Southern Okinawa Sacred Sites Sefa Utaki and Chinen Misaki Course

This is a one day plan around Nanjo City in southern Okinawa Island, visiting Ryukyu sacred places and sea views. From the World Heritage Sefa Utaki to Chinen Misaki jutting into the sea, you can feel a quiet and sacred air. A rental car makes this course easy.

Course Route

9:30 Start at Okinawa World (adults 2,000 yen) A theme park where you can enjoy the Gyokusendo limestone cave, eisa dance and a habu snake park. Gyokusendo is one of the largest caves in the prefecture, about 5 km long with roughly 890 m open to the public, and touring the whole site takes about one and a half to two hours. 11:30 Walk Gangala Valley nearby A valley formed when a cave hundreds of thousands of years old collapsed. A guided tour lets you feel the subtropical forest, and it runs by advance reservation. 12:30 Lunch in Nanjo City A hilltop cafe gives a sweeping view of the Pacific. Dining while looking at the sea is popular here. 14:00 Visit Sefa Utaki (around 300 yen for adults) The highest sacred site of the Ryukyu Kingdom. The triangular rock passage called Sangui is its symbol. Buy tickets at the nearby Nanjo City local products hall and walk from there. 15:30 Look at the sea from Chinen Misaki Park (free) A cape jutting into the Pacific, with a panorama that takes in Kudaka Island, said to be the island of the gods. 16:30 Head to Mibaru Beach A shallow beach where a glass boat lets you see coral and tropical fish. 17:00 Finish In the evening you could move to the west coast to catch the sunset.

Highlights

Sefa Utaki is a sacred place tied to the creation myth of the Ryukyu, with a mysterious space formed by huge rocks. Chinen Misaki Park has a beautiful contrast of green lawn and blue sea, with a view of Kudaka Island, said to be the island of the gods. Okinawa World lets you experience the nature and culture of Okinawa in one place.

Practical Travel Notes

• Best season and time: In the afternoon the sun softens and the color of the sea from Chinen Misaki looks more vivid. The forest around the sacred site stays cool in the shade even in summer, making it easy to walk.
• Avoiding crowds: Sefa Utaki is a popular World Heritage site and gets busy on holiday afternoons. Early morning or before the evening is calmer. Allow time for buying tickets at the products hall too.
• Time needed: About one and a half to two hours for Okinawa World, around an hour for Sefa Utaki including the walk and visit, and about 30 minutes for Chinen Misaki Park.
• Real nearby spots: The view from Nirai Kanai Bridge, Kudaka Island (by ferry from Azama Port), and Azama Sun Sun Beach all combine within the Nanjo area.
• Budget sense: Okinawa World at 2,000 yen and Sefa Utaki at around 300 yen are the main entry fees, plus lunch and the rental car.

Access and Tips

Sefa Utaki is sacred, so quiet and respectful manners matter. Buy tickets at the nearby Nanjo City local products hall. The cape and the sacred site have stone paved paths that can be slippery in places, so non slip shoes give peace of mind.

A Quick Tip

In the afternoon the sun softens and the color of the sea from Chinen Misaki looks more vivid. At sacred sites avoid loud voices, mind photography manners and take your time. The ground at Sefa Utaki can turn muddy after rain, so choose your shoes to match the weather.

Practical Information for Your Visit

• Opening hours of Sefa-utaki: 9:00-18:00 from March to October (last ticket sales 17:15 / last entry 17:30), and 9:00-17:30 from November to February (last ticket sales 16:45 / last entry 17:00). It is a 7-10 minute walk (about 500 m) from the ticket office to the entrance of the sacred site (Midori no Yakata Sefa), and a visit takes about 50-60 minutes.
• Revision of admission fees: For visits from October 1, 2026, admission will be revised to 600 yen for adults (high school students and older) and 300 yen for elementary and junior high school students, with groups of 20 or more paying 500 yen for adults and 300 yen for elementary and junior high school students (before the revision: 300 yen for adults, 150 yen for elementary and junior high school students, and 200 yen for adults in groups). Children aged 6 and under enter free, and visitors who show a disability certificate or similar at the counter are admitted free of charge.
• Rest days: To preserve the quiet of this sacred place and protect its natural setting, the grounds are closed to visitors for 6 days each year (the 1st to 3rd days of the 5th lunar month and the 1st to 3rd days of the 10th lunar month). As these follow the lunar calendar, the dates change from year to year.
• Access restrictions for conservation work: According to Nanjo City, from July 1 to November 1 of Reiwa 8 (2026) the section from the three-way junction to Yuinchi is scheduled to be closed off for work (admission fees remain as usual), and from November 2 of Reiwa 8 (2026) to January 5 of Reiwa 9 (2027) the section from Ujoguchi to the three-way junction is scheduled to be closed off. As most of the site will be off-limits during the latter period, admission will be free of charge and the visit will go only as far as Ujoguchi (the place for worshipping Kudaka Island from afar). Note that the area beyond the entrance to Sangui is off-limits at all times.
• Notes on visiting: The stone paths within the sacred site are slippery, and wheelchairs and strollers cannot be brought in. Visitors in high-heeled footwear can borrow shoes free of charge at the entrance. Because the screening room is being renovated, the introductory video about Sefa-utaki is shown in the hall of "Ganju Eki Nanjo" next to the ticket office.
• Inquiries: 098-949-1899 (Nanjo City Tourism Association / Midori no Yakata Sefa, for group and guided-tour reservations) / 098-917-5387 (Tourism and Commerce Division, Planning Department, Nanjo City)
• Official information: Official website of the World Cultural Heritage site Sefa-utaki / Official website of Nanjo City Hall (Tourism and Commerce Division; Cultural Affairs Division, Board of Education)

*The above is a guide based on information published by each facility and local government. Hours and fees may change, so please check official information before you set out.