11 amazing places in Okinawa that you can't miss!! - JAPANKURU Let’s share our Japanese Stories!

There are 11 places in Okinawa that you can't miss!

1. Scuba Dive in the mysterious Blue Cave
2. Experience snorkeling in the Blue Cave
3. Enjoy the blue ocean on sea kayak
4. Snorkel at night under the starry sky
5. Shop for star-shaped sands accessories
6. Visit the best Okinawa beef restaurant
7. Interact with buffaloes in Okinawa
8. Try the American and Okinawa style Blue Seal ice cream
9. Shop for limited edition souvenirs
10. Visit the famous steak house on Kokusai Dori Street
11. Have fun on the beautiful beach

11 amazing activities and spots in Okinawa

01. Scuba Dive in the mysterious Blue Cave
One of the most famous and hottest spot for divers to scuba dive is the Blue Cave which is located near Cape Maeda in Onna Village. Just 5 meters below the surface, you can see the beautiful emerald-like color under the sea!

For the scuba diving course, a certified professional coach will accompany you all the way, so even if you can't swim or you are not good at swimming, you can still experience scuba diving safely. We highly suggest all the beginners to take this course first.

Scuba Diving in Blue Cave
Reservation in advance: 12,000 yen
Walk-in: 13,000 yen
You can make reservation by phone or email. (Up to 3 days before your experience)
English speaking staff is available.
Inquiries Tel.: +81-80-2730-7076
Email: contact@bluecavemarintour.com

02. Experience snorkeling in the Blue Cave
Snorkeling is another good way to experience the Okinawa's ocean. Actually you just need a set of simple equipment, then you can enjoy playing with the fish and the underwater world up to 5 meters below the surface of water. Of course you don't need to know how to swim or scuba dive to try snorkeling. You just need to put on your snorkel, life jacket and flippers, then you are ready to go!

Snorkeling in Blue Cave
Reservation in advance: 5,200 yen
Walk-in: 6,000 yen
You can make reservation by phone or email. (Up to 3 days before your experience)
English speaking staff is available.
Inquiries Tel.: +81-80-2730-7076
Email: contact@bluecavemarintour.com
03. Enjoy the blue ocean on sea kayak
If you don't want to get into the sea, there are still other ways that you can enjoy the Okinawa ocean. For example, getting into a sea kayak and enjoying the beautiful sea and sea creatures from the surface of water! You can also paddle with your friends and have some great time together!

ZANPA Sea Kayaking
Reservation in advance: 5,400 yen
Walk-in: 6,400 yen
You can make reservation by phone or email. (Up to 3 days before your experience)
English speaking staff is available.
Inquiries Tel.: +81-80-2730-7076
Email: contact@bluecavemarintour.com
04. Snorkel at night under the starry sky
Enjoy the red sky in sunset and the shining stars in the dark sky while floating in the sea. Night Healing Snorkeling is actually a special night time program which starts at 7 pm every day, and it is only provided from March to October.

Night Healing Snorkeling
Reservation in advance: 5,400 yen
Walk-in: 6,000 yen
You can make reservation by phone or email. (Up to 3 days before your experience)
English speaking staff is available.
Inquiries Tel.: +81-80-2730-7076
Email: contact@bluecavemarintour.com

11. Have fun on the beautiful beach
In the north part of Okinawa, there is a beautiful island called Kouri Island which is famous for the blue ocean! Just 1.5 hours drive, you can reach this beautiful place!!

With the beautiful ocean and the interesting shaped rocks, Kouri Island is also famous among visitors, and it appears in many movies too!

Kouri Island
Map Code: 485 722 490 3
Homepage (Japanese): http://kourijima.info/

01. The beauty of Kouri Island
Just look at the blue ocean and the beautiful sky! You will never forget this amazing place once you visited!
02. Free Parking
There is a free parking area at the entrance of the Kouri Island. It is a photo spot where you can take some nice pictures of the ocean!
03. Water sports and activities
If the Blue Cave is good for water activities like scuba diving and snorkeling, then Kouri Island is good for other water activities like jet surfing and banana boat etc. Of course the most popular one is the Flyboard now!!

