Sabani Tours
Explore Okinawa on a Traditional Sail & Paddle Boat
What is Fukaki Sabani?
Native to Itoman, the southernmost city of Okinawa’s main island, Fukaki Sabani is the name given to paddle-and-sail traditional wooden boats used by the local fishermen since the Ryukyu Kingdom.
Originally designed for fishing on both reef flats and open seas, Sabani boats evolved along the centuries to almost disappeared during the second half of the 20th century, replaced by modern materials fishing vessels. But today, these traditional boats attract attention again not only as cultural assets, but also as a fun, active and eco-friendly way to explore the local marine nature.
A Cultural Legacy
Documents about the arts and crafts of shipbuilding in the Ryukyu are scarce, partly because of Okinawans strong oral tradition and partly because of the destruction of precious archives during the WWII Battle of Okinawa.
Sabani boats combine ancient Pacific islands dugout pirogues and contemporary plank boats techniques. These ancestral skills have been perfected and transmitted through generations. Today, only a handful of shipwrights keep passing on this precious knowledge, and there is no better place than Itoman's Sabani workshop to take a dive into this fascinating world.
Our Tours
Okinawa Adventure Guide collaborates with the Tourism Association of the city of Itoman to provide stand-alone or integrated Fukaki Sabani tours.
We offer several programs:
1.5 hour [SABANI SAIL & PADDLE TOUR]
4 hours [SABANI SAILING CLASS]
Half day [REEF DISCOVERY TOUR]
Full day [SABANI SAILOR ADVENTURE]
Night time [SUNSET TOUR]
Please CONTACT US HERE