Local Guide
Enjoy Okinawa in the rain! 8 recommended indoor spots

Okinawa is a place where you can enjoy the beautiful sea and sky, and the tropical atmosphere, but you really have to go on a sunny day... I'm sure many people think so. In fact, there are many spots in Okinawa that you can enjoy even on rainy days. Here are eight tourist spots in Okinawa that you can enjoy to the fullest even on rainy days, from experiencing unique history and culture that is unparalleled in Japan, to enjoying an aquarium that makes you feel like you're diving in the ocean.

A history and folklore museum and art museum reopened after 43 years

The first floor exhibition room displays the World Heritage Site, Zakimi Castle Ruins, and the natural and cultural heritage of Yomitan.
The first floor exhibition room displays the World Heritage Site, Zakimi Castle Ruins, and the natural and cultural heritage of Yomitan.

Property was reopened in June 2018 as a place where you can learn about Okinawa's history and culture. It is located near the Zakimi Castle Ruins (Gusuku) in Yomitan Village, which is a designated World Heritage Site. Its predecessor, the Yomitan Village History and Folklore Museum, opened in 1975, so this is the first renovation in 43 years.
You can enjoy both the History and Folklore Museum and the Art Museum, and the History and Folklore Museum has a variety of exhibits, including the history, culture, and nature of Yomitan Village, as well as the Battle of Okinawa and Okinawan culture. Another attraction is that you can enjoy a variety of things, such as valuable documents and videos from that time, and models of cultural heritage.

Experience There are also exhibits that can be done. Feel the history of Okinawa firsthand

A traditional house is recreated in detail, even inside.
A traditional house is recreated in detail, even inside.

The second floor exhibition room displays archaeology, folklore, nature, and the Battle of Okinawa. There are plenty of hands-on exhibits, including a reproduction of actual conversations that took place in the gama (caves used as evacuation shelters) during the war using doll objects and audio, and a Experience sized replica of a kamekobaka (Okinawan tomb) that you can enter.
You can spend a rich experience learning about Okinawa in detail and reflecting on the horrific war of the past and the path that the Okinawan people have walked.

Comments Local Guide
This museum was reopened after many years of renovation. You can see paintings by Okinawan artists, and Property is beautiful. Please be sure to visit.
World Heritage Site Zakimi Castle Ruins Yuntanza Museum
  • URLhttp://www.yuntanza-museum.jp/
  • 住所Okinawa Prefecture, Nakagami District, Yomitan Village, Zakimi 708-6 MAP
  • アクセスApproximately 60 minutes by car from Naha Airport
  • 営業時間9:00-18:00 (entry until 17:30)
  • 定休日Wednesdays (open if Wednesday is a public holiday, closed the following day)
    New Year's holiday (December 28th to January 4th of the following year)
    *There are temporary closures due to exhibit changeovers and fumigation.
  • 入場料Free for infants, 300 yen for elementary and junior high school students, 500 yen for high school students and above, 400 yen for those 65 and over
  • TEL098-958-3141
  • 駐車場Available (free)

Enjoy ice cream in a cute space

In the community zone, you can spend your time freely watching ice cream being made and enjoying some ice cream.
In the community zone, you can spend your time freely watching ice cream being made and enjoying some ice cream.

A spot where you can enjoy Okinawa's local ice cream from various angles. Once inside, you'll find a cute space that feels like a candy land. The pastel colors will lift your spirits and make you forget that it's raining.
In addition to the main ice bar decoration Experience, you can enjoy a variety of activities, such as a museum space introducing the history of Blue Seal since its founding in Okinawa in 1948, and a freezer Experience at minus 20 degrees. By the time you leave, the gloomy mood of the rainy day may have disappeared.

The only one in the world! Make your own original ice cream

What kind of ice cream should I make? I'm excited from start to finish, even before I start making it.
What kind of ice cream should I make? I'm excited from start to finish, even before I start making it.

