Where to Stay & Things to Do in Okinawa- Chatan-Cho and Naha City

I made a sudden decision to go see my son who's stationed at Camp Foster in Okinawa Japan a few weeks ago.

On this visit, rather than staying at a larger hotel such as Hilton, ( I don't like Hilton, it has nothing to do with their prices ), I chose this smaller yet luxurious and relaxing accommodation called Terrace Garden Mihama Resort. It's a boutique hotel located close to American Village, many restaurants and attractions.

The guest rooms are located from The third to the ninth floor and they are spacious. The living room has large windows with a terrace garden and an ocean view. The airy bathroom is complete with a shower and a jacuzzi. The bathroom floor and walls are white marble which compliments the calming space. The toilet seat heats up; a bonus especially in cooler weather.

The dining room is small but offers a course menu of organic breakfast every morning ( by reservations only, about $15 USD ). It's a nice place to stay for the value ( about $130 USD per night ). There is a small bar adjacent to the restaurant.

The weather in Okinawa in winter months can vary from 60-50 degrees fahrenheit. A coat or jacket is a must; the winds blowing in from the ocean are cold. Most people visit here in the summer months and enjoy the beaches. It's scenic in a different way in December; American Village is decorated festively with Christmas lights and holiday decorations.

American Village is located by the ocean ( Mihama Beach ) and it's a tourist attraction. There are many interesting shops, restaurants and hotels. There is a big shopping mall (Aeon Mall) and a grocery store. Having Starbucks just a block down from the hotel proves essential since most coffee shops / breakfast restaurants don't open till 10:00 am.

On my last full day, I decided to take a bus down to Naha. There wasn't a lot of helpful bus information online. Thankfully, the staff at the hotel was helpful and provided with me the directions of the bus stop. It took about 50 minutes to get to Naha area by a bus.

The best place to disembark was around Kousai-Dori, a stretch of road bustling with many visitors and locals shopping and dining. The most intriguing part of my trip to Naha was taking a stroll down Tsuboya Pottery Street. There are many pottery and artistic ceramic cafe shops displaying Shisas and hand-made ceramic dishes. A Shisa is an imaginary animal created in the image of lion. It was brought into Okinawa from ancient China in the fifteenth century and has been regarded as a guardian symbol in Okinawa.