Kerama Islands Snorkeling — Crystal Clear Seas of World-Class Visibility

The Kerama Islands, about 40 kilometers west of Okinawa main island, are a marine paradise designated a national park in 2014. The blue sea called Kerama Blue, with clarity among the finest in the world, is truly another world. In the rich sea where colorful coral reefs, tropical fish, and sea turtles live, you can enjoy a moving underwater world through snorkeling and diving. Seeking one of Okinawa most beautiful seas, many people visit these popular remote islands.

The Sea of Kerama Blue

The sea of the Kerama Islands is called Kerama Blue for its beauty and captivates divers and snorkelers from around the world. The remarkably clear sea shows gradations of blue from deep blue to emerald green. Water so clear that the seabed is visible even in deep places is a superb sight. In recognition of this rich natural environment, in March 2014 the islands and surrounding waters were designated Kerama Islands National Park. An unforgettable, mysterious blue sea spreads out here.

A Rich Underwater World

The charm of the Kerama sea is not only its beautiful blue. Colorful coral reefs spread across the seabed, and colorful tropical fish swim in schools around them. A charm of Kerama is that even with snorkeling you can easily enjoy this rich underwater world from the surface. If you are lucky, you may encounter sea turtles, and seeing one swim gracefully up close is a special thrill. Known also as a coral spawning ground, this life-filled sea is truly a paradise for marine creatures.

Enjoying the Kerama Islands

The Kerama Islands consist of islands such as Tokashiki, Zamami, and Aka. Each has beautiful beaches, and the contrast of white sand and blue sea is breathtaking. You can visit on a day trip, but staying overnight lets you enjoy starry skies and quiet, less-crowded beaches. Known also as a base for whale watching, in winter (roughly January to March) you may observe humpback whales. From marine activities to a relaxed island pace, you can spend your time as you like.

Practical Travel Notes

• Ferries and high-speed boats run to each island from Tomari Port in Naha. Since seats and services are limited, book your boarding early in the busy season
• The Kerama sea is also a protected area for coral and sea turtles. Follow sea manners such as not touching or standing on coral, not approaching sea turtles too closely, and choosing environmentally considerate sunscreen
• Ferries may be canceled due to sea conditions. For a day trip, always check the last service time and plan with a margin
• With a snorkeling tour that includes a life jacket, even beginners can feel safe, and you can enjoy it even if you are not a confident swimmer

Best Season and Access

The best season for snorkeling and diving is from spring to autumn (especially summer), when the sea is calm and warm. In winter you can enjoy whale watching. Access is by ferry or high-speed boat to each island from Tomari Port in Naha. There are many day tours you can easily join. Joining a marine-activity tour lets even beginners enjoy it safely. In the Kerama Blue sea, with clarity among the finest in the world, be sure to savor a moving snorkeling experience and beautiful island time.

📚 Sources

This article draws on information published by the Ministry of the Environment, which oversees Kerama Shoto National Park, along with tourism guidance from local governments such as Tokashiki and Zamami villages and sailing information from the ferry operators serving Tomari Port (Tomarin). References to the national park designation and the protection of coral and sea turtles follow materials from the Ministry of the Environment and local guidance. Ferry frequency, operating status, and tour content vary with sea conditions and season, so please confirm details on the official websites of the operators and tour providers before visiting.

Visitor Checklist

• Estimated time: Ferries and high-speed boats depart from Tomari Port in Naha. A day trip works, but staying overnight lets you enjoy quiet beaches and starry skies.
• What to prepare: Snorkeling tours include life jackets, so beginners can relax. Choose reef-friendly sunscreen.
• Booking: Seats and sailings are limited, so reserve boarding early during peak season.
• Getting around: Tokashiki, Zamami, and Aka islands each have beautiful beaches you can combine on your trip.
• Sea etiquette: Do not touch or stand on coral and do not approach sea turtles too closely, following the rules of the protected area.
• Checking sailings: Ferries may be cancelled in rough seas, so always confirm the last departure and allow a comfortable schedule.