The ice cream bar decoration Experience begins with choosing the shape of the ice cream, then choosing the flavor, the color of the coating chocolate, and the color of the chocolate pen for drawing. Once you've decided on the color and shape, you then place five of the 12 toppings on a tray and use them to create your own original ice cream design.
Experience takes about 45 to 60 minutes, including explanation. Experience will receive an original cooling bag as a gift, and can also enjoy Experience of being in a -20 degree freezer. Once you've finished making your creation, it's fun to take a photo of it in a photo machine with an original frame.

Comments Local Guide
Both adults and children will love the ice bar decorations, so be sure to enjoy them. The refreshing sweetness of Blue Seal ice cream is especially delicious on humid, rainy days.
Blue Seal Ice Park
  • URLhttps://www.blueseal.co.jp/icepark/
  • 住所5-5-6 Makiminato, Urasoe City, Okinawa Prefecture Next to Blue Seal Makiminato Main StoreMAP
  • アクセスApproximately 30 minutes by car from Naha Airport
  • 営業時間9:00-18:00 (last entry 17:00)
  • 定休日none
  • 入場料Admission is free, ice bar making Experience costs 1,800 yen
  • TEL098-988-4535
  • 駐車場Available (free)

Learn about the maritime peoples and life underwater in the Pacific region and Okinawa

A Tahitian double canoe that has been on display since the Okinawa International Ocean Expo.
A Tahitian double canoe that has been on display since the Okinawa International Ocean Expo.

Property is located within Ocean Expo Park, which is filled with plenty of sea, flowers, and natural spots, including the Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium. It opened as a Japanese government exhibition pavilion during the Okinawa International Ocean Expo held in 1975, and was renovated and reopened in 2013. It preserves and introduces the history and culture of the maritime peoples of the Pacific region, including Okinawa, in the 1970s.
The museum has about 750 exhibits, including actual large canoes and sabani (Okinawan fishing boats), that tell the story of how people lived in the Pacific Ocean. The floor map depicting the Pacific Ocean and the large dynamic video on the wall are also attractive.

Be soothed by the beautiful starry sky of Okinawa at the planetarium

Relax in a comfortable reclining seat and enjoy a soothing moment watching the star-filled sky of Okinawa.
Relax in a comfortable reclining seat and enjoy a soothing moment watching the star-filled sky of Okinawa.

Inside the museum, you can also enjoy the planetarium, which has a theme of Okinawa's starry sky and civilian life. You will be enchanted by the moving beauty of the beautiful starry sky, with a maximum of 140 million stars, projected across the entire dome screen.
Seasonal programs of about 30 minutes are shown throughout the day, so if you visit during each season, you can feel the changing of the stars in Okinawa. Next to the Oceanic Culture Museum is the "Okinawa Native Village," which recreates a village from the Ryukyu Kingdom era, and it is recommended to learn about the history after enjoying the beautiful starry sky.

Comments Local Guide
There are many ways to enjoy the museum, including learning about maritime culture and history, and enjoying the planetarium. Be sure to also take a look at the impressive large canoe exhibit.
Oceanic Culture Museum
  • URLhttps://oki-park.jp/sp/kaiyohaku/
  • 住所424 Ishikawa, Motobu-cho, Kunigami-gun, Okinawa Prefecture MAP
  • アクセスApproximately 100 minutes by car from Naha Airport
  • 営業時間March to September: 8:30 to 19:00 (last entry 18:30)
    October to February: 8:30 to 17:30 (last entry 17:00)
  • 定休日The first Wednesday of December and the following day
  • 入場料Adults: 190 yen, children (junior high school students and younger): free, groups of 20 or more: 80 yen
    *There are days when admission is free.
  • TEL0980-48-2741（海洋博公園管理センター）
  • 駐車場Available (free)

A new aquarium where the digital and real come together

What's digital and what's real? A moment to heighten your senses even indoors
What's digital and what's real? A moment to heighten your senses even indoors

A new entertainment aquarium that makes full use of the latest video expression and spatial presentation. Unlike conventional aquariums, you can enjoy the fusion of digital and real through the projection of videos of Okinawa on a large multi-screen that you can watch immediately after entering, and spatial presentations that beautifully combine creatures, video, and sound.
The facility is divided into two floors, the first floor designed to resemble a "clear ocean teeming with diverse creatures," and the second floor designed to resemble an "evergreen forest woven by a subtropical climate." Enjoy the fascinating ocean and forest on each floor.

