1Reefers "Whale Watching Tour"

A thrilling Experience with whale watching, a seasonal winter event in Okinawa

From Miegusuku Port in Naha City, board the large cruiser "Reefers" and head west for about an hour. You will see the Kerama Islands, a world-famous diving site. The sea around the islands is known as "Kerama Blue," and in winter it is famous as a spot where you can see humpback whales up close.
You will move around in chairs until you find the whales, but once you do, be sure to go up to the bow or the second floor. Seeing the whales up close is very impressive. From the second floor, you can see the whales in their entirety.

Easily Direction boarding location from Naha Airport

The boarding point for the Reefers is about an 8-minute drive from Naha Airport. It's also close to Naha city, so you can easily join on the day of departure or arrival. Another great thing about it is that it's easy to incorporate into your sightseeing plans.
The captain is a veteran with over 10 years of experience, and can find whales in as little as 10 minutes using his intuition and experience. The encounter rate is 97% (from December 2022 to April 2023). This is a recommended Activity for those visiting Okinawa in the winter.​

Reefers

• https://www.reeffers.com/whale/
• 1-21-6 Nishi, Naha City, Okinawa Prefecture MAP
• Approximately 8 minutes by car from Naha Airport
• 9:00～19:00
• Open daily
• Whale watching: Adults 6,000 yen, Children (up to 11 years old) 5,500 yen
• 098-862-3496
• Available (500 yen per day)
• Whale watching usually takes place from late December to early April.

2DMM Kariyushi Aquarium

An entertainment aquarium with innovative video production

DMM Kariyushi Aquarium, which opened in May 2020, is located inside the shopping mall "IIAS Okinawa Toyosaki." It is an entertainment aquarium that incorporates a variety of visual and spatial presentations, allowing you to experience the beauty of living creatures and the nature of the subtropical climate.
The Theater Room is located immediately inside the entrance gate on the second floor. You can enjoy the Okinawan ocean, which shows different faces depending on the time of day, regardless of the weather. You can enjoy extraordinary views through video and audio, which is something you can only experience in an indoor Property.

Using the official app will make your stay at the aquarium even more enjoyable

The aquarium's official app includes recommended content such as a floor map and a creature encyclopedia. By holding your smartphone over touch points in the aquarium, you can access the "Creature Encyclopedia" and "Creature Collection."
Furthermore, a new feature, "Audio Guide," was released in November 2021. Popular voice actors and well-known entertainers will provide guides to explain Property in the four regional languages. The humorous exchanges between the navigators, who are dressed as the professor and his assistant, will make your stay at the aquarium even more enjoyable.

DMM Kariyushi Aquarium

• https://kariyushi-aquarium.com/
• 3-35 Toyosaki, Tomigusuku City, Okinawa Prefecture (Inside IIAS Okinawa Toyosaki) MAP
• Approximately 20 minutes by car from Naha Airport
• 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.
• Open everyday (may be closed temporarily for Property inspections, etc.)
• 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
• Available (within the "IIAS Okinawa Toyosaki" site)
• ▼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

3Island Fashion. STORE

A store that sells items that let you feel Okinawa in your daily life

A grocery store opened in Toyosaki, Tomigusuku City in November 2021. It is produced by Okinawa's leading editor, Sesoko Masayuki, and the items on display in the store are all carefully selected items that Sesoko and Staff/staff member feel "should be used in everyday life."
The store sells products by artists active not only on the main island of Okinawa, but also on outlying islands such as Ishigakijima and Miyakojima, so you can get popular local products without having to go to the islands. It's a spot where you can get a feel for Okinawa not just as a tourist destination, but as a place where people live.

We also recommend the special take-out menu.

The store also sells drinks and cream puffs for takeout. The menu includes popular items from famous stores, such as the home-roasted coffee from Moja Bakery, a popular store in Miyakojima that has long lines, and herbal tea from Shiraho Cafe, which uses herbs grown in Ishigakijima's own vegetable garden. The original cream puffs, which were commercialized in February 2022, have already become the store's signature menu item.
They regularly invite local Okinawan artists to hold pop-ups and workshops, so you can discover a new side to Okinawa whenever you visit.

Island Fashion. STORE

• https://www.instagram.com/shimanoyosooi_project/
• 1-329 Toyosaki, Tomigusuku City, Okinawa Prefecture MAP
• Approximately 14 minutes by car from Naha Airport
• 10:30～18:30
• Tuesday and Wednesday
• 098-987-1593
• free

4Ikutoen "Tsuboya Pottery Yachimun Dojo"

Enjoy Experience traditional techniques

"Yachimun" means "pottery" in Okinawa. Ikutoen is a Yachimun workshop in Tsuboya, Naha, with a history of about 300 years. We accept applications for Experience in making Shisa and vessels using Okinawan soil and handmade glazes.
The instructor will provide thorough support, so even beginners can feel at ease. You can create a professional piece in just a short time. After firing in the kiln, the finished product will arrive in your hands in up to two and a half months. It's an even more satisfying experience to have a piece that you made yourself.

The recommended Experience is making a Shisa.

