Northern Tour
Pristine rainforests, and jungles make up the majority of the Northern portion of the island. Visitors can also enjoy the beauty of the Okinawan ocean, Chura Umi, which means "beautiful ocean", in the local dialect. Chura Umi is is also the name of the Aquarium just outside of Nago. You can also enjoy Pineapple and coffee farms, in addition to castles and historic theme parks.
Hiji Falls is a National Park and very popular tourist destination for nature lovers. It is located in the northern part of the island, approximately 20 kilometers north of the city of Nago. The area the falls and the ensuing river flow through is tropical most of the year. It is a popular destination for both locals and tourists, as the path from the start to the finish at the falls themselves is not far (about 2 miles), but there are many steep steps along the way.
One of the best resorts in Okinawa. They have an underwater tower and glass boats that allows visitors to experience the beautiful Okinawa sea. There is also a main conference center and the Bankoku Shinryo Kan, which was used for the 2000 G8 Summit.
Was built in honor of the 194 schoolgirls and 17 teachers mobilized as nurse assistants during the Battle of Okinawa in 1945. Tragically, only five of them survived the carnage. They were known as the Himeyuri Student Corps. The Peace Museum exhibits photographs of the many victims, their personal effects, model reconstructions of the appalling conditions, and testimonies from survivors in an appeal against the misery of war. Today, as memories of Okinawa's war experiences wear ever thinner, the Himeyuri Peace Museum and war memorial serve as places that can teach the importance of peace.
Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium at Ocean Expo Park (Chura means beautiful & umi means ocean in the Okinawan dialect) - Okinawa boasts one of the best aquariums in the world! In fact, the Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium is one of the largest aquariums in the world and the main attractions are its manta rays and three whale sharks. The aquarium is part of Ocean Expo Park. The aquarium is made up of four floors, with tanks containing deep sea creatures, sharks, coral, and tropical fish. Right outside of the aquarium, there are several free shows & exhibitions. For example, the Dolphin Lagoon, Manatee Pool, Sea Turtle Pool, as well as the Okichan Theater - this is where you can see a fun show featuring bottlenose dolphins and false killer whales. At all of the above mentioned facilities, you can observe the animals up close and personal. There is also a very beautiful beach very close to the aquarium called Emerald Beach.
Hiji Falls is a National Park and very popular tourist destination for nature lovers. It is located in the northern part of the island, approximately 20 kilometers north of the city of Nago. The area the falls and the ensuing river flow through is tropical most of the year. It is a popular destination for both locals and tourists, as the path from the start to the finish at the falls themselves is not far (about 2 miles), but there are many steep steps along the way.
Literally meaning a place where 10,000 people are able to sit together. It is situated on a field created by coral reefs, and its grassy top is a familiar place for picnics and sports events. The northern views from the cliff top of Manzamo are spectacular, where one can see the deep blue waters of Nago Bay. One day in 1727, the villagers welcomed the Shuri King Sho Kei on his visit to Manzamo; and Nabi Onna, a well-known and passionate poetess of the time, created a poem for the king. From that time, Manzamo has been considered a site that inspires poetic feelings.
pineapples have been cultivated in Okinawa as an agricultural product since they were brought here by the Dutch in 1866. The park experience begins with a ride through pineapple fields and tropical, botanical gardens in a four-person automatic pineapple-shaped cart. After the ride, visitors can begin the indoor, self-guided tour that features a small gift shop & winery. It was opened in 1992 and is the first of its kind on Okinawa. The winery offers visitors all-you-drink wine and juice samples. The last stop of the indoor tour is the Haisai Market. Here visitors can have their fill of free samples of pineapple chocolate, cakes, cookies, candy, jelly, as well as fresh and canned pineapple, goya, seaweed, and sugarcane. Visitors can also buy countless products made from pineapple such as lotion, shampoo, conditioner, face wash, and soap. Shoppers will also have the opportunity to purchase souvenirs like t-shirts, ceramic crafts, and children's toys.
Nakijin was selected as one of the nine world heritage sites in Okinawa. Nakijin Castle is a major tourist attraction. It is believed that Nakijin Castle was built in the 13th century as a place of religious worship. On the 14 acres of castle grounds you can see several religious objects, such as the fire-god shrine and the houses of the sacred maidens who presided over religious festivals. Recent excavations of pottery and utensils from the castle prove that there was trade between Okinawa and China.
Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium at Ocean Expo Park (Chura means beautiful & umi means ocean in the Okinawan dialect) - Okinawa boasts one of the best aquariums in the world! In fact, the Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium is one of the largest aquariums in the world and the main attractions are its manta rays and three whale sharks. The aquarium is part of Ocean Expo Park. The aquarium is made up of four floors, with tanks containing deep sea creatures, sharks, coral, and tropical fish. Right outside of the aquarium, there are several free shows & exhibitions. For example, the Dolphin Lagoon, Manatee Pool, Sea Turtle Pool, as well as the Okichan Theater - this is where you can see a fun show featuring bottlenose dolphins and false killer whales. At all of the above mentioned facilities, you can observe the animals up close and personal. There is also a very beautiful beach very close to the aquarium called Emerald Beach.
includes several old homes that have been gathered from around the Ryukyu Islands to preserve historic Okinawan culture. The buildings contain artifacts that explain the customs and life in traditional Okinawa. The Ryukyu Folk Village also offers demonstrations of pottery making, weaving, and bingata - an Okinawan brand of fabric dyeing. The village includes mills tread by water buffaloes & several shows about Okinawan cultural not to be missed
Was built in honor of the 194 schoolgirls and 17 teachers mobilized as nurse assistants during the Battle of Okinawa in 1945. Tragically, only five of them survived the carnage. They were known as the Himeyuri Student Corps. The Peace Museum exhibits photographs of the many victims, their personal effects, model reconstructions of the appalling conditions, and testimonies from survivors in an appeal against the misery of war. Today, as memories of Okinawa's war experiences wear ever thinner, the Himeyuri Peace Museum and war memorial serve as places that can teach the importance of peace.