The Kerema archipelago, in Okinawa, is one of the most beautiful place I have to. Located two hours away from Naha, the archipelago seems lost in the ocean. You can either stay at Aka-Jima or Zamami-Jima, the one I visited. The visit begins with the small village of Zamami !
After a two hours ferry ride from Naha, you’ll arrive at lunchtime in the beautiful village of Zamami. You will be greeted by a few locals who have come to welcome the daily ferry. The village of Zamami has 600 inhabitants, here everyone knows each other !The city has a few restaurants, and for your first lunch, I recommend the restaurant Wayama Mozuku to taste the local specialty : Okinawa Soba.
Then, stroll through the streets of the city, you will not be disturbed by cars. Here, time passes at a different speed. The calm atmosphere is soothing.
East of the village, you will come across the Summer House Yuyu, famous for its statues from Studio Ghibli, made from the waste collected on the beaches of the island.
To get a good view of the place, you can go to Zamami Village Peace Monument. It’s no more than a 5min walk starting from the school. I believe it’s important to go there to understand how the Zamami inhabitants were affected by WWII. The scenic view of the city is impressive: a small village surrounded by lush nature, small islands and the ocean.
There are many options of guesthouses, hotels or ryokan in Zamami, for all budgets. In addition, you can eat at different restaurants or buy food at the store.
Informations :
Access: From Naha, you can take either the Ferry Zamami (2h for 4030 yens roundtrip) or the High-Speed Queen Zamami (70 min for 5970 roundtrip)