One of the most popular Experience is "Shisa making." You can choose between "standing shisa (with pedestal)" or "mask shisa (wall hanging)." Made with Okinawan soil and handmade glaze, these authentic shisa are perfect as a memento of your trip or as a souvenir.
Children are welcome to participate, but preschool children should make pottery together with their guardians or have Staff/staff member help them. After Experience is over, another way to enjoy the experience is to stroll down Yachimun Street, which is right in front of the studio.

Ikutoen "Tsuboya Pottery Yachimun Dojo"

• https://www.ikutouen.com/yachimun-dojo/
• 1-22-33 Tsuboya, Naha City, Okinawa Prefecture (Ikutoen Main Building) MAP
• Approximately 20 minutes by car from Naha Airport
• 10:00〜13:00、14:00〜17:30
• January 1st and 2nd
• Wheel turning from 4,950 yen, painting from 3,850 yen, standing shisa and mask shisa from 4,400 yen
• 098-863-8611
• None (There is paid parking nearby)

5Okinawa Churaumi Park Southeast Botanical Garden

Japan's largest outdoor botanical garden where you can enjoy approximately 1,300 types of plants

One of the largest outdoor botanical gardens in Japan, where you can experience the nature, plants, and animals unique to Okinawa. There are approximately 1,300 types of plants to enjoy, and the gardens are divided into a water garden area and a botanical garden area.
Many plants are in full bloom in the fall and winter, making this a popular spot that can be enjoyed at any time of the year. In the fall, bougainvillea, crepe myrtle, Taiwan forsythia, and hibiscus are in full bloom, while in winter, red-and-white jasmine and white-and-white jasmine are in full bloom.

The illuminations that make use of subtropical plants are also a highlight

The highlight of the Southeast Botanical Gardens in autumn and winter is undoubtedly the illuminations. In November 2023, it won second place in the nation at the International Illumination Awards. Illuminations with a tropical atmosphere, such as palm tree-shaped lights, are unique to Okinawa. In 2024, the gardens will be decorated with motifs unique to the botanical gardens, such as magnificent lotus flowers, hibiscus, and jade vine, under the theme of "An inspiring paradise of lights shining with tropical flowers."

▼Okinawa Tropical Illumination 2024-2025
URL: https://www.southeast-botanical.jp/illumination2024/
Date and time: (Fri) October 25, 2024 to (Sun) May 25, 2025 17:00-22:00 (last entry at 21:30)
Admission fee: Night session: 2,300 yen for adults, 1,350 yen for teenagers, 800 yen for children, free for children under 3
*1-day rates apply on some days.
Venue: Water Park Area

Okinawa Churaumi Park Southeast Botanical Garden

• https://www.southeast-botanical.jp/
• 2146 Chibana, Okinawa City, Okinawa Prefecture MAP
• About 5 minutes by car from Okinawa Kita Interchange
• 9:30-22:00 *Last admission 21:30 (varies depending on the season)
• Please enquire
• Daytime admission fee (9:30-17:00): Adults (18 years and over) 1,540 yen, Teens (13-17 years old) 1,050 yen, Children (4-12 years old) 600 yen
  1DAY pass: Adults 2,800 yen, Teenagers 1,550 yen, Children 1,000 yen
  *Free for children under 3 years old
• 098-939-2555
• free

6Murasakimura Experience Kingdom

An Experience Property boasting the largest number of Activity in Okinawa

Built on the site of the open studio for the NHK historical drama "Winds of Ryukyu" in 1993, this is an Experience-based Property you can feel the kukuru (spirit) of Okinawa. It is one of the top-class experience-based facilities in the prefecture in terms of the number of Activity you can Experience. There is a truly diverse menu of activities, including glass blowing, eisa, Okinawa karate, Okinawa soba making, and sea kayaking.
One of the most popular experiences is the Bingata dyeing Experience, a traditional Okinawan craft. You can easily Experience Bingata dyeing without making a reservation, and make coasters, table centers, and more.

The Lantern Festival is a major winter event.

The Ryukyu Lantern Festival is held every year from December to March of the following year. This is a major winter event in Yomitan Village and is part of the seasonal Yomitan Night Light Project. Murasakimura Experience Kingdom is also the main venue for the event.
The spectacle of more than 3,000 lanterns lighting up the venue, including Chinese lanterns, Ryukyu glass, washi paper lanterns, and Yachimun lanterns, is fantastic. Projection mapping and stage shows are also held, livening up the winter in Okinawa.

▼Ryukyu Lantern Festival 2024-2025
URL: https://lantan.ryukyu/
Date and time: December 1, 2024 (Sun)- March 31, 2025 (Mon) 17:30 - 22:00 (last admission 21:30)
Admission fees: 1,800 yen for adults, 700 yen for junior and senior high school students, 600 yen for elementary school students, free for infants
Venue: Murasakimura Experience Kingdom

Murasakimura Experience Kingdom

• https://murasakimura.com/
• 1020-1 Takashiho, Yomitan Village, Nakagami District, Okinawa Prefecture MAP
• Approximately 63 minutes by car from Naha Airport
• 9:00-18:00 (last entry 17:30, excluding special business hours)
  Restaurant Taiki Lunch buffet 11:00-15:00, Dinner buffet 18:00-22:00
• none
• Adults 600 yen, Junior and senior high school students 500 yen, Elementary school students 400 yen, Toddlers free
• 098-958-1111
• free