Parasailing off the coast of Uruma in Okinawa

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Uruma Travel Guide: The Sea Road and the Islands of Okinawa

   

Written by:

Jun

A practical English guide to Uruma in Okinawa: the Kaichu road over the sea, the Katsuren peninsula, the islands and access from Naha.

Operational details such as opening hours, admission fees, and train times can change. Prefer official pages and reconfirm before you travel (sources checked on 07 November 2026).

Why visit

  • Uruma is a city on the east coast of Okinawa’s main island, formed from the merger of four towns, and it is the place where the island reaches out to the small islands of the Pacific. It is a long, rural municipality of coast, hills and villages, and it has one of the great drives of Okinawa: the road that runs across the sea to the islands.
  • The sea road is the attraction. The Kaichu road runs on a causeway and bridges over the shallow water to the islands of Henza, Miyagi, Ikei and Hamahiga, with the reef and the sea on both sides, and the drive is short and spectacular. The islands at the end are quiet, with the beaches and the fishing villages.
  • The second is the Katsuren peninsula. The castle of Katsuren stands on a hill above the sea, a World Heritage site, with the walls and the view over the bay and the islands, and the surrounding coast has the beaches and the ports. The castle is one of the best of the Ryukyu sites.
  • The third is the food and the position. The city has the fish of the east coast, the Okinawan vegetables and the local restaurants, and it is within an hour of Naha and the airport. It is a good base for the east side of the island, away from the resort strip.

Top places and highlights

Parasailing off the coast of Uruma in Okinawa
Photo: Kugel~commonswiki · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
The coast at Yonashiro in Uruma, Okinawa
Photo: 米田賢一 · CC BY 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons
The village of Katsuren-haebaru in Uruma, Okinawa
Photo: Fumihiko Ueno · CC BY 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons

The Kaichu road

The road runs on a causeway and bridges over the shallow water to the islands of Henza, Miyagi, Ikei and Hamahiga, with the reef and the sea on both sides. The drive is short and spectacular. The sunset and the high tide are the best times.

Katsuren castle

The castle on the hill above the sea is a World Heritage site, with the walls, the gates and the view over the bay and the islands, and it was the seat of a local lord in the Ryukyu period. The walk up takes about twenty minutes. The view is the reward.

The islands

Henza, Miyagi, Ikei and Hamahiga are quiet, with the beaches, the fishing villages and the causeways between them, and the pace is slow. The snorkelling and the swimming are good. The islands are the rural Okinawa.

The east coast

The coast of the city has the small ports, the sea walls and the views over the Pacific, with the sunrise and the trade winds, and the walk along the shore is quiet. The fishing boats are the morning sight.

The beaches

The city has the beaches of the east coast and the islands, with the clear water and the reef, and they are quieter than the west coast resorts. The swimming and the snorkelling are easy. The facilities are limited.

The local food

The restaurants serve the fish of the east coast, the Okinawan soba and the local vegetables, at the prices of a rural city. The food is plain and cheap. The shops sell the local produce.

The access

The city is within an hour of Naha and the airport, on the roads that cross the island, and it is a practical base for the east side. The buses run along the coast. The combination with the south makes a full day.

Food and drink

  • Okinawan soba and the local fish are the everyday dishes.
  • The vegetables and the seaweed of the east coast are the local produce.
  • The restaurants near the ports serve the catch plainly.
  • The local sweets and the brown sugar confections are sold in the shops.
  • The island cafes serve the simple meals and the drinks.

Getting there and around

  • Uruma is about an hour by car from Naha, on the roads across the island.
  • The airport is about an hour away by car.
  • The buses run along the coast and to the islands, with a limited service.
  • A car is the practical way to reach the sea road and the islands.
  • The Kaichu road is free and open.

Where to stay

  • A few hotels and guesthouses operate on the coast and the islands.
  • Naha has the widest choice and is an hour away.
  • The island guesthouses are simple and cheap.
  • Book ahead in summer, when the beaches are busiest.

Best time to visit

  • Spring is warm and clear, with good conditions for the sea road.
  • Summer is hot, with the beaches and the snorkelling at their best.
  • Autumn is warm and comfortable, the best season for the coast.
  • Winter is mild, with fewer visitors and good conditions for walking.

Practical tips

  • The sea road is narrow in places; drive carefully.
  • The castle walk is steep; wear shoes for the steps.
  • The beaches have limited facilities; bring water and shade.
  • The buses are infrequent; a car makes the difference.
  • The restaurants close early in the rural areas.
  • The castle is a World Heritage site; do not climb on the walls.

Suggested day-trip outline

  1. Morning: the drive from Naha to Uruma.
  2. Late morning: Katsuren castle and the view.
  3. Lunch: Okinawan soba near the port.
  4. Afternoon: the Kaichu road and the islands.
  5. Late afternoon: the beach on Ikei or Hamahiga.
  6. Evening: the sunset over the sea, then the drive back.

Before you go

Timetables, fares, admission fees, and seasonal access rules can change. Check the official tourism and transport sites linked below for the latest information before you travel.

Explore More of Japan

Published guides that pair with this one:

Browse every Okinawa guide on this site for the rest of the region.

Sources

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