Okinawa: The North Side Of The Island

It was time for my most ambitious day yet. I would venture pretty far from Naha and explore the north side of Okinawa. I’d heard excellent things about the aquarium here, and there seemed to be plenty to do in the area. I was nervous about taking the bus so far away from where I was staying, but I didn’t come to Okinawa to play it safe. 

I tried to leave my hotel earlier than normal, since it would take about 2 hours on the bus to reach the aquarium. After double checking, I hopped on the bus, and tried to get myself settled in. It didn’t take long before I started getting annoyed. Google maps had promised this bus would be an express route, with only 3 stops before we arrived. Within 15 minutes we had already stopped more than 3 times. 

This wouldn’t be the worst thing, more time to relax on the bus, right? Well, the AC on this particular bus was awful. I was just as sweaty as I was while I had been waiting. 2 hours on a bus is one thing, 2 hours while you’re actively sweating is another. There wasn’t anything I could do about either of these things, so I tried to roll with the punches, but that’s never easy in the heat. 

After a quick stop at a rest station, which did a fair bit to improve my mood, we were finally getting close to the aquarium. I had expected the aquarium to be large, but still a stand alone building. Instead, there was a whole park sprawled out in front of me, with the aquarium being just one attraction among many. I thought about tackling some of the other attractions, but I had a rough day plan in mind, and I felt more comfortable sticking to it. 

I made my way to the aquarium entrance, bought my ticket, and was immediately impressed. Aquariums really are a sleeper attraction. Every time I visit one I remember just how cool they are, and unlike museums, or art galleries, I’ve never been let down by an Aquarium. The Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium in particular set a very high standard for future aquariums. 

Many of the tanks were large, with glass panes that stretched almost from floor to ceiling. Even with the large crowds in the aquarium, I always felt like I could see the fish on display, though my height certainly helps with that. The smaller tanks were grouped together, and despite all the people, they circulated fairly quickly, and in an orderly fashion, as I might expect from Japan. 

There was information about each tank, the kinds of fish you might see, and about the aquatic ecosystems on display. I do wish I’d taken a bit more time moving through the aquarium, but when you’re by yourself you tend to move a little quicker. I wasn’t sure how big the aquarium really was, or how long it might take me to navigate it all. Reentry was free with your ticket, so there was always the possibility of coming back as well. 

I could probably fill this whole article with pictures of the aquarium, but there was one area that really stopped me in my tracks. It was probably the biggest single tank I had ever seen, and the sea creatures on display were incredible. I might get some of these wrong, but there seemed to be sharks, manta rays, and schools of fish all swimming together. It was an amazing sight, and one I wasn’t eager to leave behind. I like traveling alone well enough, but this was something I would have loved to share with a companion. 

After pulling myself away, I spent another 10 minutes or so taking in the remaining sights before reaching the exit. I’d spent about 45 minutes in total at the aquarium, and while I was tempted to do a second lap immediately, it was time for some food. Thankfully, there were some food trucks nearby that did the trick. I munched on a sandwich and slurped down some coffee while I planned my next move.  

Before I could move on though, as luck would have it, the nearby dolphin show was about to start. I spent a bit of time checking out the turtles, then went to find a spot to see the show. Of course, the paltry shade offered by a nearby tree was already packed with people, and so I had to stand in the sun. 

While the show had a great start, I lasted only about 10 minutes standing in the sun. I still had two more places I wanted to see, and had a lot of walking ahead of me, so I had to bid farewell to the dolphins. Instead, I set my sights on Emerald Beach, somehow still within the same larger park complex. 

I followed the signs towards the beach, and after about 15 minutes of walking, the sandy beach came into view. This was much larger than the beach in Naha, and was even divided into different areas, some catering towards kids, and others for different kinds of activities. The water was just as clear and beautiful as I’d come to expect from Okinawa, the colors on display certainly made the name Emerald Beach feel earned. 

I had brought a towel and my swimsuit in my backpack, since I wasn’t sure if I’d want to stay at the beach or get in the water. I was certainly tempted, but I did still have one more destination to see, a fair bit more walking left to do. As I’d learned by now, my time in the sun always had a limit, and my shirt was already drenched in sweat. So, I had a quick break by the beach, then started off to my next destination. 

Along the way I stopped for some food, and importantly, some AC, which helped fuel me up for the remaining adventure ahead. Once the beach was fading behind me, I was greeted by rows of beautiful Fukugi trees and picturesque Bise village. In the shade of the trees it made the heat a bit more bearable, and the scenery was truly gorgeous. 

As I strolled along I tried to take as many of the sights as I could. While the beaches and the aquarium had been beautiful, this was one of those things that felt unique to Japan. The traditional homes of this tiny village, set against the backdrop of trees you would never see back in Canada. This was one of countless moments here in Japan that made me glad that I decided to move here. It often feels like the more I put into my time here, the more I get out of it. 

While I could have walked around the village aimlessly, I did have one last destination, a scenic viewpoint near the tip of the village. It was a small cape along the sea, and had a few beach goers enjoying the water, swimming, or walking along the shoreline. It was certainly beautiful, but in all honesty I had been more impressed with the village and the trees. 

Lucky for me, I had to walk back through the village as I started looking for a bus back, so I would get more time to stroll along the tree-lined paths. While part of me wanted to spend more time in the area, revisit the aquarium, or relax at the beach, I had been in the sun quite a lot, and getting back to Naha looked a little shaky. 

I wasn’t sure when the buses back to Naha might end their service, and the times between the buses seemed to get longer and longer. There was an option to catch a bus from a nearby fancy hotel, and I figured it was better safe than sorry, so I made my way over. While I was waiting for the bus, I took a quick tour through their swanky lobby. It was probably pretty obvious I wasn’t staying at the hotel, but no one said anything. 

Eventually, the bus came, and I hopped on. 2 ish hours later I was back in Naha, and I headed back to my hotel room, thoroughly exhausted and elated from my journey today. Tomorrow was my last day in Naha, and while I had some exciting plans lined up, I wasn’t sure it would match my day today. 

I don’t want to oversell it, but I truly loved Okinawa. This day in particular was a special one, and it felt like I saw some of the best things Okinawa has to offer all in a row. The incredible aquarium, the beautiful beaches, and the traditional culture, each alone would be a great day, but together it was an amazing mix. 

While my time in Okinawa was drawing to a close, each day almost seemed to surpass the last. It was going to be hard to leave, and if I get the chance, I think Okinawa might be the place I want to revisit the most. My time wasn’t over just yet, and my last day turned out to be the perfect send off to my spectacular time in Okinawa.