Deep in the Yanbaru Forest on Okinawa's mountainous Motobu Peninsula, 11 concrete villas sit scattered across twenty hectares of subtropical woodland, so spread out that other guests barely cross your path. The name comes from the tea once grown here to send to Nakijin Castle, the Ryukyu Kingdom's ruined mountain fortress just up the road (now a UNESCO World Heritage site and famous for growing Japan's earliest cherry blossoms). Inside, raw concrete collides with warm hardwood, and every villa comes with its own pool, a private BBQ at dusk and a bathroom roughly the size of a studio flat. Don't expect to bump into anyone else before breakfast.
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Built to follow the slope of the hillside, all 11 villas are split-level: living room down, bedroom up a half-flight, and roughly 135 square metres (family villas sleep four across two doubles and two singles). At 32 square metres, the bathroom is more sitting room than en suite, with Guerlain in the shower and Mikimoto's pearl-infused skincare on request. Beyond the glass, your own pool, deep enough to swim laps, shallow enough for children, with floats waiting by the gazebo.
The self-grill wagyu BBQ that arrives at your own poolside gazebo as the sky turns from blue to purple.
We'd book your BBQ dinner slot the second you check in, since the kitchen only caters for villas that reserved ahead. Driving in after dark, slow down: the flightless Okinawa rail crosses roads and has right of way.
Naha Airport is a good hour and three-quarters away by car, and dinner, breakfast, even the heated pool need booking in advance. Glorious for planners, less so if you like your holidays make-it-up-as-you-go.
Magachabaru Okinawa can be booked with Timbuktu as part of a tailor-made Japan trip, rather than as a standalone room reservation. Start online, customising one of our recommended Japan trips featuring Magachabaru Okinawa or get advice and suggestions from one of our Japan specialists who will design the trip around your dates, check availability and handle every booking for you.
Stays at Magachabaru Okinawa start from around $180, or US$180, per person per night as part of a tailor-made trip. The exact price depends on your travel dates, room type and the shape of the rest of your itinerary. A Timbuktu travel specialist can give you an accurate quote for your dates.
A diverse, unique & historic island, Okinawa is your gateway to Japan’s Blue Zone – and who doesn’t want to stay ‘young’ forever?
