Jul 30, 2013 - 1 min read

Ou-jima, Okinawa

A Quaint Fishing Village in Southern Okinawa

By Chris Barnes

Community writer

Fresh squid drying in the sun is a common sight on Ou-jima

Boats in storage for the annual Ou-jima Haarii boat race

The fishing never ends for some on Ou-jima

Tiny restaurants are scattered around the island

Fishing nets that seem to go for miles in Ou-jima port

Ou-jima (Ou Island) is a tiny fishing village located in Tamagusuksu Village, a neighborhood of Nanjo City in southern Okinawa. The island itself is very small, and will only take you a few minutes to drive around its perimeter, making it the perfect place to park the car and walk instead. It's not uncommon to see hundreds of fresh squid drying in the sun and fishermen preparing their morning's catch. I've also been told that Ou-jima is famous for its tempura, with locals lining up out the door of small restaurants in the hopes to get the freshest local specialty. Unfortunately I visited quite early in the morning so I missed out on the tempura, but had an enjoyable time strolling around the fishing port. Ou-jima is also the location of the annual Ou Jima Haarii boat race held each June. Ou-jima can be accessed off Route 331, approximately 30 minutes SE of Naha.