Zamami Island

Understand

Zamami Village is a part of the larger island group, the Kerama Islands (Keramashoto, 慶良間諸島), in Okinawa Prefecture, Japan. Zamami Village is a part of the Keramashoto National Park. It is also designated as a Wetland of International Importance under the Ramsar Convention. Known as a top diving locale since as early as the 1960s, Zamami offers ideal conditions for snorkeling, sea kayaking, standup paddleboarding, fishing, Nordic walking, enjoying the beach, and more. Zamami Village is comprised of three inhabited islands: Zamami, Aka (aka. Akajima, 阿嘉島), and Geruma (慶留間島).

Tourist information site The local tourist association has a bilingual guide site.

Getting there

Zamami is primarily reachable via the village-run ferries that depart from Tomari Port in Naha. All ferries stop at both 1 Zamami Port (Zamami Island) and Aka Port (Aka Island). There are two ferries: the new "Queen Zamami" (introduced in 2021) and the larger "Ferry Zamami 3". The Queen takes 50–70 minutes to reach Zamami depending on which port it goes to first. The Queen costs ¥3140 one-way and ¥5970 round-trip. The Ferry Zamami takes approximately 2 hours to reach Zamami Island and costs ¥2120 one-way (¥4030 round trip). You can book ferry tickets online via the Web Reservation System. (Click the "Log In" button to proceed.) Booking online requires a credit card. You can also book by phone by calling Zamami Village's ticket office in Tomari Port at Tel. 098-868-4567. You could always reserve tickets in person at Tomari Port. Reservations are always recommended during peak seasons (golden week, summer, August, September, October) as the ferries can become booked full (esp. Queen). You can also get to Zamami Village from neighboring Tokashiki Village's (Tokashiki Island) Aharen Port. You have to reserve tickets for Zamami's Mitsushima Inter-Island Ferry's Kerama Route by calling the ticket office on Zamami Island at 098-987-2614. The Kerama Route costs ¥700 traveling to Zamami Village (Zamami or Aka) and ¥800 traveling to Tokashiki. (Tokashiki levies a ¥100 "environment tax" for entering their port) Lastly, you can reach Zamami Village's Kerama Airport (Fukaji Island—connected to Geruma and Aka by bridges) via chartered helicopter. There are also a boat-charter operator in Zamami Village called Oscamintol (098-987-2356). Although the Zamami island isn't far from Tomari Port, there are only 2 or 3 ferries per day. You can either reach the island in the morning with the 09:00/10:00 ferries or in the afternoon with the 16:00 ferry. By using the Web Reservation System (link above) you can see the schedule of the ferries. Also please check, if you want to make a day tr

Getting around

You can walk to the two nearest beaches in about 20 minutes (1.5 km). There are also bicycle, electric bicycle, scooter, and car rentals available in the area near the port. Stop by the tourist information center in the port to grab a map. Zamami's quite hilly, and it's quite the workout to try to go around the island without a motor.

By bike or scooter Oki Rental at Ama Beach rents bikes and scooters. A bike hired there will cost ¥1,500 per day or ¥1,000 if you take the bike for three days or more. This is significantly cheaper than renting in Zamami Town.

By bus There is a village run bus with two routes that go to the two nearest beaches. The bus costs ¥300 per person one-way. Stop by the tourist information center to check the schedule. It primarily runs in unison with the arrivals and departures of the ferries.

By taxi There was one taxi on the island (there only can be one due to stringent Japanese laws on transportation), but it is out of service. It might be operating when you go, but again stop by the information center to find out if it's operating.

By ferry The Mitsushima Inter-Island Ferry runs between Zamami Island and Aka Island and costs ¥300 per person one-way.

See

In addition to its white-sand beaches, Zamami has multiple observation decks spread over the island that offer stunning views, best accessed by bicycle. The views of the turquoise sea and surrounding islets are well worth the demanding bike ride. It's fun to bring a pre-made boxed lunch up for a picnic (always take your trash with you!) Other on-land sights include a host of tropical birds that frequent the island. Zamami's got nice sunsets and on clear nights you can even see the Milky Way. In the water, you can see all kinds of coral and tropical fish by snorkeling. Lucky divers can even encounter manta rays during the right season. Every winter (end of Dec to beginning of Apr) humpback whales return to the waters around Zamami to breed, give birth to, and raise their young. There are whale watching tours available from Zamami port during that time. Email the Whale Watching Association to make reservations. 1 Furuzamami Beach has a small beach bar which rents parasols, sun-loungers and snorkeling gear. It is the only beach in Zamami with such facilities. The water of Furazamami Beach is crystal clear and coral and fishes are readily accessible.

Do

There are nice waters around the island so scuba diving is the most popular activity. Other options are snorkeling and sea kayaking. Standup paddleboarding is popular in the village. There are many marine-activity shops in the village, but the shops that accept customers who can only speak English seems to change quite frequently. Check the official English tourism page (Zamami Tourist Information) operated by the Zamami Village Office to see what shops are available and how to contact them.

Sea kayaking NatureLand Kayaks, Okinawa Prefecture Shimajiri-gun Zamami-son 426 zamami, ☏ +81 98-987-2187. Offers kayaking and snorkeling tours

Diving The island has many dive charter companies, and diving is their main tourist attraction. There are over 400 species of coral and 200 species of fish in the village's waters.

Snorkeling There are a number of diving and snorkeling points around the island but most snorkel at Furuzamami Beach and the Ama Beach. You can rent snorkeling equipment at Furuzamami Beach and nearby Ama Beach during the summer and peak seasons. It costs approximately ¥1500 per day for a 3-item set (snorkel, mask, and fins). Always wear a lifejacket. It keeps both you and the coral safe. Without a lifejacket, swimmers inadvertently stand on and kicke the coral. This kills the coral and the fish that inhabit it lose their home and disappear. Wear a lifejacket.

Standup paddleboarding Standup paddleboarding (SUP) involves standing on a long board and propelling oneself with a paddle. Zamami's sheltered waters provide a calm sea for participants to learn how to SUP. Standing on the ultra-transparent waters, you can see all kinds of fish and coral below. Standup paddleboarding tours often involve paddling to a nearby uninhabited island, snorkeling around the island, and paddling back. Check Zamami Tourist Information (ZTI) for an updated list of tour services.

Geocaching There are a number of geocaches on the