20 Parks in Okinawa worth your time

Large sports complex in Urasoe City, offering various facilities and hosting professional baseball training.

What it is

• A municipal urban park in Urasoe City, Okinawa Prefecture.
• Known as ANA SPORTS PARK Urasoe since October 1, 2018.
• Used as a venue for various events.

What to see

• Indoor gymnasium with 1,029 seats.
• Warm water pool with various pools and saunas.
• Athletic field with a capacity of 6,254 people.
• Municipal baseball stadium with 14,499 seats.
• Multi-purpose indoor athletic field, 2,520m².
• Roofed sumo arena.

When to go

• Tokyo Yakult Swallows use it as their training camp site.

Getting there

• About a 20-minute walk from Urasoe-Maeda Station.

Address

沖縄県浦添市仲間1丁目13 Map

Official site

urataishisetsu.jp

Read more about Urasoe Sports Park

Sueyoshi Park offers historic ruins, early cherry blossoms, and nature, a quick escape in Naha.

What it is

• An urban park in Naha City, Okinawa Prefecture.
• Known for the Sueyoshi Shrine ruins.
• Known for Japan's earliest blooming cherry tree.

What to see

• Sueyoshi Shrine ruins, a national historic site.
• Stone steps, a cultural property.
• Ryukyu Kanhi-zakura, an early blooming cherry tree.
• Ginowan Udun's tomb, a city historic site.
• Hanamibashi bridge.
• Naha City Mori no Ie Minmin.

When to go

• See the earliest blooming cherry tree in Japan.

Getting there

• 5-minute walk from 市立病院前駅.

Read more about Sueyoshi Park

Explore a preserved WWII underground naval headquarters, a somber reminder of the Battle of Okinawa.

What it is

• An air-raid shelter for the Imperial Japanese Navy headquarters.
• Construction began in August 1944 and finished in December 1944.
• Built by 3,000 members of the Navy's 226th Construction Unit.
• Opened to the public on March 1, 1970.

What to see

• About 450 meters of underground tunnels.
• Important rooms reinforced with concrete and plaster.
• The operations room, 7.5 square meters.
• The cipher room, 17 square meters, sent 2,900 telegrams.
• The medical room, 7.5 square meters, with two-tiered beds.
• The surrounding Navy Bunker Park.

Official site

kaigungou.ocvb.or.jp

Read more about Former Japanese Navy Underground Headquarters

Explore Japan's largest marine park with unique wildlife and extensive coral reefs.

What it is

• A national park in Okinawa Prefecture.
• Covers Iriomote Island, Ishigaki Island, and surrounding waters.
• Designated Iriomote Government Park on April 18, 1972.
• Renamed Iriomote-Ishigaki National Park on August 1, 2007.

What to see

• Japan's largest marine park area.
• Primitive subtropical vegetation on Iriomote Island.
• Rare Iriomote cat and other species.
• Mangroves and Yaeyama palm on Ishigaki Island.
• Large blue coral colonies in the Shiraho area.
• Sekisei Lagoon, Japan's largest coral reef system with 360 types of coral.

Official site

www.env.go.jp

Read more about Iriomote-Ishigaki National Park

Okinawa's first athletic park, hosting major festivals and sports events.

What it is

• Okinawa Prefecture's first athletic park.
• Opened in June 1959.
• Main venue for Naha Festival.
• Main venue for Okinawa Industrial Festival.

What to see

• Track and field stadium.
• Baseball field and tennis courts.
• Martial arts hall and archery range.
• Swimming pool.

When to go

• During the Naha Festival.
• During the Okinawa Industrial Festival.
• During the NAHA Marathon.

Getting there

• Accessible from Tsubogawa Station.
• Take the monorail to Tsubogawa Station.

Official site

www.ounoyama.jp

Read more about Ōnoyama Park

A national park commemorating the Battle of Okinawa, honoring all who died.

What it is

• A national park preserving battle sites and scenery.
• Dedicated to those who died in the Battle of Okinawa.
• Established as a national park in 1972.

What to see

• Okinawa Prefectural Peace Memorial Museum.
• Okinawa Peace Memorial Hall, a 45-meter octagonal tower.
• National Okinawa War Dead Cemetery with over 180,000 remains.
• The Cornerstone of Peace lists names of all war dead.
• Himeyuri Monument honors 219 staff and students.

