How about spending a full day driving the quiet southern coast near Naha Airport at your own pace? Itoman City offers a sheer-cliff cape close to the southernmost tip of the main island, parks with wide views of the sea, and a roadside station stocked with local fish and vegetables. It is also a place with many sites that keep the memory of the Battle of Okinawa alive.
This article puts together a model course linking Kyan Misaki, the Himeyuri Monument, the Peace Memorial Park, Bibi Beach Itoman, Michi-no-Eki Itoman and Senaga Island, written from the driver’s point of view. Opening hours and prices are limited to what we could confirm from official information from Okinawa Prefecture, Itoman City and each facility; anything we could not confirm is marked “please check the official website.” One chapter is also devoted to how to behave at memorial sites.
The Big Picture: A Day Along the Itoman and Southern Coast
The Order of Stops and How Long to Stay
All six places in this course sit within a range you can cover as a day trip from Naha Airport. The war sites and memorials are best visited when it is quiet, so it is a good idea to put them early in the morning. Both the Himeyuri Peace Museum and the Okinawa Prefectural Peace Memorial Museum open at 9:00, so visit the memorial sites in the morning, then ease into the afternoon with the sea and the roadside station, and the day becomes much easier to plan.
| Stop 1 | Himeyuri Monument and Himeyuri Peace Museum (Itoman City’s guide suggests about 40 minutes) |
|---|---|
| Stop 2 | Peace Memorial Park and Okinawa Prefectural Peace Memorial Museum (the same guide suggests about 120 minutes) |
| Stop 3 | Kyan Misaki (the same guide suggests about 15 minutes). It also works well in the late afternoon |
| Stop 4 | Michi-no-Eki Itoman (a meal and souvenirs). It is in the same Nishizaki-cho district of Itoman as Bibi Beach Itoman |
| Stop 5 | Bibi Beach Itoman (in 2026, swimming is open until the end of October) |
| Last | Watch the evening view at Senaga Island, then head back to our Naha Airport branch |
The suggested stay times are the figures given in Itoman City’s tourism guide, the “Peace Learning Course.” In practice they change a lot depending on how closely you look at the exhibits. Travel times vary with traffic, so check the day’s travel time on a map app and swap the order as needed.
How to Trim the Plan for a Half Day
If you cram in all six places, you end up rushing past the memorial sites. For a half day, the following selections are realistic.
- A day focused on learning: the Peace Memorial Park or the Himeyuri Monument (pick one) plus Michi-no-Eki Itoman
- A day focused on scenery: Kyan Misaki, Michi-no-Eki Itoman and Senaga Island
- A short window on your arrival or departure day: Senaga Island plus Michi-no-Eki Itoman
A half-day course through Nanjo City, with the Nirai Kanai Bridge and Sefa Utaki, is covered in our half-day model course through southern Okinawa. Looking at both gives you more ways to build your schedule.
Memorial Sites and Sightseeing Spots Sit Side by Side
The whole southern part of Itoman City is where many people lost their lives in the final stage of the Battle of Okinawa. This course puts beautiful sea views and memorial towers and war sites in the same area. If you agree before you set out that some places are for enjoying and others are for quietly offering a prayer, everyone in the car will behave in the same way on the ground.
Visiting War Sites and Memorial Places
The Himeyuri Monument and Himeyuri Peace Museum
The Himeyuri Monument stands over Ihara Third Surgical Cave, one of the last places of the Himeyuri Student Corps. The neighboring Himeyuri Peace Museum displays the students’ belongings and photographs along with video testimonies of survivors, and also has a diorama recreating the inside of the cave. Itoman City’s guide gives about 40 minutes as a guide for a visit.
The museum is open 9:00-17:25 every day of the year (last admission 17:00), but it may close temporarily when a typhoon is approaching. The Himeyuri Monument can be visited even after the museum has closed. If you arrive in the late afternoon, you can still stand in front of the monument and pay your respects.
