The Hoshinoya Okinawa, as seen from the beach at low tide. The beach is not for swimming, only for admiring — and preserving — nature.
Aren Elliott
The turquoise water lapping against Okinawa’s pebbled beach is so clear that you can see an occasional parrotfish streaking by. Just behind it, the Hoshinoya Okinawa’s low-slung modernist villas blend into a landscape of gnarled fukugi trees and hibiscus.
This is the present — and future — of sustainable tourism in southern Japan.
“Our purpose is to operate the hotel without destroying the original property,” explains Miku Matsubara, the director of the five-star resort on the coast of Yomitan village.
In this part of Asia, sustainable tourism means careful planning and restraint. No seawalls disrupt the natural coastline. Existing vegetation has been meticulously retained. The villas, inspired by traditional Okinawan gusuku castle walls, sit low and inconspicuous.
And oh, by the way, the beach isn’t for swimming. It’s for admiring — and preservation.
“We’re trying to keep it in its natural state,” says Matsubara.
Hoshinoya, which is part of Japan’s Hoshino Resorts group that includes the nearby OMO5 property in Naha, embodies a certain ideal. Built on a former private estate, its design philosophy leans heavily on conservation. But it is hardly alone.
Halekulani Okinawa runs guest hands-on educational sessions that help them understand the area’s sustainability challenges.
Adam BruzzoneA fragile paradise grapples with climate change
Okinawa, Japan’s southernmost prefecture, is a biodiversity hotspot. Its coral reefs are among the world’s most diverse. Its subtropical forests, particularly in the Yanbaru region of northern Okinawa Island, shelter unique endemic species like the endangered Okinawa rail. It’s also ground zero for climate change impacts in Japan – rising sea temperatures bleach coral, powerful typhoons batter coastlines, and shifting rainfall patterns threaten freshwater resources.
The prefecture understands the stakes. It’s pushing hard on sustainability, aiming for carbon neutrality by 2050.
Coral crusaders: Resorts like the Halekulani Okinawa, located within the Okinawa Kaigan Quasi-National Park in Onna Village (a designated Future City for sustainability), run guest hands-on educational sessions and planting activities targeting species resilient to warming seas. The Halekulani’s Honey & Coral Project addresses Okinawa’s crippling red soil erosion – runoff that smothers reefs – by stabilizing the soil with vegetation.
Carbon-negative canopies: Deeper in Yanbaru, Treeful Treehouse Sustainable Resort takes radical steps to protect the environment. Their treehouses are literally built on living trees, creating carbon-negative structures. “Our resort is fully fossil fuel-free,” says co-founder Maha Kikugawa. Solar panels generate surplus power, fed back into a grid supplied by Okinawa Electric Power’s certified non-fossil Uchina-CO2 Free Menu. Water is drawn from the Genka River and UV-purified. The Spiral Treehouse also features a composting toilet. “Our raised designs preserve natural habitats, allowing animals, insects, and microorganisms to move freely,” Kikugawa adds. It’s sustainability as immersion.
Plastic purge: On Ishigaki Island, Fusaki Beach Resort Hotel & Villas ditched plastic water bottles for reusable glass. It sells ocean-friendly sunscreen and uses amenities made from 100 percent plant-derived, seawater-biodegradable materials. The property weaves local culture into the guest experience — traditional Okinawan performing arts, Yaeyama soba noodles and purple rice at breakfast, and events celebrating the Lunar Bon Festival (Angama). Fusaki even replanted the site’s palm and hibiscus trees during development.
Promoting EVs and more: Beyond resorts, Okinawa Prefecture promotes electric vehicle tourism, installing chargers and supporting EV taxi services. Several municipalities, including Onna Village, mandate the use of coral-friendly sunscreen (free of oxybenzone and octinoxate) near reef areas – a policy that is gaining traction globally. Community groups organize frequent beach cleanups targeting plastic pollution, particularly marine debris washing ashore. The Okinawa SDGs Partnership, involving businesses, government, and NGOs, drives broader initiatives like sustainable fisheries and renewable energy adoption.
The Fusaki Beach Resort Hotel & Villas on Ishigaki Island ditched plastic water bottles for reusable glass from its hotels as part of its sustainability efforts.
Fusaki Beach ResortInto Okinawa’s blue zone
Back at Hoshinoya, it’s clear that sustainability can go far beyond simply preserving the fragile environment. This island is one of the famed blue zones, where residents are said to live longer lives. The resort offers blue-zone themed meals, with heavy emphasis on wellness.
Matsubara, the resort manager, says this kind of sustainability is like a wave. It’s a philosophy of activity followed by deep relaxation.
“Moving your body and then relaxing, is very important,” she says.
The resort offers treatments that incorporate local herbs like goya, a bitter melon, and shikuwasa citrus.
There’s also a sense of urgency to the Hoshinoya’s efforts. Nearby Naha feels a lot like Tokyo, with fast food and an always-on work culture. The quiet lifestyle that turned Okinawa into a blue zone is now threatening to turn it into a red zone of stress and unhealthy food. Properties like the Hoshinoya are a natural reaction and a necessary antidote to this development.
This shift is part of a complex challenge. Resorts can build beautiful, low-impact structures and grow herbs. They can eliminate plastic bottles. But does this fundamentally address the environmental pressures of mass tourism fueled by convenience and globalized tastes? The jets flying visitors in, the cruise ships docking in Naha, the demand for imported goods, the sheer volume of people — these strain the very ecosystems resorts like Hoshinoya strive to protect.
Is this a more sustainable way to see Japan?
So, is Okinawa offering a greener way to vacation? Compared to many global destinations, yes. Its fragile environment demands sustainability, and the push from the prefectural government, grassroots movements, and a growing segment of the tourism industry is real. Initiatives like coral-safe sunscreen rules and EV infrastructure are genuinely progressive.
Resorts like Treeful Treehouse and Halekulani Okinawa provide compelling answers to these questions. Hoshinoya Okinawa offers stunning beauty and a clear commitment to preserving the immediate environment it inhabits.
But if you’re looking for the deepest shade of green, the true pioneers are those tackling the hard, often hidden, infrastructure of sustainability: energy, water, waste, and tangible investment in the island. If you pay attention, you might see it on your next visit to Okinawa.
AloJapan.com