Okinawa Revisited Yet Again – History, Indulgence & Waterfalls

What?
The Former Japanese Navy Underground Headquarters (旧海軍司令部壕) is a wartime site located near Naha (那覇), Okinawa (沖縄). It consists of a network of tunnels constructed by the Imperial Japanese Navy during the final stages of World War II. The facility served as a command center and shelter for naval personnel during the Battle of Okinawa. After the war, parts of the tunnels were preserved and opened to the public as a historical site. The location includes a small museum with documents, artifacts, and explanations about the site's role in the conflict. American Village (アメリカンビレッジ) is a commercial and entertainment complex located in Chatan (北谷), Okinawa. Developed on former U.S. military land, it features shops, restaurants, a cinema, and various leisure facilities. The area reflects American cultural influences and caters to both locals and tourists. Ta-Taki (ター滝) is a small waterfall located in northern Okinawa. Reaching it requires walking through a shallow river and over rocks. The site is managed with an entry fee and is popular for short hikes and river trekking.
Where?
The easiest way by far to get around Okinawa is by car. There are countless rental car companies concentrated around the Naha Airport, and 99% of them have shuttle buses, so take your pick. If you lack a license or want to avoid traveling by car, it is possible to visit the navy tunnels and the American Village by bus. For the tunnels, take either bus nr 143 at the airport and transfer at Koen Mae (公園前) to a nr.55 or nr.98 bus. Get off at the Uebaru Danchi Mae bus stop and walk for about 10 minutes. For the American Village, take bus nr 120 and get off at the Kuwae (桑江) bus stop. For Ta-taki, there’s no other option than a car, taxi or very long walk.
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Okinawa Hai Japan Guide Travel Awaits

Visiting friends is always a joy—relaxing, heartwarming, and grounding. But when those friends are based in one place, it doesn’t exactly make for compelling blog content. That’s why, despite having visited the Nago area in Okinawa five or six times and collecting some beautiful memories, I haven’t had much to share here on Linger in the East. To keep things interesting, I try to sneak in a side visit or two when I can.

This year’s detour had less to do with travel and more with timing. My favorite football team happened to have an away game coinciding with the day of our arrival in Okinawa. I had mistakenly assumed the match was in the afternoon, so when I realized it was an evening kickoff, we suddenly had half a day to spare.

After picking up our rental car near the airport, we set out for a place that had long been on my to-see list. Okinawa’s tragic wartime history is well known, but compared to Europe, it has relatively few visible reminders. There are some memorial parks, certainly—but little else to confront the past directly.
One striking exception is the Former Japanese Navy Underground Headquarters. This maze of tunnels, dug by the Japanese navy during the final days of the Battle of Okinawa, was built as a last stand. Not all of the tunnels are open to the public, but enough are accessible to get a real sense of the claustrophobic, desperate conditions the soldiers endured.
Well-translated signs guide visitors through the tunnels, offering a glimpse into those harrowing final days. Bullet holes still mark the concrete walls—silent and shocking reminders that this was where many officers took their own lives. It's a deeply sobering place.
I’ve always had complicated feelings about how Japan remembers the war though. There’s often a narrative of victimhood that glosses over years of imperial aggression. But Okinawa tells a different story. The local people had little to no say in the conflict and were essentially dragged into a brutal war by a distant government. In many ways, they too were victims—of a colonial relationship and a merciless frontline.
In that sense I appreciated the adjacent museum which not only showed documents of the officers staying in the tunnels, but also the heartbreaking fate of many regular Okinawans – people with no food, no shelter and no way out—caught between two relentless military forces. Even more than the tunnels, it was the museum that stayed with me.

We left the site quietly, reflective. But as the car radio played some bright poppy songs, the mood lightened and we let the island’s laid-back spirit slowly seep back in.
The next stop couldn’t be any more contradictory: the American Village, a sprawling shopping complex near the football stadium. Now, shopping isn’t usually my thing, but it had been high on my wife’s list for a while. I have to admit—I loved the food. It was pricey, sure, but classic American indulgence: massive portions, unapologetically greasy, and totally satisfying. We snacked, strolled, got ice cream, watched the waves, grabbed another bite, and capped it off with a long browse through a board game shop.
Later that evening, we witnessed a rare victory for my team. Spirits high, we headed toward our final destination of the day and celebrated with a few well-earned drinks.

Former Japanese Navy Underground Headquarters

Pictures in the small museum.

People died at this very spot.

The pictures were a huge help to imagine the situation how it used to be.

A completely different set.

The following days brought back the familiar joys of Okinawa: beachside relaxation, snorkeling in brilliant blue coves, beers with friends, and leisurely barbecues. These simple pleasures never get old.
One new experience, though, was a visit to the Ta-Taki Waterfall. Our friends were planning a trip there with a Finnish family and their young children, and we were happy to tag along. The waterfall itself isn’t particularly majestic, nor does it carry some mystical aura. In fact, the entrance fee felt a bit out of place in Okinawa, a land where nature usually comes freely. But somehow—maybe it's the Okinawan magic—it still turned into one of the highlights of the trip.
Getting to Ta-Taki involves wading through a shallow river, so river shoes are a must. There are a few rocky sections to climb before you reach the main waterfall. Along the way, there are natural pools perfect for a quick dip, but the real gem is the basin right beneath the falls. With good company, clear skies, and a (yes, artificial) vine hanging like something out of a Tarzan movie, it felt like the perfect slice of summer.
As always, Okinawa gave us space to breathe. Proof? Even my usually stiff body ended up swaying to an impromptu shamisen performance in a cozy local bar.