Okinawa Island Days: Selling Kerama and Kudaka

Okinawa island day trips for groups are getting fresh attention this season. The prefecture is promoting 15 smaller islands around the main island until the end of February 2027, and agents with Okinawa programmes are being asked which of them are realistic. Our Japan team covers the islands themselves in its note on Okinawa's smaller islands; this page looks at them from the side of an agent quoting and selling the day.

What Is the 15-Island Campaign?

• Who runs it. The Okinawa Convention & Visitors Bureau, working with The Pokémon Company, began a campaign on 1 October 2026 that gives visitors a sticker of Growlithe, Okinawa's support Pokémon, on each of 15 islands around the main island.
• How long. It runs until the end of February 2027, or until stickers run out.
• Who can collect. Visitors show identification and proof that they arrived on the island within the past week, such as a ferry ticket.
• What it means for agents. It is a reason to talk about the islands with clients, not a reason to change a plan. The practical choice still comes down to ferries.

Which Islands Can We Sell to Groups?

• The Kerama Islands. Zamami, Aka, Geruma and Tokashiki are part of Kerama Shoto National Park. Japan's Ministry of the Environment gives a high-speed ferry time of about 35 to 50 minutes from Tomari Port in Naha. Beaches, snorkelling and, in winter, whale watching sell well.
• Kudaka Island. A small, flat island off the south-east coast of the main island, regarded in Okinawan tradition as sacred, with ferries from Azama Port in Nanjo. It suits groups interested in culture, and we brief clients on the sites they may not enter.
• Further out. Islands such as Ie or Iheya need more time and suit smaller groups; the Daito Islands need flights and an overnight.

How Do We Quote an Island Day?

• Book seats early. Ferry seats are limited and sell out at weekends and in summer, so we hold group space well ahead.
• Return before the last boat. We put the group on an earlier sailing, so a delay does not strand anyone.
• Always a fallback. Typhoons and strong wind can cancel ferries, so every island day has a main-island alternative that the client agrees to in advance.
• Arrange the basics. Islands have few restaurants and little transport, so meals and local transfers are booked before the trip.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long is the ferry to the Kerama Islands?

Japan's Ministry of the Environment gives about 35 to 50 minutes by high-speed ferry from Tomari Port in Naha, depending on the island.

Is Kudaka Island suitable for groups?

Yes, as a half-day or day trip by ferry from Azama Port in Nanjo. Some sacred sites are closed to visitors, so we brief clients before they go.

What happens if the ferry is cancelled?

The group follows the main-island alternative agreed in advance. We check the forecast the day before and confirm or switch the plan.

How long does the island campaign run?

From 1 October 2026 to the end of February 2027, or until the stickers run out on each island.

Sources: Okinawa Convention & Visitors Bureau campaign page (Japanese) and Ministry of the Environment: Kerama Shoto National Park access.

Where Explera Fits

Our Japan team builds Okinawa programmes for groups, holds ferry space, plans a fallback for every island day and confirms each arrangement with suppliers in Japanese.

Write to b2b@explera.jp or message +66 93 656 8090 on WhatsApp. Explera DMC is IATA TIDS-registered (96215733) and an ASTA member (900408341).