Enjoy the concert of light, sound and creatures with all your senses

This is a zone where you can enjoy the soothing sight of the changing light colors and the swaying of the jellyfish. You can also see people taking pictures of their favorite jellyfish.
This is a zone where you can enjoy the soothing sight of the changing light colors and the swaying of the jellyfish. You can also see people taking pictures of their favorite jellyfish.

The extraordinary space, where you can be captivated by the beautiful and mysterious expressions of the creatures, with light and sound, is maintained throughout the museum. For example, there are no information boards explaining the creatures on display. Instead, you can check the explanations of the creatures and floor maps from the official app that you download before entering the museum, so you can quickly check only the information you want to know on your smartphone.
The aquarium is located inside the large shopping center, "IIAS Okinawa Toyosaki," so even in bad weather you can enjoy Okinawa indoors all day long.

Comments Local Guide
All of Parking at IIAS Okinawa Toyosaki are covered, so you can enjoy other activities without getting wet even after enjoying your time at the aquarium.
DMM Kariyushi Aquarium
  • URLhttps://kariyushi-aquarium.com/
  • 住所3-35 Toyosaki, Tomigusuku City, Okinawa Prefecture (Inside IIAS Okinawa Toyosaki) MAP
  • アクセスApproximately 20 minutes by car from Naha Airport
  • 営業時間Business hours: 9:00-20:00 (last entry 60 minutes before closing)
    * Varies depending on the day. For details, please check the business calendar on the official website.
  • 定休日Open everyday (may be closed temporarily for Property inspections, etc.)
  • 入場料Adults (18 years and over) 2,800 yen
    Teenagers (13-17 years old) 2,200 yen
    Children (ages 4 to 12): 1,700 yen
    Children under 3 years old are free
  • 駐車場Available (within the "IIAS Okinawa Toyosaki" site)
  • メモ▼イーアス沖縄豊崎
    営業時間：ショップ10;00～21:00　レストラン＆カフェ11:00～23:00
    TEL：098-840-6900

One of the world's largest aquariums that you should visit at least once in your life

Whale sharks and manta rays can be seen through impressive acrylic panels
Whale sharks and manta rays can be seen through impressive acrylic panels

As the theme of the aquarium is "Encounter with the Sea of Okinawa," it is an aquarium located in Ocean Expo Park where you can experience the ocean of Okinawa, from the shallows of the coral reef to the deep sea. The most notable feature is the spectacular sight of whale sharks and manta rays swimming leisurely through one of the world's largest acrylic panels. It's as if you're gazing at them from under the sea, and you can't help but be captivated by the gracefully swimming fish.
There are plenty of things to see, such as the "Coral Sea," which uses an open system that constantly supplies fresh seawater from the ocean in front of it, making it possible to cultivate coral on a large scale, and the "Deep Sea," which recreates the deep sea of Okinawa.

Witness the American manatee that inspired the mermaid legend!

The American manatee is a rare species classified as Class I (internationally rare wild animal and plant species) under the Washington Convention.
The American manatee is a rare species classified as Class I (internationally rare wild animal and plant species) under the Washington Convention.

After enjoying the aquarium, be sure to check out the Manatee Museum in Ocean Expo Park. There, you can see the American manatee, which is currently designated as an internationally protected species due to its endangered status and is said to be the model for the mermaid legend, free of charge.
Manatees are herbivorous mammals, with adults measuring about 3 to 4.5 meters and weighing an astounding 300 to 1,000 kg! You'll be sure to be soothed by their adorable faces and the way they swim leisurely. A male manatee was born in June 2021, so be sure to keep an eye on the mother and child as they live together.

