Okinawa Island Guide

Everything on Okinawa Island from A to Z | Scenic sites & unique streets

Okinawa Island Guide
カフェくるくま

Café Kurukuma

1190 Chinen, Chinen, Nanjo City
Tel: 098-949-1189
Hours: 11:00-17:00
Open daily

This popular café is located on a hilltop in Chinen Village. You can get a breathtaking view of the ocean from the terrace.

斎場御嶽

Seifa Utaki

270-1 Kudeken, Chinen, Nanjo City
Tel: 098-949-1899
Hours: March-Oct.: 9:00-17:15 / Vov.-Feb. 9:00-16:45
Admission: 300 yen for adults, 150 yen for elementary and junior high school students.

One of seven utaki (sacred sites) in Okinawa, Seifa Utaki served as a central place for ancestor worship, nature worship and national festivities in the days of the Ryukyu Kingdom. Seifa Utaki has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage site.

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うんがみ

Ungami: Traditional festival in Shioya

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普天間神宮

Futenma Shrine

Tel: 098-892-3344
Prayer hours: 10:00-17:00

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古宇利オーシャンタワー

Kouri Ocean Tower

538 Kouri, Nakijin Village
Tel: 0980-56-1616
Hours: 9:00-18:00
Open daily
Admission: 800 yen for adults, 300 yen for ages 6-12, free for under 6
Barrier-free accessibility *Except carts and observation deck

A scenic view site newly opened on Kouri Island in November 2013. Journey through a beautiful garden with ease by electric cart, viewing the subtropical vegetation and a waterfall, with the final destination a stunning view at the top of the observation tower. There are restaurants and a shell museum that exhibits more than 10,000 shells.

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体験王国むら咲むら

Murasaki Mura

1020-1 Takashiho, Yomitan Village
Tel: 098-958-1111
Hours: 9:00-18:00 (Hours vary by attraction.)
Open daily
Admission: Adults ¥600, ages 13-18 ¥500, ages 6-12 ¥400, under 6 free
Barrier-free accessibility

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エメラルドビーチ

Emerald Beach

424 Ishikawa, Motobu Town
Tel: 098-048-2741
Swimming season: April-September 8:30-19:00; October 8:30-17:30

With its beautiful white coral sand and shallow, crystal-clear water, this uniquely shaped beach is located in the northern corner of Ocean Expo Park, which is home to the popular Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium. The beach is large enough to accommodate over 3,000 people at a time. This is said to be the only beach in the country that is surrounded by a lagoon.

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辺戸岬

Cape Hedo

Hedo, Kunigami Village
Tel: 0980-41-2101 (Kunigami Village Office)
Hours: 24 hours
Open daily
Admission: Free

Cape Hedo is the northernmost point of Okinawa’s main island. From here you can enjoy one of the most breathtaking views on island. You’ll see both the Pacific and the East China Sea in one glance from the 230-foot-high cliff.

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熱帯ドリームセンター

Tropical Dream Center

424 Ishikawa, Motobu-cho
Tel: 0980-48-2741
Hours: 8:30-17:30 *Last entry 17:00; Mar-Sep 8:30-19:00 *Last entry 18:30
Admission: Age 16 and over ¥690, ages 6-15 ¥350, under 6 free
*A half-price entry discount is offered to Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium ticket holders.
*Free audio guide is available in English, Korean and Chinese at the reception desk.
Barrier-free accessibility

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夕陽の広場(海洋博公園内)

Sunset Square (located in Ocean Expo Park)

424 Ishikawa, Motobu Town
Hours: March-September 8:00-19:30; October-February 8:00-18:00
Closed: 1st Wednesday and the following day of December
Admission: Free (playground equipment for ages 3-12 only)

This is an open-air recreation facility located on the premises of Ocean Expo Park. Sunset Square, as its name implies, affords an amazing view of the sun setting over the East China Sea, beautifully turning the sky and ocean red. There is no admission required for Sunset Square. (Admission to Ocean Expo Park is free, too.) After parking your car, you can get around the park on foot or by shuttle bus (fee).

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ムルク浜ビーチ

Murukuhama Beach

Of the three beaches on Hamahiga Island, this is the only natural beach that is managed and equipped with restrooms, showers and a shop. Since it is a relatively unknown spot that is not very crowded even at the height of the summer season, it is recommended for people who want to spend some leisure time on a beach.

Tel:098-973-1800
Swimming season: Year round
Snorkeling: OK
Parking: ¥500 / day

 

宮城島隠れ家ビーチ

Miyagi Island’s hidden beach

A hidden beach on Miyagi Island where rave parties and other events used to be held in the past, as hardly anything existed there other than fields. Since there are strong riptides, visitors should be careful if they plan to swim. This beach is frequented by surfers, locals and American families who camp out in the area.

 


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