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The Atlas Obscura Guide To Okinawa

6 Cool, Hidden, and Unusual Things to Do in Okinawa, Japan

Updated December 9, 2021

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Unusual Attractions in Okinawa

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Artisans & Exiles: Exploring the Hidden Traditions of Japan’s Sado Island

Exploration through a history of exile, gold rush, and thriving cultural traditions.

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Stories About Okinawa

Few have ventured into the narrow tunnels of Dai 32 Gunshireibu-go since the Japanese army abandoned the bunker in May 1945 during the Battle of Okinawa.

Could an Infamous WWII Bunker Become a Symbol of Peace?

The tunnels under Okinawa's Shuri Castle should be preserved as a reminder of the costs of war, advocates say.
by Azby Brown
Iriomote is famously unsullied—with the exception of its problematic poop.

Leave Only Footsteps and Take Your Poop When Visiting Japan's Lush Iriomote Island

"Tent toilets" are helping to remedy a stinky situation.
by Alice Barnes-Brown
Shikina Cemetery in Naha, the capital of Okinawa, Japan.

The Graveside Festival That Celebrates the Dead in Okinawa

Shimi, or “grave-sweeping festival,” takes place every April on the southernmost islands of Japan.
by Allan Richarz
The monument commemorating the driving-side switch on July 30, 1978.

40 Years Ago, Okinawans Returned to Driving on the Left

A stone monument marks this symbolic last moment of post-WWII repatriation.
by Allan Richarz

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