Category: Sightseeing site in Okinawa
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Emerald Beach in Okinawa, how to get there
Emerald Beach overlook Emerald Beach is known for its crystal-clear waters, white sand, and beautiful greenery. The beach is part of the Ocean Expo Park, which is a popular tourist destination that features a variety of attractions, including the Churaumi Aquarium, Okinawa’s largest aquarium. At Emerald Beach, visitors can enjoy a variety of water activities, such as snorkeling, scuba diving, and kayaking. The beach is also a popular spot for sunbathing and picnicking. The best time to visit Emerald Beach is during the summer months, from June to August, when the weather is warm and sunny. Tours to Emerald Beach in Okinawa There is no particular tours to visit Emerald […]
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Beautiful Iriomote, a hidden treasure of Okinawa. Kayaking and Caving.
Iriomote Island is a part of Okinawa. Iriomote Island is famous for its untouched wilderness. Entire Iriomote Island is covered with rush semi-tropical forest. On the island, you can enjoy adventurous outdoor activities. For example, kayaking, caving, canyoning and snorkeling are popular. Adventure tours in Iriomote Island There are several tours available in Iriomote Island. And all tours start from within Iriomote Island. So you should go to Iriomote Island by yourselves anyway. To get there, you take a ferryboat from Ishigaki Island. There is no flight to Iriomote.
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Gyokusendo Cave
There are many limestone areas in Okinawa. So naturally there are limestone caves. But it’s an island, so I thought it wouldn’t be that big. Gyokusendo Cave, located in the Culture Kingdom Gyokudendo Okinawa World in the southern part of the main island of Okinawa, was quite large and enjoyable. The total length is more than 5 kilometers! Among them, about 890 meters are open to the public. There is an entrance to the limestone cave near the entrance of Culture Kingdom Okinawa World, and there is an exit at the far end of Culture Kingdom Okinawa World. In order to enter the cave, in addition to the entrance fee, you have to pay the entrance […]
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Oishibayashiyama, Lime stone, Cycad and Irkanda
Oishibayashiyama is located in the mountains near Cape Hedo. It is said to be the northernmost tropical karst (topography created by limestone erosion). Oishibayashiyama and Cape Hedo are located at the furthest end of Okinawa Island, so there are not so many opportunities to visit there. Try the tours below. Hiring a chauffeur-driven car is also a good option if you are traveling in a group. From the parking, a minibus takes you to the Oishibayashiyama mountain. Starting from a rest area in the mountain, you descend to the parking. There are four hiking trails to choose from. The required time is short, only about 30 minutes. I didn’t have time to go around […]
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Yanbaru Kuina Observatory
Cape Hedo, the northernmost point of the main island of Okinawa, is located in Kunigami Village. Near the Cape, there is Yanbaru Kuina Observatory. What the hell is that? It’s not just an observatory. Surprisingly, it is an observatory dressed as a real and super-giant Yanbaru Kuina, a rare bird species that lives only in this area of Okinawa Island. When you come from the parking lot, you will be greeted by Yanbaru Kuina’s butt. The head is pictured below. Please compare the size. My son is at its feet. But who created it and for what purpose? The scenery is outstanding, and this is where you can see Cape Hedo. On days when the […]
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Hiji Waterfall (Kunigami Village)
Tours to visit Hiji Waterfall There is no tour that visits Hiji Waterfall alone. There are some one-day or half-day tours, which include the visit to Hiji Waterfall such as “Naha Full-Day Private Tour with Government Licensed Guide“. Or if you are in a small group, it is ideal to hire a car. You can decide where to go. Our visit to Hiji Waterfall Today, We extended my trip to Kunigami Village, on the northern tip of the main island of Okinawa. The first place we visited was Hiji Waterfall. The largest waterfall on the main island of Okinawa. To get to this waterfall, we have to walk a mountain path about […]
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Neopark Okinawa, Nago Natural Zoological and Botanical Park
Neopark Okinawa in Nago is surprisingly fun to go out with children. It’s a bit rustic and not very sophisticated, but my two young children especially love it. African birds greet us. African crested ibis, crowned crane, spoonbill, etc. They approach in groups to beg for food. These birds are quite large, so small children are scared of them. In the Latin America zone, such a vivid heart-shaped ibis approaches, begging for food. Some peacocks are accustomed to eating food directly. In addition, there are various zones (for a fee) where you can come into direct contact with animals. My eldest son, who was 10 years old then, said “it’s enough”, but the younger […]