Practical Information for Your Visit

• Designation as a national park: Designated on March 5, 2014 (Heisei 26) as Japan's 31st national park. The area covers Tokashiki Village and Zamami Village in Shimajiri District, Okinawa Prefecture, comprising 3,520 hectares of land and 8,290 hectares of marine park zones (Ministry of the Environment).
• Boats to Tokashiki Island (run by Tokashiki Village): The Ferry Tokashiki (passengers, freight and vehicles) takes about 70 minutes and sails once a day. Passenger fares are 1,690 yen one way / 3,210 yen return for adults and 850 yen one way / 1,610 yen return for children. The Marine Liner Tokashiki (passengers only) takes about 40 minutes and normally sails twice a day, rising to three times a day in the peak season during Golden Week and on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from July to September. Fares are 2,530 yen one way / 4,810 yen return for adults and 1,270 yen one way / 2,410 yen return for children. Passengers of high school age and above must also pay an environmental cooperation tax of 100 yen.
• Reservations and boarding on the Tokashiki route: Book via the Tokashiki Ferry portal site (tokashiki-ferry.jp) or by telephone. Tickets are issued and sold only on the day of travel. Buy your ticket by 30 minutes before departure and board by 10 minutes before departure. The decision on whether the boats will sail is made at 8:00 each morning. For inquiries, call the Naha liaison office on 098-868-7541 (10:00-17:00) or the Tokashiki Village Shipping Division on 098-987-2537.
• Boats to Zamami and Aka islands (run by Zamami Village): The Ferry Zamami costs 2,900 yen one way / 5,510 yen return for adults and 1,450 yen one way / 2,760 yen return for children. The high-speed Queen Zamami costs 3,950 yen one way / 7,510 yen return for adults and 1,980 yen one way / 3,760 yen return for children. On top of that there is the Churashima tax (an island entry tax) of 100 yen per person (junior high school students and younger, and visitors with disabilities themselves, are exempt). For inquiries, call the Zamami Village Shipping and Tourism Division on 098-987-2614.
• Zamami route timetable for July 2026: The Ferry Zamami makes one round trip a day, leaving Tomari Port in Naha at 10:00 and leaving Zamami (or Aka) at 16:00. The Queen Zamami sails twice a day from the 1st to the 17th (leaving Tomari Port at 9:00 and 16:00) and three times a day from the 18th to the 31st (leaving Tomari Port at 9:00, 13:00 and 16:00). The Ferry Zamami departs from the south quay of Tomari Port and the Queen Zamami from the north quay.
• Beach rules in Tokashiki Village: Lifeguards are on duty from the opening of the swimming season in mid-April to the end of November, from 9:00 to 18:00. Follow the lifeguards' instructions and stay within the swimming area; small children must be accompanied by a guardian; a life jacket must always be worn when snorkeling inside the supervised swimming area; and swimming after drinking alcohol is prohibited. Visitors are also required to take their rubbish home, refrain from smoking on the beach, avoid standing on coral, not chase sea turtles, not collect or harm plants and animals, and not feed marine life.
• Conservation efforts (Ministry of the Environment): Tokashiki Village and Zamami Village have drawn up an overall concept for promoting ecotourism in the Kerama area, encouraging appropriate use and coral reef conservation. Diving associations on each island voluntarily carry out the removal and monitoring of crown-of-thorns starfish. The whale watching associations of Zamami Village and Tokashiki Village have established their own voluntary whale watching rules, aimed at protecting the humpback whales' breeding waters without disturbing the animals' behavior.

Note: Please check the official information from Tokashiki Village, Zamami Village and the Ministry of the Environment before you set out for details such as the period and hours of lifeguard supervision at the beaches and rules on ingredients in sunscreen. (Sources: Ministry of the Environment, overview of and initiatives for Kerama Shoto National Park; Tokashiki Village, Timetables, Fares and Reservation Contacts and Rules for Using the Beaches; Zamami Village Office, Boat Fare Table and Ferry Service Information for July 2026)