On a day in mid-May, I headed south to visit a couple of locations in Nanjo City. As someone who grew up in the mid-to-south section of the island of Okinawa, this southern municipality was my quick, go-to destination. I still go there quite often, but there are some spots that I haven’t seen in a while. Curious about what they look like now after all these years, I decided to give them a visit.

Itokazu Castle Ruins

My first stop was at the Itokazu Castle Ruins. Although this site may be relatively low-profile if you compare it to the Nakagusuku Castle Ruins or Katsuren Castle Ruins, Itokazu is also impressive. Located at an altitude of 180 meters (591 feet), which is the highest among all the castle ruins in the southern part of the island, it also boasts a dimension of 49,806 square meters.

Itokazu is believed to have been built in the early 14th century with the purpose of defending Tamagusku Castle, which is located nearby. Attesting to its capabilities as a stronghold for defense, a high stonewall as high as 6 meters (approx. 20 feet) runs north to south.

The best way to access this site is via a parking lot on the side of Gusuku Road, a paved way that connects it to Tamagusuku Castle Ruins. When you walk toward the castle ruins, you will run into a couple of historic sites along the way such as Kurayashikiato, a site where locals lived, or Neishi Gusuku, a site to worship god, which had temporarily functioned as a castle until Itokazu Castle was completed. After a 5-minute walk through a forest, huge stonewalls will appear behind the woods.

Itokazu Castle Ruins

GPS Coordinates: N 26.151314, E 127.762373

Parking: N 26.151746, E 127.766434

View video

Tamagusuku Castle Ruins

Just a five-minute drive away from Itokazu Castle Ruins is another historic site that is well worth a visit. Legend has it that this castle was built by Amamikyo, a god who created Okinawa. It is one of the sacred sites for Agari Umaai, a traditional pilgrimage to the places where Amamikyo is thought to have lived.

The biggest feature of this historical site is its limestone arch sitting at the top. The narrow structure was hand carved and only allows one person through at a time. According to Nanjo City, its narrowness functioned to prevent enemies from coming inside. The top of the castle boasts an altitude as high as 180 meters, offering a good spot for a photo op.

Tamagusuku Castle Ruins

GPS Coordinates: N 26.144302, E 127.780651

Parking: N 26.144543, E 127.781745

Glass Boat tour at Miibaru Beach

On Nanjo City’s southern coast, Miibaru Beach was a regular swimming spot for me as a kid. Today, it is a major draw for tourists seeking a natural beach minus the resort vibes. Its sandy shore runs a kilometer long, including the neighboring Hyakuna Beach.

A refreshing swim is, of course, a great way for some fun, But a glass boat tour offers a change of pace. I tried this tour for the first time in decades, which brought me back to my childhood memories.

After departing from the pier, it took only several minutes for a large school of fish to appear below the boat’s glass bottom.

I spotted what I thought were familiar faces like the spangled emperor and yellow-brown wrasse, but those fish came by one after another to the point where it was difficult to tell one from the other.

At one point, the boat came to a stop, letting us observe a spot populated by many fish.

Then I noticed a sea turtle resting at the bottom of the sea. It did not show signs of movement, so it seemed to be snoozing and reminded me of when I snorkeled around the Kerama Islands.

The boat tour ran just 20 minutes, but it let me enjoy memorable scenes without getting wet. 

Once I was back on the shore, I felt thirsty under the strong sunshine so I grabbed a refreshment at the eatery by the boat ticket counter.

To cool off, I had an ichigo kakigoori premium (premium strawberry shaved ice) for 950 yen.

It felt a lot more like sherbet or gelato thanks to its extremely fluffy texture. And it came in a large size. I took my time digging into the sweet, icy mountain as I enjoyed the beautiful view of summer before me, thinking back to the time I spent eating shaved ice at the same location when I was a kid.

Mi-baru Marine Center

Glass boat tour:

1,800 yen (12 years old and above)

1,000 yen (ages between 4 and 11)

Free for three years old and under.

Hours: 9 a.m. – 6 p.m.

View video

Ukinju Hainju

Just about a five-minute drive away from Miibaru Beach is this pair of springs. This is another location related to Amamikiyo believed to be the creator of Okinawa. Additionally, the site is also thought to be where rice farming began in the area.

Every January in the lunar calendar, a famous traditional ceremony is held here to pray for a rich harvest. The rest of the year, however, this is a quiet place to reflect and enjoy the stillness which had a soothing and lulling effect on me. 

Ukinju Hainju

GPS Coordinates: N 26.137720, E 127.793103

*Paid parking is available nearby.

Café The Palm

As I was on my way back home, I stumbled upon Café The Palm, a new establishment on a hill overlooking the southern coast.

This hidden gem in a brown cottage is nestled in the lush greenery. Inside, it felt more like a resort villa in a tropical location thanks to the view of the forest through the large windows.

Café The Palm’s menu ranges from Indian dishes to Western dishes. But, after learning that the café’s chef, Kathait Jagbir Hukamushign, worked in a five-star hotel in India, I decided to try the butter chicken curry from the eight options available on the menu.

The meal set (1,800 yen) included soup and salad, which I enjoyed. For a drink that came with the set, I chose lassi. The soup had a taste of chicken broth as its base, but it was also mixed with vegetable flavors and spiciness. The savory taste of the soup was intriguing. It took me just a few minutes to finish it.

When my order was brought to the table, I was instantly hooked by the aroma of the curry sauce and naan. As I chose level 1 for spiciness, the sauce didn’t burn my tongue. Still, its savory taste felt great. The naan was humongous, so I was not sure if I could finish it myself. But once I took a bite, I realized that the fresh-out-of-oven dough was hard to resist. It took me just about five minutes to eat it all. I can say for sure that the butter chicken curry was one of best I have had in my life. Enjoying the authentic and delicious curry while taking in the beautiful view of the Okinawan forest made my day.

After my hearty meal, I took a walk in the forest adjacent to the café. This area is considered a place of worship, so the trails and footpaths were well-maintained and provided a nice place to walk off my full stomach and relax a little before heading home.

Café the PALM

GPS Coordinates: N 26.146717, E 127.792372

Hours: 11 a.m. – 10 p.m. (last order at 9:30 p.m.)

Website

related stories

• Yummy Indian curry at Cafe The Palm, Nanjo, OKinawa
• Exploring Okinawa: Ukinju Hainju pair of beautiful springs in Nanjo
• Fun on Okinawa: Join glass boat tour at Miibaru Beach
• Exploring Okinawa: Tamagusuku Castle Ruin offers fantastic views
• A walk through Okinawa’s Itokazu Castle Ruins