Flyboard
A Flyboard rider stands on a board connected by a long hose to a watercraft. Water is forced under pressure to a pair of boots with jet nozzles underneath which provide thrust for the rider to fly up. (Information from wikipedia)

This new sport is definitely the coolest for both the player and even the ones who are just watching it!!
Inflatable boat
Just get in the inflatable boat with 2 or 3 friends and enjoy another kind of surfing! The boat pulling you will not treat you too nicely! Hold the rope tightly or otherwise you will be thrown into the sea!! What an exciting game!!
Banana Boat
Of course the most popular banana boat can also be found here. Get on it with your friends and enjoy some great time in the sea together! Who will be thrown off the boat first?

07. Interact with buffaloes in Okinawa

Buffalo Carriage Ride
Here in Hills of Bios, you can get on the buffalo carriage ride to enjoy the park slowly.

Fees: 900 yen (Adults), 600 yen (From 4 years old to elementary school)
Entrance ticket is required
Time: About 25 minutes
Hours: 09:45 - 17:15
Location: Azumacho shop (10-mins walk and 200m from main entrance)

Reminder
Tickets can be purchased in Azumacho shop
Tickets are not required for children under 4 years old and do not occupy seat
Departs in every 30 minutes
Maximum 20 persons per ride
Tour Boat Ride
You can also get on the tour boat ride and enjoy the natural landscape and colorful orchids at Hill of Bios.

Fees: 800 yen (Adults), 500 yen (Children)
Entrance ticket is required
Time: About 25 minutes
Hours: 09:30 - 17:00
Location: Ayafune Square (Pier) (10-mins walk and 200m from main entrance)

Reminder
Tickets are not required for children under 4 years old and do not occupy seat
Departs in every 30 minutes
Reservation is required for group of 20 or above
Maximum 40 persons per ride
Play with the Animals
Under the beautiful Okinawa sky, enjoy your time with the cute animals like goats, pigs, or chicken. You can also try to feed them!

Hills of Bios
Address: 961-30 Ishikawakadekaru, Uruma-shi, Okinawa
Map Code: 206 005 263
Hours: 09:00 - 18:00 (Last admission at 17:00)
Holidays: none
Tel.: 098-965-3400
Homepage: http://www.bios-hill.co.jp.e.vr.hp.transer.com/

06. Visit the best Okinawa beef restaurant

Famous Restaurant
You can always find a long line outside this restaurant! It is not just famous among the Japanese, even many visitors know about this place!

Ryukyu no Ushi Onna
Address: 1F, 909-2 Maeganeku, Onna-son Okinawa
Tel.: 098-965-2233
Hours:
Lunch: 11:00 - 16:30 (L.O. 15:30) Reservation is accepted
Dinner: 17:00 - 23:30 (L.O. 23:00) No Reservation
Homepage: http://www.u-shi.net/english/index.html#
Special lunch set
At Ryukyu no Ushi, they only provide the finest Okinawa beef and expert-selected nameless Japanese beef. Even for the nameless beef, it is carefully selected by the expert, and the taste and quality are guaranteed just like the top grade beef! What's more? Prices of nameless beef are more reasonable! By the way, lunch menu is cheaper than the dinner menu, so you can visit them in the afternoon!

Lunch: 11:00 - 16:30 (L.O. 15:30)
Steak Set served with steak, pickles, soup, salad, and rice
Save your line up time
Since they don't take any reservation for dinner, if you want to avoid the long line, you can go to their shop 5 minutes before their dinner time starts!

