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Zamami Village Office
HOME > Japan’s Local Treasures > Beautiful "Kerama Blue" of Zamami
Enjoy the island life surrounded by incredible biodiversity and scenery
Zamami Village Tourism Association
Zamami Village in the Keramashoto National Park in Okinawa is a unique place. Composed of three inhabited islands, Zamami, Aka and Geruma, and numerous uninhabited islands, it is famous for the color of the sea surrounding it, a vivid shade of blue that has been affectionately called “Kerama Blue” and is the result of a complex combination of factors. The Kuroshio current keeps plankton levels low and there are no rivers that carry sediments into the sea, so it remains extremely clear by absorbing all the colors of the sunlight except for the blue.
Take a boat ride from Tomari Port in Naha and come spend a day or more in Zamami. You will be able to enjoy its blue waters surrounded by incredible biodiversity. Spot sea turtles, colorful corals and fishes, Kerama deer, and even humpback whales in the winter. Start your day by going snorkeling. The sea remains warm for most of the year, so you can enjoy it even when the summer is over.
After having fun in the water, take a walk to one of the different observatories of the islands. Takatsuki-Yama Observatory is just 30 minutes away from Zamami Hamlet and offers breathtaking views of the Kerama archipelago. If you stay overnight, you would do well to have a walk to Kami-no-Hama Observatory and admire the sunset and the starry sky from there.
Yet, if you feel like simply having a relaxing day, it is also possible. Just lie on the sand and then enjoy Okinawan cuisine cooked with locally sourced ingredients at one of the various restaurants of the islands, including mozuku seaweed, jimami-dofu (tofu with peanuts), Okinawan soba or seafood caught in the morning.
How to get there
To get to Zamami Village, take a high-speed boat to Zamami Island (50-70 minutes) from Tomari Port on Okinawa Main Island. A ferry also connects Tomari Port to Aka Island (1.5 hours) and Zamami Island (2 hours).
Ao no Yukuru-Kan Visitor Center
95 Zamami, Zamami-son, Shimajiri-gun, Okinawa-ken