There is no dedicated parking lot, and visitors are asked to use the lots of nearby souvenir shops. Conditions and capacity differ from shop to shop, so if this is your last stop, it is reassuring to decide where to park early.
| Address | 沖縄県糸満市字伊原671-1（ひめゆりの塔敷地内） |
|---|---|
| Hours | 9:00-17:25 (last admission 17:00). The Himeyuri Monument can be visited after closing |
| Closed | Open every day (may close temporarily when a typhoon approaches) |
| Admission | Adults 450 yen, high school students 250 yen, elementary and junior high students 150 yen (individuals; Itoman City guide, as of September 30, 2025) |
| Parking | No dedicated lot (use the lots of nearby souvenir shops) |
| Phone | 098-997-2100 |
| Access | The nearest bus stop is “Himeyuri-no-to-mae.” Please check the driving time on a map app |
The Peace Memorial Park and the Okinawa Prefectural Peace Memorial Museum
The Okinawa Prefectural Peace Memorial Park on the hill of Mabuni includes the Okinawa Prefectural Peace Memorial Museum, the Cornerstone of Peace, the Statue of Peace, the National Cemetery for the War Dead of Okinawa, and memorial towers from each prefecture. The Cornerstone of Peace is a monument inscribed with the names of all the people who died in the Battle of Okinawa. Itoman City’s guide gives about 120 minutes as a guide for visiting the park. It is a large park, so wear comfortable shoes and bring water.
The Okinawa Prefectural Peace Memorial Museum is open 9:00-17:00, and entry to the permanent exhibition room closes at 16:30. The museum is open from January 4 to December 28. The official website lists admission for individuals at 300 yen for adults and 150 yen for children (240 yen and 100 yen for groups of 20 or more). Itoman City says parking in the park is free, but we could not confirm the number of spaces from an official source, so we do not give one.
The park’s notices include closures when a typhoon approaches and bans on entering certain paths in the park. Before you go, check the latest notices on the official Okinawa Prefectural Peace Memorial Park website.
| Address | 沖縄県糸満市字摩文仁444番地（公園）／摩文仁614番地の1（資料館） |
|---|---|
| Hours | Museum: 9:00-17:00 (entry to the permanent exhibition room closes at 16:30). Peace Memorial Hall: 9:00-17:00 |
| Open period | Museum: January 4 to December 28 |
| Admission | Museum: adults 300 yen, children 150 yen (individuals). For the Peace Memorial Hall, please check the official website |
| Parking | Available (free, per Itoman City’s tourism guide). The number of spaces is not given |
| Phone | Park office 098-997-2765 / Museum 098-997-3844 |
| Access | About 20 km from the Prefectural Office, about 30 minutes by car. The nearest bus stop is “Heiwa Kinen Koen” |
Using Itoman City’s “Peace Learning Course” as a Guide
Itoman City’s tourism website has a “Peace Learning Course” that lists 13 war sites and memorial towers in the city. The suggested times add up to about 268 minutes, and the list includes the Himeyuri Peace Museum and the Peace Memorial Park as well as the Hakubai Memorial Tower (白梅之塔, about 5 minutes), Todoroki Cave (轟壕) (about 15 minutes) and Kyan Misaki (about 15 minutes).
Visiting the whole course takes more than four and a half hours, so fitting all of it into one day of driving is not realistic. You can split your plan, for example “the Himeyuri Monument and the Peace Memorial Park this time, the Hakubai Memorial Tower and Todoroki Cave next time.”
How to Behave at Memorial Sites
Clothing, Voices and Taking Photos
The memorial towers and the Cornerstone of Peace are tourist sites, but they are also places where people mourn the dead and where bereaved families come to pray. Agree with your fellow passengers at the outset that you will avoid loud voices and rowdy behavior and visit with a quiet mind. It is also safest to avoid smiling souvenir photos or playful poses in front of memorial monuments.
The park’s official website has a notice about applying for permission when photographing in the park and at the Cornerstone of Peace. If you plan to shoot for business purposes, check the conditions on the official website beforehand. Even when taking photos as a personal travel record, take care not to let people who are praying or looking at exhibits be shown prominently in your shots.
When you look at the exhibits, mind where you stop and how loudly you talk so you do not disturb other visitors. At the museums, turn off your phone sounds as well.
Watch Your Step: Caves and Habu Snakes
Itoman City’s tourism guide carries warnings about the area around the Himeyuri Monument and the Peace Memorial Park such as “there are dangerous places around caves,” “be careful of your clothing and belongings, and do not go alone or with only children,” and “watch out for habu in the grass.” Stay out of the caves and the grass and walk on the maintained paths.
Sneakers that are easy to walk in suit this course better than sandals. The sun is strong in summer, so bring a hat and drinks. If you are visiting with children, hold their hands as you walk, and speak to them when they might disturb other visitors.
