Tsuken Island is a small island in Uruma City, in the central part of Okinawa Prefecture.
Ferries and high-speed boats run from Okinawa’s main island, taking about 30 minutes by ferry or 12 minutes by high-speed boat from Heshikiya Port in Uruma City to Tsuken Port.
Tsuken Island is known for its clear blue water and for Tsuken carrots, and has a population of about 350 as of April 2024.
Do make the trip out to Tsuken Island.
*Source: Population of Tsuken Island
Ratings for Tsuken Island
*Ratings are the subjective view of the Okinawa Bookmark editor, compared with other beaches in the prefecture
Getting to Tsuken Island
You can reach Tsuken Island by ferry from Heshikiya Port on Okinawa’s main island.
Here is how to do it.
- Head to Heshikiya Port and park at the harbour
- Buy a ticket to Tsuken Island at Heshikiya Port (a return ticket is best)
- Board the ferry
Here are the sailings and fares in table form.
| Departing Heshikiya Port (for Tsuken Island) | Departing Tsuken Port (for the main island) | Sailing | |
| 1st | 7:30 | 8:00 | High-speed boat |
| 2nd | 9:00 | 10:00 | Ferry |
| 3rd | 11:00 | 12:00 | Ferry |
| 4th | 14:00 | 15:00 | Ferry |
| 5th | 17:00 | 17:30 | High-speed boat |
- [Fares]
- Ferry (return): Adults 1,240 yen, children 630 yen
- Ferry (one way): Adults 650 yen, children 330 yen
- High-speed boat (return): Adults 1,530 yen, children 790 yen
- High-speed boat (one way): Adults 800 yen, children 410 yen
For full details on reaching Tsuken Island, see our article “Tsuken Island | Ferry times, how to get there and parking at Heshikiya Port“.
Activities on Tsuken Island
Tsuken Island has all sorts on offer, from day tours to snorkeling.
If you fancy trying something on Tsuken Island, why not see what is available on Viator or GetYourGuide?
A recommended day-trip route around Tsuken Island
For a day trip to Tsuken Island, we would suggest this order.
- Azuma Shoten
- Hotogaa
- The Carrot Observatory
- Tomai Beach
- Naka-no-Utaki
- Lunch at Kamiyasou guesthouse
- Yajiri-hama
- The old Tsuken Island lighthouse site
Here is each of them in turn.
Azuma Shoten
Azuma Shoten hires out bicycles for 500 yen a day.
You can buy food and drink here too, of course.
Another shop hires out electric scooters, so that is worth looking into as well.
Hotogaa
Hotogaa appears to take its name from a legend in which a pigeon discovered the spring.
*In the Okinawan dialect, hotou means pigeon and gaa means spring
The sea by Hotogaa was beautiful as well.
The Carrot Observatory
The Carrot Observatory is a lookout with a view over the whole of Tsuken Island.
The name presumably plays on the carrots the island is known for.
Even the seats inside the lookout are shaped like carrots.
Tomai Beach
Tomai Beach is where visitors to Tsuken Island tend to gather.
Plenty of people were swimming or trying marine activities, all making the most of the Okinawan sea.
There are photogenic touches too, such as the swing and the heart-shaped monument.
Naka-no-Utaki
Naka-no-Utaki is right next to Tomai Beach.
See the photo above for more on Naka-no-Utaki.
Lunch at Kamiyasou guesthouse
Kamiyasou offers both lunch and accommodation.
When we called in, there were plenty of guests staying there.
The birthplace of Akainko and Shinugu-gama
Akainko was active during the reign of King Sho Shin of the Second Sho Dynasty (1477-1526). An old verse holds that song and the sanshin began with the work of the deity Inkone-agari, and he is revered as the founder of Ryukyuan sanshin music.
Yajiri-hama
Yajiri-hama is a lovely spot with clear water and a view of the nearby uninhabited island of Afu-iwa.
Few visitors come, but a couple of people were fishing and others were sunbathing.
The old Tsuken Island lighthouse site
Built in 1896, this is said to have been the first lighthouse ever erected in Okinawa.
It was destroyed in the air raid of 10 October 1944 during the war, and only the upper platform remains today.
What’s nearby
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?
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.
Summary
This article introduced Tsuken Island in Uruma City.
Tsuken Island works as a day trip, which makes it a good option for residents of the main island and visitors alike.
Do consider a trip out to Tsuken Island.
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