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Tonaki Island
渡名喜島
In three words: Sea Turtle Island
Recommended for: Sea lovers, nature lovers, people who want to see real Okinawa, people needing to escape the bustle of city life and people who like a drink.
Size: About 3km²
Population: About 400
Boats depart from: Tomari Port, Naha, Okinawa.
Tonaki and us: Our contributor, Andrew Miller lived there for 5 years and we took diving tours there regularly.
In Brief:
The tiny island of Tonaki is a place to go back in time and experience how Okinawa might have been before it was developed. Untouched by the battle of Okinawa Tonaki has maintained a historic atmosphere. Scattered with white beaches, sand paths, historic houses and sea turtles, time stands very still on Tonaki island. There are no crowds, just peace, beauty and quiet. This is where you come to escape.
Touristy?
Nothing could be further from the truth. At best, Tonaki is a place where some Japanese tourists might come to escape their city lives for a weekend. This is authentic peace, quiet and tranquility.
Getting there:
Tonaki Island is accessed through boats running from Naha City to Kume Island. Tonaki is halfway in-between Naha and Kume, and in this way, Tonaki is a great location for an island hopper on their way to or from the much bigger island of Kume. There are two boats. One is called the Ferry Ryukyu and the other the New Kumeshima. They run alternately so that one while is staying overnight in Naha, the other will be staying overnight in Kume. The official website can be found here. If you need help with this slightly confusing system please do get in touch.
You can charter a helicopter which can carry up to five people. It takes 20 minutes from Naha Airport to Tonaki Heliport and costs 129,600 yen one way on a normal day, but when booked at the last minute at a moment time when the boats aren’t running (typhoons, engine trouble etc.) a one way trip costs 34,560 yen.
Getting around:
Now this is where Tonaki offers something a little bit different. But first things first: Tonaki is tiny. You can walk everywhere if you so wish, but the sun does beat down hard so take care. Now here are the things you can rent: You can rent bicycles from a shop called Iriijo (西門). You can rent a car from Fukugiya (ふくぎや), but also from the same shop you can rent eco micro-cars for one person. These totally electric vehicles help you to zip around the island in an eco-friendly way. To get around island outside of the village, to the beaches and the snorkelling, I recommend renting something to make your time in the sun easier.
Food and Drink:
Considering the size and population of the island, there are surprisingly a few options for food and drink so you won’t go hungry.
Terminal Shokudo (ターミナル食堂) - Shokudo basically means cafeteria, so this is the boat terminal cafeteria. With chairs and tables which are good for those who struggle sitting on the floor, this place is famous for it’s Okinawa Soba, wheat noodles served in a pork broth with soft, slow cooked pork on top. Open 11:30-13:00.
Fukugi Shokudo (ふくぎ食堂) - The most famous place to eat in Tonaki. this brand also has the most popular accommodation and rental store on the island. They serve lunch from 11:30-13:00 and dinner from 17:30-22:00/23:00 and closed on Sundays.
Iriijo (西門) - An evening place for dinner and drinks with locals. Open 19:00-23:30.
Atoa Shokudo (あとあ食堂) - A night time place to drink. Irregular holidays and reservations only.
Shima Tofu Ya (島豆腐屋) - This little tofu maker rises at 3:00 am to prepare on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. You have to book your tofu in advance to buy it. Or you can try it at the Terminal Shokudo and maybe elsewhere too.
Try to make reservations before to guarantee your seat and meal, but showing up on the day should probably work out. There are also some small local shops which are essentially part of peoples houses who are running the shop. And you can have your own BBQ on the beach if you come prepared.
Accommodation:
There are some four places to stay. The most popular is Fukugiya (ふくぎや) which rent old red roofed Okinawan style cottages to people. Slightly more expensive than elsewhere, but still extremely reasonable at 7,000 yen for two meals and your stay, this place is a rare chance to stay in old Okinawan surroundings.
The other three are quite a similar fair. Minshuku Agarihama (民宿あがり浜) and Mishuku Muranaka (民宿ムラナカ) are both 6,000 yen for two meals and your stay. And Minshuku Tonaki (民宿となき) is the cheapest at a mind-blowing 5,000 yen for two meals and a stay, or 3,000 just to stay.
You won’t find these places on English speaking booking sights. If you would like help booking, please do get in touch.
The Sights:
The village - Undamaged in the battle of Okinawa and undeveloped, the island has maintained a historic, museum like feel to it. Roads remain sand paths and houses are old, traditional red-roofed Okinawan dwellings. In this way the village itself is an attraction to be seen.
The beaches - There are several beaches on Tonaki. Agarihama is the most accessible from the village. But others offer betting snorkelling opportunities. There’s also Anzerahama, Yubukuhama (sea turtles), Takatahama and Shugaahama (sunsets). Be warned that these beaches are not lifesaver equipped so go at your own risk and be especially careful with children. Snorkel gear can be rented by guests staying at Fukugiya from the accommodation itself.
The lit up paths at night - To not block out the stars, Tonaki has installed beautiful, warm foot lights all along the village stretching 800m. These paths have become an attraction themselves as they beautifully bring the old sand paths of Tonaki to life at night.
The view points - There are several gorgeous views that can be seen from shaded view points around the island.
The turtles and the whales - Tonaki is famed for an abundance of green sea turtles, which can be seen regularly. In the winter, humpback whales arrive to give birth in the waters around Tonaki and can be viewed from the island.
The stars - Never forget to go out and stare at the stars at night if you stay in Tonaki. For an even clearer view, get out of the village to where it is pitch black.
Tours and organised activities:
There are village tours conducted by locals who will try their best to translate things in English to you. There are also cooking classes for making local sweets available if you book in advance. Fukugiya offer sea turtle, coconut crab, snorkelling and starry night tours to their guests for a fee. Unfortunately there isn’t currently a dive shop on Tonaki. There are some great cave dives in Tonaki. People interested in this are better off staying on Aka or Zamami island for the chance to dive in Tonaki. Get in touch and we can try and make it happen but this is not easily booked.
A one night/two day itinerary:
Day 1: Check in and drop your stuff and go for lunch. Then take a guided tour of the village to understand the history and culture here. After this rent an eco micro-car and a snorkel for 24 hours. Enjoy the beaches, head to Shugaa beach for the sunset. After dinner at your accommodation, why not go drinking? You are likely to find locals at the watering holes.
Day 2: Take a sea turtle/snorkelling tour from Fukugi or simply continue to explore the beaches and tiny mountains.
Wildlife and sea life:
Tonaki is famous for green sea turtles but has a whole lot more too. There are coconut crabs, be careful these things can take a finger off. There are habu, the Okinawa pit viper. These snakes are aggressive and have a strong venom so beware! In the sea there are huge amounts of biodiversity in coral and fish as well as manta rays and much more. Cave dives are popular here. Humpback whales can be seen in the winter.
