatenohama is the island's signature sight, reachable only by boat. In the north are the Hiyajo Banta cliff viewpoint and the ruins of Uegusuku Castle and Gushikawa Castle; Shinri Beach, next to the airport on the west side, is the spot for sunsets; and the center-west has the Uezu Family Residence, the Goeda Pine and Kumejima Tsumugi no Sato. From Apr to Oct the sea is warm enough for snorkeling and diving; winter is cooler but less crowded. Jul–Sep is typhoon season, when flights and ferries may be cancelled, so build some flexibility into your plans. Getting there: about 35 minutes by air from Naha Airport, with direct flights from Tokyo Haneda in summer, or about 3–4 hours by ferry from Naha's Tomari Port. Buses on the island are scarce, so renting a car is recommended; a loop of the island takes about an hour. Allow 2–3 days. Tours of the awamori distillery Kumejima's Kumesen can be booked in advance.

Top sights

• Hatenohama Sandbar – A pure white sandbar about 7 km long on the east side of Kumejima, surrounded by emerald-green water. It is known as 'the most beautiful be…
• Tatami-ishi – Roughly a thousand five- and six-sided rocks cover the beach on the south coast of Oujima Island, looking like a giant tortoise shell. It i…
• Eef Beach – A white-sand beach about 2 km long on Kumejima’s east coast, listed among Japan’s 100 Best Beaches, and the island’s main resort hub with h…
• Hiyajo Banta Viewpoint – A sea-cliff viewpoint about 200 m high, overlooking coral reefs and the distant Kaho no Hama sandbar; on clear days you can see the Kerama…
• Uegusuku Castle Ruins – A Ryukyuan mountain castle ruin on Mount Uegusuku, Kumejima’s highest peak; the highest castle ruin in Okinawa, with panoramic views of the…
• Gushikawa Castle Ruins (Kumejima) – A Ryukyuan castle ruin built on cliffs along the north coast, where stone walls meet the blue sea; like Uegusuku Castle Ruins, it is a Nati…
• Mifuga Rock – A giant rock on the seashore split by a narrow fissure, believed to grant children; a popular photo spot on Kumejima.
• Goeda-no-Matsu Pine Tree – A Ryukyu pine about 250 years old, its five branches sprawling low across roughly 250 square meters; a designated National Natural Monument.
• Uezu Family Residence – An 18th-century Ryukyuan samurai residence with stone walls and a red-tiled roof, one of the oldest surviving houses in Okinawa.
• Ou Island & Kumejima Sea Turtle Museum – A small island linked to Kumejima by bridge; the sea turtle museum keeps several turtle species, and nearby are stacked rock formations and…
• Kumejima Firefly Center – A nature-observation facility protecting Kumejima’s endemic fireflies, offering evening firefly observation in spring and summer.
• Kumejima Tsumugi Village (Yuimaru-kan) – An exhibition and experience center for Kumejima tsumugi, a Japanese Important Intangible Cultural Property; visitors can watch the weaving…
• Kumejima Museum – A town-run museum on the island's nature, history and folklore; a quick introduction to the island and its exchanges with the Ryukyu Kingdo…
• Shinri Beach – A west-coast beach beside the airport, where you can watch planes take off and land and the sun set over the East China Sea; the island's b…
• Darumayama Viewpoint – A viewpoint on the island's central peak that overlooks both coasts, the airport and the whole island; a good stop while driving around.
• Tonnaha Castle Ruins – A castle-ruin park on a hill on the island's east side, and the best place to see Ou Island and the slender white sandbar of Kaho no Hama.

Where to eat

• Yukuidokoro Washima – A hillside eatery famous for its kuruma prawn soba, with a whole soft-shell prawn in every bowl. It won a grand prize a…
• Namiji – A seafood restaurant near Iifu Beach, known for generous portions of kuruma prawn sashimi, salt-grilled prawns and Okin…
• Kaisen Ajidokoro Kameyoshi – A large restaurant on the Iifu Beach izakaya strip, offering Okinawan dishes, sushi and soba. Its signature is zaru moz…
• Nanto Shokurakuen – A popular izakaya across from Kume Island Resort, specializing in Kumejima akaji chicken, with kuruma prawns and sea gr…

Itineraries

• Relaxing Weekend on Kume Island & Hatenohama – Fly from Naha to Kume Island, explore cliffs and castle ruins around the island, and take a boat to the uninhabited san…
• Naha, the South and Kumejima Island – Explore Naha and the south, then fly or take a boat to Kumejima, staying two nights to visit Kanohama Sandbar.