The White Beach/Uruma City area can be accessed by air or water ferry travel with daily direct flights and ferry schedules from Japan to Naha--the main island of Okinawa. Hotels, resorts, and other lodging areas are about a 20-minute drive from the Naha airport. International flights out of Naha are available to Korea, Shanghai, Taipei, and Manila. There is public bus transportation on the island, and for more travel freedom cars can also be rented.
A mixture of Chinese, Japanese, and American culture and people make up the essence of White Beach. The U.S. military bases have a strong influence on the atmosphere of the area. Although the main cultural elements are Asian, many people from mainland Japan travel to the Okinawa islands to experience American culture in the way of food, shopping, and activities such as golfing, which has recently grown in popularity with Okinawan women.
Scuba diving is a popular pastime on the Okinawa islands. The shallow waters around White Beach make it possible to snorkel around with the sea life without having to dive too deep. Equipment and guides for kayaking, para-sailing, and surfing are also available to tourists. Of course, simply sunbathing on the white sandy beach is also an option.
Visiting the U.S. naval and marine military bases will provide a sense of the history of White Beach, Japan. View the warships and submarines that make port calls to the island. Take a tour of the Katsurenjyo Castle in Uruma to feel as though you've been transported to 13th-century Japan. It's one of several castles on the island that are remnants of the Ryukyu Kingdom that once ruled the isolated islands as an independent nation from northern Japan.
Okinawan cuisine is full of delicious soups made with noodles and stock from chicken, pig, or kelp. Almost every part of the pig is used for a variety of recipes. Fish is also in abundance because of its abundance in the waters, so it will be easy to find a traditional Japanese fresh sushi bar to indulge in. Mixed in with the Asian cuisine, you can also find American cuisine in the form of steakhouses on White Beach.
A visit to Yachimun-no-sato in Yomitan Village will give you access to more than 40 shops showcasing a beautiful variety of ceramics, craft work that has carried through decades since the Ryukyu Kingdom. Since 2005, showing domestic flight tickets at the tax-free shop DFS Okinawa will allow you to purchase brand items tax free. The Okinawa Outlet Mall Ashibinaa in Tomigusuku City is where you will find high-end brand items at reasonable prices compared to other parts of the world.
