Okinawa’s Southernmost Arakotsu
👋 Haisai! It’s CULT here.
Today, I’m going to talk about a slightly unusual place you can visit by rental car in Okinawa. It’s not exactly a must-visit spot, mainly because the journey there is a bit rough and wearing trainers is almost mandatory. It’s a bit much for a casual outing. I’m talking about Ara Cape, the southernmost point of Okinawa.
If your trip to Okinawa is a long one or you’re looking for a unique experience, visiting Ara Cape might be worth considering. As someone who has to introduce everything about Okinawa, I felt obliged to visit 🤗
📌 Location and Access
The southernmost tip of Okinawa, Arakotsu, can be reached by car up to a certain point, but from there, you need to venture through forest paths. Therefore, it’s best to park in a nearby open space. As it’s a natural landscape, there are no specific opening hours, and since the terrain involves contact with grass and skin, it’s advisable to bring long clothing. [Google Map]
First of all, this place… is surrounded by private property and fields. So if you park just anywhere, you might get scolded by the farmers and have to pay a settlement for trespassing. If you go a bit further in, there’s an open space, but be careful as it’s an unpaved road.
At this point, you’ll encounter a road where you can no longer proceed by car, so it’s best to park here. This isn’t a typical tourist spot; it’s more frequented by surfers and anglers. That’s why only regular visitors know about this little parking area’s secret.
This is the infamous bush path. You have to bend halfway and push through the undergrowth. That’s why we advise against it for those on a light trip. There are especially many places like this in the southern part of Okinawa.
🗿 Okinawa’s Southernmost Cape Ara
As you make your way through the dense forest path, you’ll come across Ara Cape like this. A large stone resembling a dolmen serves as the landmark here. Other than that, there’s nothing particularly special. For your information, the southern part has strong waves, so you can easily spot surfers and people fishing.
The cobblestone path is quite uneven, so wearing trainers is a must. I definitely do not recommend coming here in casual slippers or high-heeled shoes. When I visited, there were many lilies in bloom.
The temperature that day was 33 degrees Celsius, so wearing long clothes is essential for fishing. However, the strong winds here help to offset the heat to some extent.
There are natural rock formations that appear rugged, and while they might seem a bit gentle in photos, it’s the perfect terrain to twist an ankle if you misstep.
This is the southernmost point of Okinawa, Arakotsu. Not particularly… impressive, right?
So, I only recommend visiting for those on a long Okinawa trip, feeling a bit bored, or looking for something special. After exploring here, I suggest heading to Kushiya Yamashiro in the evening for some yakitori. It’s really delicious.
