Gushikawa Beach sits in Uruma City, in the central part of Okinawa’s main island.
Hardly any tourists come here; it is a local beach where residents turn up for a walk.
As Okinawan beaches go it is not the prettiest, but it suits anyone who wants to sit on a bench and let the afternoon pass.
There is no rule against swimming, but there are no facilities either, so do take real care if you go into the water.
Ratings for Gushikawa Beach
*Ratings are the subjective view of the Okinawa Bookmark editor, compared with other beaches in the prefecture
Gushikawa Beach at a glance
| Swimming season | None in particular |
| Hours | None in particular |
| Jellyfish net | None |
| Lifeguard | None |
| Showers | None |
| Lockers | None |
| Rentals | None |
| Activities | None |
| Shop | None |
| Restroom | None |
| Official website | None |
This beach has no swimming facilities at all.
There is no jellyfish net and no lifeguard either, so please take care of your own safety in the water.
Highlights
A long breakwater
A breakwater runs a good way along the shore; not to the metre, but roughly 500 metres.
A lovely beach
There was almost no one about when we visited.
It is not a tourist spot, so it did not look heavily maintained, but it is a lovely beach all the same.
There are benches
Benches are set out for a rest, though there is no shade, so a sun umbrella might be worth bringing.
Please note
There is a sign at Gushikawa Beach asking visitors not to leave rubbish, so please take yours home with you.
Access & Parking
| Access | About 70 minutes by car from Naha Airport |
| Address | Gushikawa, Uruma City, Okinawa |
| Parking | Yes (free) |
| Restroom | None |
There is somewhere to park at Gushikawa Beach.
It is less a car park than an open patch of ground along the shore, but you can leave a car there.
See the map below for details.
What’s nearby Gushikawa Beach
Activities in Uruma City
Uruma City offers all kinds of marine activities.
You can book diving, snorkeling, SUP and more.
If you would like to enjoy diving or snorkeling, why not see what is available on Viator or GetYourGuide?
Uken Beach
Uken Beach is a well-kept man-made beach much loved by locals, and with BBQ facilities on site, plenty of residents come every year to swim and cook out.
It has a jellyfish net and lifeguards on duty, so everyone from adults to children can relax there.
Uken Beach is about five minutes by car from Gushikawa Beach, so head there if swimming is what you are after.
The Kaichu-doro sea road
The Kaichu-doro is a road about 5 km long that runs across the water like a bridge.
It links four islands off the Katsuren Peninsula: Hamahiga, Henza, Miyagi and Ikei.
All four are islands, but the Kaichu-doro connects them to the mainland, so you can drive straight across.
Hamahiga Island
Hamahiga Island is a very small island, 6.69 km around, with a population of 531 according to Wikipedia.
It is one of several islands in Okinawa known as an “island of the gods”, and legend has it that Amamikiyo (Amamichu) and Shinerikiyo (Shirumichu), the deities said to have created Ryukyu, once lived here.
Locals and visitors alike come to take in the atmosphere at places such as the Shirumichu shrine and the tomb of Amamichu.
The beaches are not widely known, but Hamahiga Island has plenty of hidden gems.
Source: Wikipedia *as of 3 November 2021
Ikei Island Onsen AJ Resort Island Ikei
Ikei Island Onsen AJ Resort Island Ikei is a resort hotel on Ikei Island, one of Okinawa’s smaller islands.
Every room has an ocean view, and there is an outdoor pool and hot spring on site.
A rental car is the way to go in Okinawa
A rental car is by far the best way to get around the main island of Okinawa.
Shuri Castle in Naha, the beautiful beaches up north, American Village in Chatan and the rest are scattered all over the island, so having a car lets you explore at your own pace. Buses are infrequent and rarely run to time, so whether or not you have a car makes a real difference to the trip.
Popular seasons book up quickly, so reserve early once your dates are set.
In summary
This article introduced Gushikawa Beach.
Hardly any tourists come here; it is a local beach where residents turn up for a walk.
At most you will find a few locals out walking, so it is never busy.
It suits anyone who wants to sit on a bench with friends or family and take it slow.
Do stop by Gushikawa Beach.
Thank you for reading to the end.
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