Comments Local Guide
Speaking of Okinawa's tourist spots, this is the place to be! It's a spot that can be enjoyed regardless of the weather, so it's recommended whether it's rain or shine.
Okinawa Memorial National Government Park (Ocean Expo Park) Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium
  • URLhttps://churaumi.okinawa
  • 住所Okinawa Prefecture, Kunigami District, Motobu Town, Ishikawa 424, Okinawa Memorial National Government Park (Ocean Expo Park) MAP
  • アクセスApproximately 100 minutes by car from Naha Airport
  • バスアクセス"Nago Bus Terminal" → Get off at "Okinawa Memorial Park (Churaumi Aquarium)"
  • 営業時間8:30-18:30 (last entry 17:30) *Check the website for extended hours
  • 定休日Please check the website
  • 入場料Adults: 2,180 yen, high school students: 1,440 yen, elementary and junior high school students: 710 yen, children under 6: free
  • TEL0980-48-3748
  • 駐車場Available (free)

A place where you can learn about Okinawa's history, culture, nature, and more throughout the day

The entrance to the museum's permanent exhibition is a representation of an Okinawan ino (a shallow sea surrounded by coral reefs in the Okinawan dialect). ©Okinawa Prefectural Museum and Art Museum Collection
The entrance to the museum's permanent exhibition is a representation of an Okinawan ino (a shallow sea surrounded by coral reefs in the Okinawan dialect). ©Okinawa Prefectural Museum and Art Museum Collection

This is a rare Property in Japan that combines a museum and an art gallery. The building is home to 104,900 documents and artworks from the museum and 4,800 from the art gallery (as of March 31, 2021), and it would take a whole day to see all the exhibits.
The museum's permanent exhibition consists of a general exhibition that explains the general history of Okinawa and five section exhibitions (natural history, archaeology, folklore, history, and arts and crafts). You can learn about Okinawa from many different angles without getting bored, and once you visit, your curiosity may never be satisfied and you may not want to leave.

Appreciate the depictions and portrayals of "Okinawa" by a variety of artists

"Ishikawa Bunyo and the Vietnam War" exhibited in the Collection Gallery (scheduled to end on January 23, 2022) ©Okinawa Prefectural Museum and Art Museum
"Ishikawa Bunyo and the Vietnam War" exhibited in the Collection Gallery (scheduled to end on January 23, 2022) ©Okinawa Prefectural Museum and Art Museum

The museum's collection exhibition features oil paintings, watercolors, photography, sculptures, videos, and other works by artists from Okinawa or with ties to Okinawa, as well as artists from other Asian countries, and the contents of the exhibition change regularly. Viewing art after learning about it at the museum may change the way you feel about the artworks.

Comments Local Guide
There are plenty of ways to enjoy the museum, including exhibits that change with the season and period, as well as regularly held workshops and backstage tours. (Check the website for information on how to participate in events.)
©Okinawa Prefectural Museum and Art Museum
©Okinawa Prefectural Museum and Art Museum
Okinawa Prefectural Museum and Art Museum (Okimyu)
  • URLhttps://okimu.jp/
  • 住所3-1-1 Omoromachi, Naha City, Okinawa Prefecture MAP
  • アクセスAbout 10 minutes walk from Yui Rail "Omoromachi Station"
  • 営業時間Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Sunday 9:00-18:00 (Last admission at 17:30)
    Friday and Saturday 9:00-20:00 (entrance until 19:30)
  • 定休日Mondays (open if Monday is a national holiday, substitute holiday, or Memorial Day, and closed the following weekday)
    Closed during the New Year holidays and other maintenance periods
  • 入場料Museum permanent exhibition: Adults 530 yen, high school and university students 270 yen, elementary and junior high school students from outside the prefecture 150 yen
    Museum Collection Exhibition: Adults 400 yen, High school and college students 220 yen, Elementary and junior high school students from outside the prefecture 100 yen
    * Free admission for those 70 years of age or older, elementary school students living in the prefecture, and those with a disability certificate and one caregiver (certificate must be presented)
  • TEL098-941-8200
  • 駐車場Available (free)

Nature, culture, and Activity. A place where you can experience the charm of Okinawa

Each shop has its own unique style, with cacti and paint, making it fun to look at.
Each shop has its own unique style, with cacti and paint, making it fun to look at.

