Post-Corona, tourism in Okinawa and other major tourist destinations worldwide is growing strong. Investors, both Japanese and foreign, are busy developing new resorts. One of them will be on Minna Island, a small island of only 0.56 km in area, surrounded by beautiful emerald green waters and coral reefs off the coast of the northern part of the main island.

A consortium of Keihan Dentetsu Real Estate (Osaka), ZEKKEI (Naha City), Koike Design Works (Tokyo), and some others will build a luxury hotel. The total development is expected to cost about 60 billion yen, and the hotel, which will be constructed first, is scheduled to open in 2028. A heliport on the island and a dedicated helicopter shuttling resort guests from Naha Airport are also included in the plans. The company has acquired 132,000 square meters of land from all landowners, including residents, and has completed procedures to convert agricultural land to residential land.

Although there are currently a few guest houses on Minna Island, basically, there is only the ocean and the beach. The beautiful island area is only 0.47 square kilometers, with a circumference of only 4.6 km. 21 people are listed as residents as of March 2022, but the number of tourists visiting yearly is a whopping 60,000 or more. With easy access from the main island of Okinawa, shallow waters, and calm waves, the island is crowded every summer with young people and families enjoying marine sports. It is easily accessible by a 15-minute ferry ride from Motobu Port.

In addition to Minna Beach, which has changing rooms, toilets, and other tourist facilities, there is also Seagull Rock Beach, a natural beach and a favorite among divers and snorkelers. A general information center is right in front of Minna Beach, with other facilities such as changing rooms, lockers, showers, toilets, and kiosks to rent floats, parasols, rubber boats, and more. As there is nothing else, visitors should bring what they need.

We definitely recommend visiting Minna Island before the development progresses.

Boat (Minna Island - Watakuchi Port)

Fare (round trip): Adults ¥1,730 Children ¥880

Check with the boat operator before leaving the Motobu port for the island, as the boat is often canceled when the wind speed exceeds 15 m/s and the waves grow to a height of over one meter.