Around June 23 and Weather-Related Changes
In Okinawa Prefecture, June 23 is observed as “Irei no Hi” (Memorial Day for the Battle of Okinawa). Itoman City’s tourism guide says that a memorial service is held every year on June 22 at the Banka Memorial Tower (萬華之塔). Around Memorial Day, events take place in various locations, and the atmosphere can differ from usual sightseeing. If you visit at this time, check each facility’s official website for opening status and event schedules, and keep a quiet attitude.
When a typhoon approaches, the Himeyuri Peace Museum may close temporarily, and the Peace Memorial Park may post closure notices. How we handle rental cars during typhoons is explained on our typhoon policy page.
Enjoying the Sea and Cape Views
Kyan Misaki
According to Itoman City’s tourism guide, Kyan Misaki is a cape standing on cliffs about 30 m high, marking the line between the Pacific Ocean and the East China Sea. In 2012 it was designated a national Place of Scenic Beauty and Natural Monument as “Kyan Coast and Arasaki Coast,” and it is also part of the Okinawa Senseki Quasi-National Park, designated in 1965. Within the park stands the memorial tower “Heiwa no To,” built in 1969. This is a place of prayer as well as scenery.
The parking lot is not large. Our scenic drive article introduces it as having 15 spaces, but the number differs depending on the source, so treat it as a rough guide. If the lot is full, do not park forcibly on the road; wait a while or visit another place first. The cape is close to the cliff edge, so on windy days in particular, do not go too near places without a fence.
| Address | 沖縄県糸満市字喜屋武 |
|---|---|
| Visiting | Free (we could not confirm any official opening hours) |
| Parking | Available (free). Small; the number of spaces differs by source (our scenic drive article gives 15) |
| Contact | Itoman City Tourism and Sports Promotion Division 098-840-8135 |
| Access | About 16 km from Naha Airport, about 40 minutes by car (a guide from tourism information sites) |
Bibi Beach Itoman
This multi-purpose beach next to a hotel is described on its official website as about 20 minutes by car from the airport. Besides the swimming area, it has a marine sports area and an observation deck plaza, so you can spend time walking on the sand even if you do not go in the water. It is easy to combine with Michi-no-Eki Itoman, which is in the same Nishizaki-cho district of Itoman. For details, see also our article on beaches within one hour of Naha.
The swimming season runs from the beach opening until the end of October, and swimming hours are 9:00-18:00 (until 19:00 in July and August). In late October 2026, the swimming period is nearing its end. From November on, think of it as a place to stroll rather than swim. One thing to note: the official FAQ states that “for security reasons, snorkeling is banned entirely, including around the beach,” so you cannot bring your own snorkeling gear and swim.
| Address | 沖縄県糸満市西崎町1丁目6番15 |
|---|---|
| Swimming season and hours | Beach opening to end of October, 9:00-18:00 (until 19:00 in July and August) |
| Park hours and closed days | April-October 8:30-20:30, open every day; November-March 8:30-18:30, closed every Tuesday and during the year-end and New Year holidays |
| Parking | All paid. 500 yen per standard car (100 yen from November to March). The same-day “parking fee receipt” allows in-and-out access all day |
| Access | About 20 minutes by car from Naha Airport (official website) |
Senaga Island
This small island about 1.5 km around lies south of Naha Airport and is connected to Tomigusuku City by road. Tomigusuku City’s official page says that the eastern hilltop of the island has an observation plaza combined with a parking lot, where you can watch aircraft taking off and landing up close and enjoy a panoramic sunset in the evening. The island’s public parking lots are free for up to 693 vehicles.
If you put it at the end of the course, you can make time for the evening view before heading back to our airport branch. The notice says that, because these are public lots, the operator cannot take responsibility for accidents or theft, so do not leave valuables in the car.
| Address | 沖縄県豊見城市瀬長174番地6（瀬長島ウミカジテラス） |
|---|---|
| Hours | 10:00-21:00 (Umikaji Terrace; some shops differ) |
| Closed | Open every day (varies by shop) |
| Parking | Public parking lots on the island, free for up to 693 vehicles |
| Access | About 15 minutes by car from Naha Airport |
A Break and Souvenirs at Michi-no-Eki Itoman
A Southern Roadside Station with Vegetables, Fish and Souvenirs
Michi-no-Eki Itoman is in Nishizaki-cho, Itoman City. Itoman City’s tourism guide describes it as the seventh roadside station in Okinawa Prefecture and one of the largest in the prefecture. It has the “Yukura” products hall, the “Umanchu Market” farmers’ market, the fish center of the Itoman Fisheries Cooperative, a restaurant and a tourist information office. After visiting the war sites, it is an easy stop for switching your mood while looking at local fish and vegetables.
