Akajima

“Where to find Halal food or a Halal restaurant in Akajima, or perform Salat in a mosque in Akajima?“ “Those are some of the questions Muslim travelers often ask when traveling to Akajima.“ Akajima (阿嘉島), also written and pronounced Akashima, is an island belonging to the group of Kerama Islands in Okinawa Prefecture, Japan. The island is commonly referred to as Aka and is popular with tourists from Okinawa and mainland Japan. Akajima1 - Bridge between Akajima Island (left) and Gerumajima Island (right)

Travel to Akajima

Kerama Airport on the neighboring uninhabited island of Fukaji would be easily accessible, but as of 2009 has no scheduled services. The usual approach is thus to take the high speed ferry from Naha city on Okinawa Island. The journey takes about 1 hour and makes a stop at the larger Zamami island before stopping at Aka Port. There is a cheaper ferry but you will get less time to enjoy the island. Return ferries to Naha depart around 5PM and costs about ¥3,000.

Getting around

26.19127|127.28110 Aka can easily be explored on foot, bicycle or kayak. The heat can make moving about difficult but there are plenty of opportunities to jump in the sea and cool off. The islands of Geruma (慶留間), population 81 and Fukaji (外地島), population zero plus the airport, are connected to Akajima by bridge.

Sightseeing Tips

Venture around the island to discover remote beaches. There are 3 observation towers on Aka where you can take photographs of Aka's unspoilt beauty. When leaving Aka Port the local residents like to wave goodbye and perform acrobatic dives into the sea. Watch out for the giant Okinawan tree spiders if you take the beaten paths down to the sea. There are also deer that swim between the islands.

What to do as a Muslim in Akajima

Snorkel, scuba dive or kayak from any beach and you will soon encounter a rich variety of tropical sea life.

Muslim Friendly Shopping

Buy snorkeling equipment before you arrive. Other than food there is not much to buy on Aka.

Halal Restaurants

Please be informed that on some destination such as Akajima we had no local Muslim that has researched some of the area. If you are a Muslim/Muslima and have been to Akajima or would like to maintain the eHalal Guide to Akajima, please contact us at guides@ehalal.io and email us your updates.

There is a shack style restaurant near Aka Port but facilities on the island are basic. The local residents are extremely friendly and will soon point you in the right direction. If staying at a local guest house you can often eat with your hosts.

Where to stay

There are some guest houses and rooms to hire on Aka but no large hotels. Camping on beaches is strictly forbidden, although it's quite acceptable to drink and eat on the beaches until sunrise. You might want to befriend a local Okinawan to help you source lodging.

Akajima Halal Travel Guide

After a day on Aka you will not want to leave, but the neighbouring islands within the Kerama Islands group are all worth a visit. Copyright 2015 - 2024. All Rights reserved by eHalal Group Co., Ltd.
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