When to go

• June 23rd is Okinawa's "Memorial Day".

Address

〒901-0333　沖縄県糸満市字摩文仁444 Map

Official site

heiwa-irei-okinawa.jp

Read more about Okinawa Peace Memorial Park

Explore German culture and history in Okinawa, featuring a castle replica and Berlin Wall sections.

What it is

• A theme park in Miyakojima City, Okinawa Prefecture.
• Built to commemorate exchange between Ueno Village and Germany.
• Opened in 1996, themed on German culture.
• Received the Hometown Award in 2001.

What to see

• Hakuaikinenkan, modeled after Marksburg Castle.
• Observation room on the 8th floor of Hakuaikinenkan.
• Kinderhaus exhibits on Grimm's fairy tales.
• Kinderhaus displays German toys, including nutcrackers.
• Two donated 4.3-meter high concrete Berlin Walls in Kinderhaus.

Official site

www.hakuaiueno.com

Read more about Ueno German Culture Village

Banna Park offers panoramic views and diverse zones for nature and recreation on Ishigaki Island.

What it is

• A large prefectural urban park in Ishigaki City, Okinawa.
• Covers 290 hectares around 230m high Mount Banna.
• Certified as an urban planning park in August 1978.
• Divided into five distinct zones.

What to see

• Banna Skyline in Zone B, opened in 1982.
• Forest Walking Area in Zone C, opened in 1993.
• Nature Observation Area in Zone D, opened in 2001.
• Fureai Children's Plaza in Zone E, fully opened in 2000.
• World Insectarium, a paid facility within the park.

Address

〒907-0004　沖縄県石垣市登野城2241-1 Map

Official site

banna.jp

Read more about Banna Park

Yubu Island is a small botanical garden island, unique for its water buffalo cart transport.

What it is

• A small island, 0.15 km2, part of the Yaeyama Islands.
• The entire island is a botanical garden, "Subtropical Plant Paradise."
• A settlement was established here in 1947.
• The botanical garden opened in 1981.

What to see

• Nearly 40,000 palm trees and subtropical plants.
• Yubu Ruins, an archaeological site.
• Pottery and early modern ceramics at Yubu Ruins.

Getting there

• Ride a water buffalo cart from Iriomote Island.

Official site

yubujima.com

Read more about Yubu Island

Yogi Park is a historic urban park in Naha, known for cherry blossoms and a preserved steam locomotive.

What it is

• An urban park in Naha City, Okinawa Prefecture.
• One of Naha City's first 15 urban planning parks.
• Urban plan decided in 1956.

What to see

• Over 400 Kanhizakura cherry trees along the Garbu River.
• A preserved D51 steam locomotive (D51 222).
• A plaza and an outdoor stage.

When to go

• Naha Cherry Blossom Festival in early February.

Getting there

• Located east of the Route 330 Yogi intersection.

Read more about Yogi Park

Okinawa's second aquarium, DMM Kariyushi offers diverse marine life exhibits.

What it is

• An aquarium in Tomigusuku, Okinawa Prefecture.
• Opened on May 25, 2020.
• Operated by DMM.com LLC.
• Okinawa Prefecture's second aquarium.

What to see

• Approximately 60 tanks.
• Exhibits around 190 species.
• Displays about 5,000 creatures.
• Located on 1st and 2nd floors of iias Okinawa Toyosaki.

When to go

• Open daily from 9:00 to 19:00.

Getting there

• About 20 minutes by car from Naha Airport.

Official site

kariyushi-aquarium.com

Read more about DMM Kariyushi Aquarium

Large park built for sports festivals, offering diverse zones for recreation and nature.

What it is

• A park facility under the Urban Park Act.
• Developed for the 1987 Kaiho National Sports Festival.
• Covers an area of approximately 70.4 hectares.
• Has three zones: sports, seaside, and forest and water.

What to see

• JAAF Class 1 certified athletic field.
• Cycling track and gymnasium.
• Pond, observation forest, and observatory.
• Recreation pool and auto camp.

Getting there

• Accessible by bus from Naha Bus Terminal.

Official site

okinawa-kenso.com

Read more about Okinawa Comprehensive Athletic Park

Coastal park in Naha, Okinawa, with dragon pillars and beach access, ideal for a relaxing stroll.

What it is

• An urban park along the coast in Naha City, Okinawa.
• Also known as Wakasa Ryokuchi.
• It is 600 meters long.
• Divided into east and west sections by Kume Street.

