December 21, 2025 – Ada to Kouki Beach – 60 kms – Best Western Kouki Beach 

December 22, 2025 – Kouki Beach to Uruma – 45 kms – Seatopia House 

December 23, 2025 – Uruma – 49 km day ride – Seatopia House

December 24, 2025 – Uruma to Naha –  kms – 36 kms – Chura Ghana House

December 25, 2025 – Naha – no cycling – Chura Ghana House – Total distance cycled: 573 kms – Total number of islands visited: 8, with the addition of Henjajima, Miyagijima and Ikeijima

Ruth: Cycling from the northern tip of Okinawa to Naha is quite a transition, from stunning unbroken jungle to the urban concrete jungle of Naha. We cut back across to the western side of the island and stayed at the same hotel we used on our way up. The manager again greeted us like VIPs and gave us his best room for half the advertised price of the booking site. The breakfast was epic!

As we passed through Onna, we stopped for coffee at the home of Hanna and her husband Nick. We had met Hanna on Kumejima near the beginning of our trip. 

We crossed the island again to the east coast at Katsuren Peninsula. We stayed there two nights so that we could cycle the Kaichu-doro Drive. The Katsuren Peninsula is linked to four other Islands by bridges. The first bridge (really, mostly a causeway) is 4.75 kms long and lined with beaches. It was a windy day so we were not able to snorkel, but the ride was great. 

What the guide fails to mention is that the first island, Henja, is almost entirely covered by a petroleum tank farm. The amount of industry on these lovely coral islands is surprising. On the second island, Miyagi, we ran into a group of locals protesting. Behind them was a once lovely hill being carved away and flattened for more petroleum tanks. We stopped to chat and they were very happy to share their concerns with us. Thank you Google translate! 

Okinawa Island has a population density higher than the rest of Japan, at over 1000 per square kilometer. Okinawans have very little land, and what they have has also been carved away by American military bases that occupy about 20% of the island.  Much of the best arable land is underneath U.S. airfields. Without enough space, unfortunately, industry like tank farms are being pushed onto small islands like Miyagi.

It’s Christmas Day in Japan and we are spending it in the big concrete jungle of Naha. What says Christmas more than an all you can eat buffet at Shakey’s Pizza?  I don’t remember squid ink pizza on the menu at Shakey’s back in the 1970’s in Edmonton.