![]() ![]() The reproduction villages display homes in Okinawa as they would have been centuries ago and give you a great feel for island life so long ago. The gardens also have a botanical garden and historic native Okinawan Reproduction of the villages of Okinawa in the Ryukyu Kingdom period. Native Okinawan Village and Omoro Botanical Garden (official website) The park itself has beautiful scenic views of the ocean and the flora and fauna displays are spread throughout the grounds. Upon arriving at the Ocean Expo park (if time permits) you can explore the park and there are no fees to do so before you move on to the aquarium. If your wanting to have that feel of Okinawa decades ago then you should consider staying for a couple of days or longer in this area. Motobu-Cho is really a small beach town about 20 minutes from the aquarium. My favorite section (Motobu-Cho) of the drive was when the road that meandered along the ocean side had wide panoramic views of the huge coral structures standing out in the ocean. Okinawa’s population is far more than I would have expected and closes in on close to 1.5 million. Rush hour times are similar to most major urban areas 7-9 am and 5-7 pm. Sponsored Linksĭriving time is anywhere from 1.5 to 2 hours depending on traffic, which can be significant during rush hours. Located in the northern part of the island and roughly 50 miles from Naha (Okinawa’s capital) and home to the international airport. The Ocean Expo Park is the site of the Churaumi Aquarium. US STATE DEPARTMENT DRIVING ABROAD Check here for important information regarding overseas driving. If you are a US citizen the State Department has a great website that covers many safety issues and problems you might encounter driving in foreign countries. NAHA AIRPORT RENTAL CAR SERVICES Daily rates start at $39 and average at $89 daily. #OKINAWA CHURAUMI AQUARIUM 4K LICENSE#Rates will obviously be higher and you will need to obtain an international driver’s license before coming to Okinawa. However, if your wanting to do additional exploration a rental car might be the way to go. The express bus is an excellent way to reach the aquarium if your only destination is the aquarium itself. YANBARU EXPRESS BUS Check here for current rates and schedules. There is a bus line (Yanbaru Express) that runs from Naha to the Okinawa aquarium and takes about two hours and costs approximately 2500 Yen (one-way). ![]() Options to reach the aquarium are few since the island doesn’t have a dedicated rail line outside of the city of Naha. The Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium was much more than I expected it to be. It was picture-perfect, something right off of a postcard. I remember driving along the coastline and seeing huge ancient coral rocks jutting out of the sea. My then-girlfriend now-wife drove us from her hometown in Ginowan to the Aquarium and the ride itself was stunning. However, If you are visiting multiple areas in the country then there are roughly 19 well-known throughout. They are known to be some of the best in Japan. There are more than just the aforementioned aquariums. That’s saying a lot since there are about half a dozen well-known aquariums and when the Japanese want to do something for tourists…they do it to perfection. The rainy season lasts from early May to early June, while typhoons can be a problem in July thru August, and occasionally into October. The months with the least rain and fewer chances of inclement weather are March thru May or September thru December. Later summer months have increased the risk of Hurricanes and tropical storms. The summer months are very humid and often rainy. Sponsored LinksĪs a general rule, it’s best to visit Okinawa in the spring or fall months. I was unsure of what months would have the most ideal weather and chance would have it I visited at the perfect times. My second visit to the aquarium was in 2019 early spring and was somewhat less crowded than the fall trip. Sponsored Links When to visit the Aquarium There are other contenders inside Japan but I do think that Okinawa’s aquarium is at the top of the list. The Churaumi Aquarium is considered the best in all of Japan. My first visit to Okinawa was in the fall of 2014 and I wanted to see the most well-known tourist attraction on the island. ![]()
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