5 Photogenic Scenic Spots in Okinawa

Okinawa's nature is as vivid as if paint had been spilled. A crystal-clear emerald-green sea, a fiery sunset, a mysterious cape standing quietly... Each time you point your camera, superb scenery awaits that moves you to think, "Is this really Japan?" This time, we introduce five photogenic spots that are also talked about on Instagram

1. Kabira Bay｜The Miraculous Emerald Ishigakijima Is Proud Of

An absolutely unmissable spot if you come to Ishigakijima, one of Okinawa's foremost superb-scenery points. The scenery woven by the small islands floating within the bay and the breathtakingly transparent gradation of the sea is truly the height of "photogenic."

• Best time: 10 a.m.–12 noon. When the sun rises higher, the sea's transparency stands out, and the layers of emerald and deep blue shine beautifully
• Shooting technique: Shooting from the observatory in a bird's-eye view fits the whole bay's gradation into one frame. Including a person in the foreground creates depth—GOOD
• Access: About 40 minutes by bus from Ishigaki Airport

2. Kouri Great Bridge｜A Superb-Scenery Drive Running Over the Sea

A bridge about 2 km long connecting the Motobu Peninsula and Kourijima. The contrast between the blue sea spreading on both sides and the white road is overwhelming! Both a window shot while driving and a shot cropped from the foot of the bridge are picturesque.

• Best time: A clear morning is recommended. The light reflects off the sea surface and sparkles
• Shooting technique: Aiming at the whole bridge from the side near the bridge entrance makes the lines of the sea and bridge come out beautifully. A back shot is also stylish
• Access: About 90 minutes by car from Naha Airport

3. Irabu Great Bridge｜A Bridge Blending into Miyako Blue

The longest bridge in Japan that you can cross for free (about 3,540 m), connecting Miyakojima and Irabujima. The sight of the white bridge standing out against the sea of vivid blue called "Miyako Blue," unique to Miyakojima, is truly a loss for words.

• Best time: Evening, 5–6 p.m. The orange-dyed sky and the Miyako Blue sea blend together into dreamlike colors
• Shooting technique: Cropping the sea spreading straight out to the sides from atop the bridge in a vertical composition completes a three-layer stack of sky, bridge, and sea
• Access: About 15 minutes by car from Miyako Airport

4. Cape Zanpa｜The Drama of Rugged Cliffs and the Setting Sun

A sheer-cliff cape jutting out from the western part of Okinawa's main island. The contrast between the rugged Ryukyu limestone and the white waves crashing against it is dynamic and full of impact. At dusk, the sun setting at the cape dyes the sky deep crimson.

• Best time: From 30 minutes before sunset. Because it's a west-facing cape, it's the best location for shooting the setting sun
• Shooting technique: Shooting with the lighthouse as a silhouette and the setting sun as a backdrop completes a photogenic shot. Emphasizing the rock face from a low angle is also ideal
• Access: About 50 minutes by car from Naha Airport

5. Nirai-Kanai Bridge｜A Fantastical Slope That Seems to Continue into the Sky

A bridge with a beautiful downhill curve, in the hilly area of Nanjo City. The mysterious composition where the road seems sucked into the sky is superb scenery that makes everyone who sees it say, "Where is this!?" The Pacific Ocean spreads out below.

• Best time: Early morning when morning mist tends to appear, or a cloudy day with many clouds, conversely gives a fantastical atmosphere
• Shooting technique: Shooting from the observatory at the upper part of the bridge in a vertical composition perfectly expresses the worldview of a "road that continues into the sky"
• Access: About 40 minutes by car from Naha Airport

Okinawa's superb scenery is full of special places that become a "work of art" no matter where you crop it. By all means, take your favorite camera and go find your very own shot

Practical Information for Your Visit

• Best season and time of day: The colors of the sea are most vivid when the sun is high, from around 10:00 to 14:00. Cape Zanpa faces west, so around sunset is recommended, while the Nirai-Kanai Bridge faces east and is best around sunrise. In the typhoon season (summer to autumn), watch out for suspended services and closures.
• Opening hours / operating periods: Zanpa Misaki Lighthouse has set visiting hours, which differ by season and day of the week. Please check the official information from Yomitan Village or the Tokokai lighthouse association before you visit.
• Fees: The visitor donation for Zanpa Misaki Lighthouse is 300 yen for junior high school students and above (free for elementary school children and younger, and for holders of a disability certificate together with one accompanying person). Crossing or viewing Kabira Bay, the Kouri Bridge, the Irabu Bridge and the Nirai-Kanai Bridge is free of charge (the Irabu Bridge is the longest toll-free bridge in Japan).
• Access: The Irabu Bridge is about 15 minutes by car from Miyako Airport (3,540 m long, opened in January 2015). Kabira Bay is reached by local bus or taxi from Painushima Ishigaki Airport or Ishigaki Port Ferry Terminal. The Kouri Bridge links Yagaji Island in Nago City with Kouri Island in Nakijin Village (not the Motobu Peninsula).
• Parking: For the Irabu Bridge, use the parking space at the foot of the bridge on the Miyakojima side or the car park at Irabu Ohashi Umi-no-Eki on the Irabu Island side. The Kouri Bridge also has car parks at both ends. The viewing area at the upper end of the Nirai-Kanai Bridge has only a very limited number of parking spaces.
• Photography rules: Stopping or parking on the Irabu Bridge, the Kouri Bridge and the Nirai-Kanai Bridge, including on the shoulder, is prohibited. Even a brief stop to take a photograph is an offence, and taking photos while driving is a violation of the Road Traffic Act. Always park in a car park before taking your photographs. Kabira Bay is a Class 1 special zone of Iriomote-Ishigaki National Park and a nationally designated Place of Scenic Beauty, so collecting plants or animals and entering outside the designated areas are not allowed.
• Safety notes: The currents in Kabira Bay are extremely fast and dangerous, so swimming is not permitted. Never go into the water. Use a glass-bottomed boat to look beneath the surface. The cliffs at Cape Zanpa are about 30 m high and some stretches have no fence, so never step onto the cliff edge or beyond the railings. In summer you also need precautions against heatstroke (a hat and frequent drinks) and against dangerous creatures such as habu jellyfish.

Note: The Kouri Bridge links Yagaji Island (Nago City) and Kouri Island (Nakijin Village), not the Motobu Peninsula.

(Sources: Meets More MIYAKOJIMA, Miyakojima Tourism Association; Okinawa Story, the Okinawa tourism information website (Okinawa Convention & Visitors Bureau); Yomitan Village / Zanpa Misaki Lighthouse, Tokokai (Japan Lighthouse Association))