Other roadside stations on the main island are covered in our article on Michi-no-Eki on the main island, and the highlights of markets and direct-sales stands in our article on Naha’s markets and local food.
Opening Hours Differ by Facility
The Michi-no-Eki guide of the Okinawa General Bureau lists opening hours for each facility. Because opening hours differ by facility, check the hours of the shop you want to visit first if you will stop by in the evening. According to the guide, the Yukura products hall is 9:30-19:00, the farmers’ market is 9:00-19:00, the fish center is 10:00-19:00, the restaurant “Bannai” is 11:00-22:00 and the tourist information office is 9:00-18:00. There is no regular closing day, and all facilities are listed as open every day.
However, the times in the sources we found differ, so for the latest information, including bad weather and temporary closures, please confirm by phone or similar. Itoman City’s tourism guide lists parking as “available (free).” The number of spaces differs by source, so we do not list one here.
| Address | 沖縄県糸満市西崎町4-19-1 |
|---|---|
| Hours | Differ by facility (Okinawa General Bureau guide: Yukura 9:30-19:00 / farmers’ market 9:00-19:00 / fish center 10:00-19:00 / restaurant 11:00-22:00 / tourist information 9:00-18:00) |
| Closed | None (Okinawa General Bureau guide; please confirm in bad weather or for temporary closures) |
| Parking | Available (free, per Itoman City’s tourism guide). The number of spaces differs by source, so it is not given |
| Phone | 098-987-1277 |
| Access | Along Route 331. About 20 minutes by car from Naha Airport (a guide) |
Planning Your Time When Stopping Before Returning the Car
A roadside station is also handy as a place to buy souvenirs all at once on your last day. Shopping takes longer than you expect, so work backward from your flight time and leave room for shopping, refueling and returning the car, in that order. Fresh and chilled items spoil more easily on a long trip home, so consider bringing cooling supplies.
Tips for Driving Itoman and the South
Think of Parking as “Places That Have It” and “Places That Don’t”
On this course, the parking situation differs greatly from one facility to another. Free parking is listed for the Peace Memorial Park, Michi-no-Eki Itoman and Senaga Island. The Himeyuri Peace Museum has no dedicated lot, Bibi Beach Itoman charges for parking, and Kyan Misaki is small. The Himeyuri Monument and Kyan Misaki can be crowded on holidays and in the peak season, so planning to arrive early in the morning makes it easier to park without hurrying.
Planning Refueling and Return
The south is close to Naha Airport, so it is an area where you can easily find time to refuel before returning the car. UMUI Rent a Car’s Naha Airport branch is open 8:00-20:00 every day of the year, with a free shuttle from the airport. The Omoromachi branch is open 9:00-18:00. Cars can be returned only at our branches, and after you return the car at the Naha Airport branch, we take you to the airport by free shuttle. Work backward from your return time to decide your last stop and refueling. You can check the process on our how-to-rent page.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. Is it all right to visit memorial sites on a first trip?
A. Of course. The Himeyuri Peace Museum and the Okinawa Prefectural Peace Memorial Museum are facilities with exhibits prepared for learning. Just keep to one point: visit with a quiet mind.
Q. Is it OK with small children?
A. The museum exhibits include harsh content about the Battle of Okinawa. Depending on your child’s age, choose which exhibits to see, or spend your time mainly on the outdoor views. Hold their hands as you walk so they do not go near caves or grass.
Q. What should I do on a rainy day?
A. The museums are indoors, so you can focus on them even in the rain. However, when a typhoon approaches there may be temporary closures, so check the official websites for the latest information.
From the cape that looks out over the sea, to the memorial sites where you quietly pray, to the roadside station lined with local fish and vegetables, the Itoman and southern coast is an area where you can touch many sides of Okinawa in one day. A plan that stays a while at a few places will probably stay in your memory longer than one that rushes around. UMUI Rent a Car guides you from Naha Airport to our branch by free shuttle. Please make use of us for your drive around Itoman and the south.
* The opening hours, prices and other information in this article are current as of October 2026. They may change, so please check each facility’s official website before you go. Travel times are estimates assuming no traffic.
Photo credits: Wikimedia Commons (CC0 / CC BY-SA 3.0 / CC BY-SA 4.0). Photographers are credited in each photo’s caption.
