Kume Island

Welcome to Kume Island, or Kumejima, a place often hailed as the most beautiful island in the Okinawa prefecture. Located about one hundred kilometers west of the main island of Okinawa, Kumejima is a sanctuary of diverse natural…

Your introduction to the island’s beauty likely begins at Eef Beach, a two-kilometer stretch of white sand on the island’s eastern shore. Ranked as one of Japan’s top one hundred beaches, Eef Beach is famous for its shallow,…

Across a bridge to the small neighboring island of Ojima lies one of Kumejima's most extraordinary natural monuments: the Tatami-ishi. These are uniquely shaped stones that look like a floor of giant, interlocking pentagonal and…

For the most spectacular view of Kumejima, you must travel to the top of Uusu Mountain, where the ruins of Uegusuku Castle sit. This is the highest castle site in all of Okinawa, offering a three-hundred-and-sixty-degree panorama…

No visit to Kumejima is complete without exploring its most famous cultural export: Kumejima Tsumugi. The island is considered the origin of tsumugi silk culture in Japan, with a history that stretches back over five hundred…

The ultimate symbol of Kumejima’s natural splendor is Hatenohama, a massive, seven-kilometer-long sandbar located offshore. Often called 'the best beach in East Asia,' Hatenohama is actually composed of three separate sandbars:…

As you prepare to depart Kume Island and head back to the main island of Okinawa or beyond, you carry with you the vibrant colors and quiet strength of this unique place. Kumejima is an island that reveals its secrets slowly—from…