Timetable · Annual Schedule
沖縄県 · Calendar 2026
Seasonal windows and dated events, month by month. Entry pages are in Traditional Chinese; event names appear in their original Japanese.
January
6 itemsJanuary is whale-watching season, not beach season: humpbacks gather off Zamami. Evenings run on the Mihama American Village and Southeast Botanical Gardens illuminations, with the World Heritage ruins at Nakijin Castle for daylight hours and Hateruma's southern sky after dark. Pack a windproof layer.
February
6 itemsFebruary still favours land plans. Whale watching off Zamami is at its peak, and the World Heritage Nakijin Castle ruins fill the daytime. The Mihama American Village illumination winds up this month, while the Southeast Botanical Gardens one runs on. Water is still cold.
March
8 itemsA transition month: Zamami whale watching and the Southeast Botanical Gardens illumination both close out, while Yabiji snorkelling off Miyako and the mozuku season open. Higashi Village's azalea festival covers the land side, and crowds are still pre-peak.
April
8 itemsBeach season opens before typhoon season starts, making April one of the easiest months to plan water days: Yabiji snorkelling off Miyako, plus Naminoue Beach inside Naha. Mozuku and Motobu bonito are in season, and the Ryukyu Kaiensai fireworks land this month.
May
10 itemsPlan around the rainy season and keep indoor fallbacks, but the water calendar is already full: Yabiji snorkelling, Naminoue Beach, and bioluminescent night kayaking after dark. Gurukun, Motobu bonito and Higashi Village pineapple hit the table; Hateruma's Southern Cross window closes.
June
10 itemsExpect rainy-season weather early and full summer later — one trip can catch both. Yabiji snorkelling and the mozuku season both end this month, while Naminoue Beach and bioluminescent night kayaking run throughout. Mango arrives and sukugarasu is at its best.
July
10 itemsPeak summer and the busiest month: Churaumi fireworks at Ocean Expo Park, the Miyakojima summer festival and the Ryukyu Festival all fall here, with Naminoue Beach and night kayaking running throughout. Heat, crowds and early typhoon risk argue for a loose itinerary.
August
7 itemsAugust means typhoons: cancelled flights and closed roads become real risks, so build slack into rental-car and flight plans — that is what the typhoon rental-car guide is for. On clear days Naminoue Beach and night kayaking run as usual; mango peaks.
September
6 itemsTyphoon risk peaks, but summer crowds are gone and the sea is still warm — good value if your dates can flex. Bioluminescent night kayaking and Higashi Village pineapple close out this month; Naminoue Beach stays open. Check change-fee rules before booking.
October
7 itemsSummer eases into autumn: typhoon risk drops but is not gone. Manta diving opens at Kabira off Ishigaki, the Naha Tug-of-War fireworks are the big in-city event, and Naminoue Beach ends its swimming season at month's end.
November
8 itemsProbably the easiest month to walk around Okinawa: typhoon season is over and the heat has broken. The Mihama and Southeast Botanical Gardens illuminations start up, Hateruma's Southern Cross window reopens, manta diving continues off Ishigaki, and Okinawa International Carnival is the city draw.
December
8 itemsA mild winter month that rewards land-based plans: the Mihama and Southeast Botanical Gardens illuminations are both running, with Hateruma stargazing and Ishigaki manta diving still on. The Naha Marathon closes roads along its course on race day — plan around it. Evenings turn cool.