10. Visit the famous steak house on Kokusai Dori Street

Let's visit the famous American style steak house in Okinawa, Steak House 88, which has been running their business in Okinawa for 60 years!
At Steak House 88, you can find American style steaks made with Ishigaki beef and other kinds of Okinawa beef. Steak set comes with soup, salad, bread or rice too!

Hamburger steak (230 g) with deep fried prawns set - 2,400 yen + tax
How about ordering a glass of red wine too?

Steak House 88 Matsuo Shop
Address: 3-1-6 2F, Matsuo, Naha-shi, Okinawa 900-0013
Map Code: 331 572 83
Hours: 17:00 - 25:00 (L.O. 24:00)
Tel.: 098-866-3760
Homepage: http://s88.co.jp/en/matsuo

08. Try the American and Okinawa style Blue Seal ice cream

You can find this famous ice cream shop on Kokusai Dori, or even their products in smaller shops and convenient stores in Okinawa! But do you know that where did the original Blue Seal ice cream come from? Actually it came from the US military base!

In 1948, USA-based Foremost Ltd. established a factory in the Tengan Military Base, Gushikawa City (now Uruma City) to supply dairy products essential for US military personnel stationed in Okinawa. This was the beginning of Blue Seal’s history. Back in those days, Foremost’s products were valuable commodities, only available inside the base, and rarely encountered by the local people of Okinawa. (From Blue Seal official website) Blue Seal is still the most famous ice cream brand in Okinawa!

Over 100 kinds of original American recipes are used here, but in order to fit the hot and humid climate in Okinawa, they made some fine adjustment on the recipes. Not just the locals, even visitors love the Blue Seal ice cream a lot!
Summer limited edition fruit sundae
What can be better than having fruits and ice cream together in the hot summer! How about sharing this sundae with your friends!

Tropical Mountain Sundae 1,000 yen + tax
Limited time only! (June 9 to September 30)
Just follow national highway 58, you can find the big sign of Blue Seal outside the shop. Don't forget to take a picture outside the shop!!

Blue Seal
Address: 5-5-6 Makminato, Urazoe City, Okinawa Prefecture

Map Code: 333 415 3510

Hours: 09:00 - 24:00 (Sun to Thur), 09:00 - 25:00 (Fri & Sat)

Tel.: 098-877-8258

Homepage: http://en.blueseal.co.jp/

05. Shop for the star-shaped sands accessories
For those we want to get something more special and bring home your memories, why don't you order a special jewelry at Grace Anniversary Design Shop where the design and ideas are coming from designers who live in Okinawa!

Grace Anniversary Design (Onna Shop)
Address: Onna, Okinawa
（沖縄県国頭郡恩納村前兼久124）
Map Code: 206 096 202 4
Tel.: 098-964-3422
Hours: 10:00 - 20:00
(Closed on Wednesday on the 3rd week of every month)
Homepage (Japanese): http://www.grace-shop.jp/

09. Shop for limited edition souvenirs
Wanna get Okinawa souvenirs at one stop? We have a good suggestion for you! Just 15 minutes walk from the OMOROMACHI station where the biggest Duty Free Shop in Okinawa is, you can find this supermarket "Okinawa Takajima Apple Town Shop"!

Nagatanien Ochazuke - Okinawa Limited Edition
Bitter melon stir fried mixed flavor
AGU pork flavor
Mozuku Tea (seaweed tea) flavor
600 yen + tax
Homepage (Japanese): http://www.nagatanien.co.jp/product/detail/7/28/528/

Okinawa Takajima Apple Town Shop
Address: 2F, 3-3-1 Omoro-machi, Naha, Okinawa
Map Code: 331 888 77
Hours: 11:00 - 20:30
Tel.: 098-863-8305
Homepage (Japanese): http://www.feenu.co.jp/shop/shop08.php

Isn't Okinawa a great place for diving, fine food, shopping, and sightseeing!

Do you think that Okinawa is the best place for your summer getaway in Japan? We will leave you to explore this beautiful subtropical land by yourself!

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See you there! :)