What to see

• Two large dragon pillars completed in 2015.
• Lawn and tennis courts on the east side.
• Many trees on the west side.
• Connects to Naminoue Beach and Asahigaoka Park.

Getting there

• 13-minute walk from Kenchomae Station on Yui Rail.

Read more about Wakasa Seaside Park

Mount Yae offers Japan's earliest cherry blossoms and historical significance on Okinawa Island.

What it is

• Highest peak on the Motobu Peninsula, 453.4 meters high.
• Second highest mountain on Okinawa Island.
• Part of a Natural Protected Area.
• Site of a major battle in World War II.

What to see

• Cherry blossoms along the mountain road.
• Shiokawa River, a natural monument, on western slope.

When to go

• Cherry blossoms bloom earliest in Japan.
• Yae-dake Cherry Blossom Festival held annually since 1979.

Read more about Mount Yae

Yanbaru National Park offers unique subtropical forests, diverse endemic species, and activities like trekking and kayaking.

What it is

• One of Japan's newest national parks, established in 2016.
• Covers 21,022 hectares at the north end of Okinawa Island.

What to see

• Heavily forested mountains and rugged cliffs.
• Porous karst topography near Cape Hedo.
• Mangrove forest at the mouth of the Gesashi River.
• Subtropical forest with diverse plant life.
• Towering chinkapin trees (itajii) and rare orchids.
• Diverse animal species, including endangered birds.

Official site

www.env.go.jp

Read more about Yanbaru National Park

Explore Shurijo Castle Park, a World Heritage site showcasing Ryukyu Kingdom history and unique architecture.

What it is

• Residence of the Ryukyu Kingdom's Sho Dynasty.
• Largest gusuku (castle) in Okinawa Prefecture.
• Registered as a World Heritage site in 2000.
• Consists of national and prefectural park areas.

What to see

• Castle ruins, once a university campus.
• Architecture influenced by Chinese castles.
• Double wall structure with inner and outer enclosures.
• Reconstruction of the main hall, vermilion in color.

Address

沖縄県那覇市首里金城町1丁目2 Map

Official site

oki-park.jp

Read more about Shurijo Castle Park

730 Shiishii Park commemorates Okinawa's 1978 traffic change, marking a unique historical point.

What it is

• A park in Ishigaki City, Okinawa Prefecture.
• Named in 2008, commemorating a traffic change.
• The name "730" refers to July 30, 1978.
• This is when Okinawa reverted to left-hand traffic.

What to see

• A 730 monument at the intersection.
• Monument shows a mark for traffic switching.
• The 730 intersection is the start of National Route 390.
• It is Japan's westernmost national road network point.

Read more about 730 Shiishii Park

A scenic marine park in Okinawa, ideal for calm water activities and coastal views.

What it is

• A marine park in Miyakojima City, Okinawa Prefecture.
• Also known as Ingya Marine Garden.
• Established by Miyakojima City.
• Utilizes a natural cove with calm waves.

What to see

• A promenade crosses the cove entrance.
• An observation deck is on Mount Ogami.
• Showers, toilets, parking, and a shop are available.

Getting there

• About 25 minutes by car from Miyako Airport.

Read more about Imgya Marine Garden

See whale sharks and manta rays in one of the world's largest aquarium tanks.

What it is

• A large aquarium on the Motobu Peninsula, Okinawa.
• Opened in 1979 as a national park aquarium.
• Managed by the Okinawa Churashima Foundation.
• Discovered new marine species.

What to see

• The Kuroshio Sea tank, 35m long, 27m wide, 10m deep.
• Whale sharks and manta rays in the main tank.
• 77 tanks with about 740 marine species.
• Okichan Theater and Manatee House are adjacent.

Official site

churaumi.okinawa

Read more about Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium

Yubujima is a small island botanical garden with 40,000 subtropical plants and unique water buffalo cart transport.

What it is

• An island in the Yaeyama Islands, Okinawa Prefecture.
• The entire island is a botanical garden.
• Opened on April 1, 1981.
• Formed by sand deposited by ocean currents.

What to see

• Nearly 40,000 palm trees and subtropical plants.
• Yubu Ruins in the northern part of the island.

Getting there

• Water buffalo carts transport visitors between islands.

Official site

yubujima.com

Read more about Subtropical Botanical Garden