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Sonohyan Utaki Stone Gate of Shurijo Castle, Okinawa
Sonohyan Utaki Ishimon is a stone gate located near Shureimon after exiting the castle gate of Shurijo Castle. It is a rustic gate that you will not notice anything if you pass it, but it is designated as one of the World Heritage Sites. Utaki is a place of worship in Ryukyu, and there is a place called Shurimori Mitake in Shurijo Castle. Sonohyan Utaki was once an important place where the Ryukyu King prayed for the safety of his journey to and from Shurijo Castle. It seems that the mountain area that spreads out behind the stone gate was a sanctuary, and there used to be a stone worship hall. It is said […]
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Naha Makishi Public Market Okinawa’s No. 1 Market
Makishi Public Market is located a little south of Naha’s main street, Kokusai Dori. Mutsumi Bridge Street Mutsumibashi Street crosses Kokusai Street at the Mutsumibashi intersection. There is an arcade, so I knew immediately. You can go to the public market from Kokusai-dori through Mutsumi-bashi-dori. Mutsumibashi Street itself is also a very lively street, with souvenir shops, Ryukyu glass shops, and shops selling Kariyushi wear, which can be said to be the Aloha of Okinawa. It’s fun. Makishi Public Market The Makishi public market is located on the west side (on the right side when coming from Kokusai-dori), a little further from Mutsumi-bashi-dori. When I say “market,” I imagine it’s something like a fish […]
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Emerald Beach at Okinawa Ocean Expo Memorial Park
Emerald Beach is located at the northern end of Okinawa Ocean Expo Memorial Park . It is quite a distance from the Churaumi Aquarium on foot. The photo below was taken on the way to Emerald Beach on foot. Emerald Beach is a man-made beach, but the white sand beach is very beautiful. It is covered with coral sand, and 3,000 people can swim at once. It was March when my family visited, so there were few people swimming, but the children were delighted just by playing in the water. Since they didn’t have swimsuits, the children took off their trousers and jackets and jabbed. Have a blast picking up pieces of coral. The sun is […]
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Enkakuji Temple Ruins and Benzaitendo in Shuri
I drove to Shuri Castle from Kokusai Street in Naha where I stayed. Enter Shuri according to the car navigation system and look for a parking lot from the Shurijo Castle Park Management Center, but no parking lot is full. When I had no choice but to go around Shurijo Castle, I found a small parking lot on the street (Tokura-dori) on the north side of Okinawa Prefectural University of Arts. There seemed to be few people coming to this side, so it was empty. Even if you park your car here, it will take less than 10 minutes to reach Shuri Castle. We headed for Shurijo Castle through a narrow street called Ryutan – dori . Enkakuji […]
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Nakamura Residence, a traditional house in Okinawa
To visit Nakamura Residence, take Naha Full-Day Private Tour with Government Licensed Guide. Not many tours visit Nakamura Residence. It seems that traditional Okinawan farmhouses are no longer seen on the main island of Okinawa. If you go to a tourist facility such as Ryukyu Mura, you can see a private house that has been relocated and restored. But the Nakamura House is a private house that has been preserved as it was in its original location, and is designated as an important cultural property of the country. Specified. The existing Nakamura family residence is said to have been built in the middle of the 18th century. Like the nearby Nakagusuku , it is […]
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Okinawa’s World Heritage Nakagusuku Castle Ruins
I was ashamed to say that I didn’t know that there was a medieval castle with stone walls in Okinawa until it was registered as a World Heritage Site. The fact that there was a time when multiple dynasties fought for supremacy in Okinawa is somehow different from the image of a peaceful southern island. Had it not been for the power struggle, there would have been no need for such a strong stone wall. Tours to visit Nakagusuku Nakagusuku Nakagusuku was on top of a small mountain. After driving up the hill, there was a parking lot, and there was a stone monument indicating Nakagusuku. Nakagusuku Castle is said to have been built […]
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Ryukyu Mura
Ryukyu Mura is a tourist village that preserves and reproduces the culture and traditions of Okinawa ( Click here for the Ryukyu Mura website ). Tours to Ryukyu Mura There are not many tours that visit Ryukyu Mura. If you like to visit Ryukyu Mura by your own, please find the place on Google Map. Our visit to Ryukyu Mura To tell the truth, Ryukyu Mura was not on our schedule until we arrived in Okinawa. The Okinawa Best Guide I bought in advance and used as a reference (however, my family had the 2008 edition) did not include explanations about Ryukyu Mura. About Okinawa, I got a discount coupon from a travel agency […]