Where tradition meets tourism: Immersive tours explore Okinawa’s secrets to longevity and spiritual life

JSTORIES ー Japan’s inbound tourism reached record numbers in 2024 — almost 37 million visitors. As travelers increasingly look beyond major cities and mainstream attractions, regional destinations are stepping into the spotlight. Based in Okinawa, Japan’s southernmost island, Endemic Garden H, a regional travel agency, offers a local, culturally immersive experience. It caters to the growing number of foreign travelers seeking more meaningful, niche holidays.

Visitors can join guided tours or workshops to learn about the rich heritage of small communities nestled for centuries in Yanbaru, a lush forested region located about 120 kilometers north of Naha, the capital of Okinawa.

Nestled in an untouched corner of Okinawa, Yanbaru stands out as a living testament to traditional Japanese culture and exceptional natural beauty. On the nature guide and farming tour, you will get to try the delicious vegetables that keep the people of Yanbaru so healthy, before heading to the town to savor authentic Okinawan cuisine.

Beyond its culinary traditions, Yanbaru is also a treasure trove of biodiversity. This subtropical area is home to rare and endemic species such as the Okinawa woodpecker and the Yanbaru kuina (a flightless rail), and was recognized as a UNESCO World Natural Heritage site in 2021.

Comprising 41 closely clustered villages along Okinawa’s northern coast, Yanbaru district is recently known as Japan’s only Blue Zone — a term coined by bestselling author Dan Buettner to designate regions with a high number of healthy residents with exceptional life expectancies. Residents of Blue Zones are recognized worldwide for their traditional diets, active lifestyles, and strong social bonds. In Yanbaru, communities still celebrate ancestral festivals and follow time-honored food customs, contributing to their remarkable longevity. 

As of 2024, Okinawa Prefecture was home to 1,184 centenarians. Their diet — rich in locally grown produce and incorporating 20%-30% more meat  (including fish) and 50% more vegetables than the national average — is closely linked to a culturally rich, plant-forward tradition shaped by Chinese, Southeast Asian, and Japanese influences. Staples like sweet potato, tofu, seaweed, pork, and fish are common, guided by the belief that food is medicine.

“Our company provides tourists with a unique opportunity to explore our original culture and lifestyles," said Nakamoto Itsumi, representative partner of Endemic Garden H, in an interview with J-Stories. "Our goal is for foreign visitors to leave Japan after learning to love our traditions.” 

The 38-year-old launched the company in 2019 after leaving her work in Kunigami municipality, her birthplace, and one of the villages in Yanbaru. But her startup faced a drastic blow from the COVID-19 pandemic as international and domestic travel was largely suspended in Japan until 2022.

Despite the setbacks, her resolve remained unshaken, driven by a profound sense of purpose and an unwavering belief in her mission.

“The reason I kept going was my dream to protect the community lifestyle facing the risk of extinction as the younger generation moved away, " she said. “They saw no future in Yanbaru, while the rest of Okinawa modernized rapidly.”

The decline of the local population — some communities have only 27 people or fewer — and the rapid resort development by large companies catering to mass tourism remain major challenges for her startup.

The lack of convenient public transport — taxis or buses to Yanbaru and within the region — is another obstacle. Travelers must resort to car rentals or follow routes with long waiting times to reach their destinations.

Yet, Endemic Garden H, which focuses on tours over three Yanbaru villages, reports steady business. Last year, the company hosted a total of 130 people, with foreigners comprising one-third of the number. These foreign tourists also make up the majority of those who join tours featuring home visits and hands-on community preservation activities, such as traditional weaving, cooking, and participating in local festivals honoring deities through song and dance.

In 2022, Nakamoto started a project called Nammei Shinshitsu that works to restore ancient houses abandoned within the community. Supported by local government subsidies, the company has refurbished six houses for tourist accommodation. Guests can stay in these cozy cottages, complete with wood-burning stoves and entrances protected by statues of “shisa” — traditional Okinawan lion-dogs believed to ward off evil spirits.

“Our tours are designed with great care to avoid disrupting the secluded lifestyles of these villages,” explained Moteki Kinjo, manager of the company’s traditional inn restoration project. “Unlike large tour operators, we strictly limit the number of visits and participants.”

“Despite the limitations imposed to respect the local culture, we view success as both income growth and promoting community sustainability,” said Kinjo. The company employs seven full-time staff who work as guides, accompanying tourists, who are divided into groups, each consisting of four members. Currently, the company has 15 interns from across Japan to learn about the community-based business concept. 

Starting in April, the company will introduce a new tour focusing on Okinawa’s deeply rooted spiritual traditions. The semi-tropical islands were once part of the Ryukyu Kingdom, an independent state with its own language and animist religious practices that continue today in the form of year-round rituals. Visitors will have the chance to meet and observe the work of local shamans, who play a key role in preserving this unique spiritual culture.

Written by Suvendrini Kakuchi

Edited by Mark Goldsmith, Anita De Michele, Lucas Maltzman

Top photo by J-Stories (Suvendrini Kakuchi)

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