This spot is a beautiful white building that stands on a hilltop, reminiscent of Santorini in Greece. The building is a complex that offers a variety of entertainment, including a diving shop, horse riding, pottery, and glass blowing Experience, as well as relaxation, gourmet food, and shopping, based on the concept of a third Property you can experience the charms of Okinawa.
Each store is covered with a roof so you don't have to worry about rain. The exterior walls are decorated with the individuality of each store, so just walking around gives you an exciting exotic feeling.

A wide selection of Yachimun pottery and many hands-on Experience available

A wide variety of Yachimun pottery available. Some items are hard to find elsewhere.
A wide variety of Yachimun pottery available. Some items are hard to find elsewhere.

Not only can you enjoy Experience and the food, but it's also a great place to shop for Yachimun (pottery in the Okinawan dialect). The Okinawa Art Shop Yuntan inside the building hosts a large-scale Yachimun market once a year, and boasts one of the best selections in Okinawa. Once you've piqued your interest in the colorful Yachimun, there's also a workshop inside the building where you can actually Experience.
If you get hungry after Experience, there is also delicious food available, so you might find yourself staying all day before you know it. It is located just a short drive from HOSHINOYA Okinawa, so why not enjoy a day here on a rainy day?

Comments Local Guide
Located just 5 minutes by car from HOSHINOYA Okinawa, Gala Blue Sea is known for its ocean views, but Property is so well-equipped that you can enjoy it even on rainy days.
Gala Blue Sea
  • URLhttp://www.gala-aoiumi.com/
  • 住所915 Takashiho, Yomitan Village, Nakagami District, Okinawa Prefecture MAP
  • アクセスApproximately 60 minutes by car from Naha Airport
  • 営業時間Please check the official website for the opening hours of each store.
  • 定休日No holidays (some stores have fixed holidays)
  • 入場料Admission is free. Experience and food and drink options vary by store.
  • TEL098-958-3940
  • 駐車場Available (free)

A coral dyeing Experience that can only be done here!

The popular coral dyeing Experience (reservation required) is recommended as a memorable experience for your trip!
The popular coral dyeing Experience (reservation required) is recommended as a memorable experience for your trip!

Located a five minute walk from Shuri Castle, this dyeing studio was built on the site of Nakayamamon Gate, which served as the entrance to the Ryukyu Kingdom during the Ryukyu Dynasty. Since it was founded in 1973 by one of Japan's leading dyers, it has served as a place to preserve and pass on the culture of Bingata dyeing.
You can enjoy a one-of-a-kind coral dyeing Experience (reservations required) using the "coral dyeing" technique, which combines coral fossils of various sizes with colorful dyes to create designs. The Experience is registered as a trademark and design, and can only be Experience and purchased here.

The only Bingata workshop in Okinawa that is open to the public

On the third floor, dyeing is carried out taking advantage of the shape of the gassho-style roof.
On the third floor, dyeing is carried out taking advantage of the shape of the gassho-style roof.

Shuri Ryusen is a three-story building, with the first floor being an exhibition and sales area, the second floor being a coral dyeing Experience, and the third floor being a dyeing studio. It is also known as the only bingata studio in Okinawa that is open to the public.
In the workshop on the third floor, dyeing is done using the shape of the traditional gassho-style roof. You can see a sophisticated sight of rows of dyed fabrics that the craftsmen have taken their time to create. If you're lucky, you might even be able to see them at work. Products made on the third floor can be purchased in the shop on the first floor, making them the perfect souvenirs to buy for yourself.

Comments Local Guide
A dyeing workshop that both adults and children can enjoy. The coral dyeing Experience is recommended as it is an easy and unique dyeing Experience.
Shuri Ryusen
  • URLhttps://www.shuri-ryusen.com/
  • 住所1-54 Shuri Yamakawacho, Naha City, Okinawa Prefecture MAP
  • アクセスApproximately 20 minutes by car from Naha Airport
  • 営業時間9:00～18:00
  • 定休日Open daily
  • 入場料[Coral dyeing Experience] Adults: 3,300 yen, Children: 2,750 yen
  • TEL098-886-1131
  • 駐車場Available (free)

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Nearby Hoshino Resorts Property
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