🌴Southeast Botanical Gardens
It takes about 50 minutes by car from Naha Airport to reach Southeast Botanical Gardens.
※Presenting the Have Fun Fun in Okinawa Pass at the ticket counter to redeem the admission ticket for Southeast Botanical Gardens【Daytime Entry】.
General admission tickets are typically orange-yellow in color. This time, the park is hosting a special Pokémon-themed illumination event, and they also offer special tickets for the Pokémon edition.
Admission ticket is a round-shaped sticker, you can attach it to a visible area on your body.
Okinawa has a subtropical climate with warm temperatures and abundant rainfall throughout the year. Due to this climate, a wide variety of rare tropical and subtropical plants from both domestic and international origins thrive here. Visitors can enjoy viewing over 1,300 species of plants and landscaped gardens.
Southeast Botanical Gardens is the largest outdoor botanical garden in Japan, divided into two main sections: "Water Garden" and "Botanical Garden."
Image Source：Southeast Botanical Gardens
The park covers a large area, so it's recommended to enjoy the park by using the bus service available at the bus stop.
Buses depart every hour and at half past the hour, providing guided tours inside the park. The tours are available in four languages: English, Chinese, Korean, and Japanese.
You can see many flowers and tropical plants along the way, and there are also many photo spots set up throughout the park.
Indulge in beautiful flowers and tropical plants, along with scenic decorations featuring Pikachu and Poké Balls (top left).
Around late October each year, the park hosts a nighttime illumination event where vibrant lights illuminate the tropical plants, presenting a different atmosphere compared to the daytime.
The last stop of the bus will arrive at the Animal Square, where you can find lively squirrel monkeys, goats playing on wooden platforms, and fennec foxes inhabiting the desert area.
At the Capybara Plaza inside the park, you can feed capybaras. Their adorable and docile appearance is very soothing.
At the Friendly Animal Square, you can feed and pet adorable rabbits and guinea pigs.
Inside the Lotus Pavilion in the Water Garden, you can experience the "Light and Heavy Stones" activity. Feel free to try it out as you pass by, and while you're there, you can also draw a fortune slip to see how your luck will be this year.
※The "Light and Heavy Stones" legend says that if the stone feels lighter than expected after making a wish and lifting it, your wish will come true. Conversely, if it feels heavier than expected, your wish may be difficult to fulfill.
Next to the Lotus Pavilion is a large lotus pond. Every June, they host the Lotus Festival where the entire pond blooms, creating a gorgeous sight.
Walking along the paths in the park, you come to an expansive grassy meadow.
Explore a bird flight demonstration. The caretaker showcased parrots, demonstrating their flying abilities up close, allowing for a close observation of bird flight.
After the performance, you might encounter a duck acting like a guide, leading the way with its adorable waddling movements.
The park hosts various themed events periodically. This time, it's showcasing "Insects World," featuring around 20 stag beetles, rhinoceros beetles, and a collection of 300 insect specimens.
Before leaving the Water Garden, be sure to visit the gift shop and select your favorite souvenirs.
After exploring the Water Garden, head over to the Botanical Gardens on the other side.
Here, you'll find Japan's largest grove of Alexander palms, with trees reaching an impressive height of 25 meters!
The towering Alexander palms almost obscure the sky in rows.
Strolling through the Alexander palm grove, quietly enjoying the sunlight filtering through the leaves, the scenery is picturesque. You definitely need to take a photo here.
After leaving the Alexander palm grove, you can also relax in a pavilion filled with tropical charm, exploring other tropical plants.
Southeast Botanical Gardens Official Website
📍 Address：2146 Chibana, Okinawa City, Okinawa Prefecture
🎫 Ticket Fee：Adult (18 and above) 2800 Yen/Teenager (13 to 17) 1500 Yen/Child (4 to 12) 1000 Yen
🏠 Business Hours：9:30~18:00 (Last Entry 5:30)
※Business hours may be subject to change. Please check the latest updates on the official website.
The next destination, Ryukyu Mura, is located approximately a 25-minute drive from Southeast Botanical Gardens in Okinawa.
🥁Ryukyu Mura
When you visit Okinawa, it's essential to experience the local traditional Ryukyu culture.
At the entrance, you'll see distinctive Okinawan red-tiled roofs and two majestic Shisa lions guarding the entrance.
As you enter the park, head towards the ticket counter.
※Presenting the Have Fun Fun in Okinawa Pass at the ticket counter to redeem the admission ticket for Ryukyu Mura.
After purchasing your tickets, let's embark on an adventure together into Ryukyu Mura!
Inside Ryukyu Mura, you can see well-preserved traditional Ryukyuan architecture from the past. Some of these buildings are even designated as Important Cultural Properties of Japan.
Image Source：Ryukyu Mura
Here, they display the large tug-of-war rope used in the Naha Otsunahiki Festival.
Naha Otsunahiki Festival (那覇大綱挽まつり)
Image Source：Okinawa Convention & Visitors Bureau（OCVB）
The park also offers a variety of experiential activities, including Ryukyu traditional costume dressing (Ryusou), playing the shamisen, fabric dyeing, and DIY painting.
Learning to play the shamisen inside Okinawa's ancient traditional architecture is a unique and culturally enriching experience.
Inside Ryukyu Mura, there are also rich performance activities. You can check the schedule at the map near the entrance for the timings.
The performances mainly feature traditional Okinawan Eisa drumming accompanied by folk songs and traditional dances.
Folk songs & traditional dances：
Listening to the musician playing the shamisen, humming traditional songs, and enjoying the graceful dance movements of the dancers as they move to the music.
Next, head to the theater to enjoy a representative Okinawan traditional Eisa performance, showcasing the culture of Ryukyu.
Inside the semi-circular theater, you can expect performances that showcase the vibrant Eisa drumming and traditional dances of Okinawa. It's truly something to look forward to!
The performers play the shamisen, leading the audience to chant "Ei YA SA SA" together, while listening to songs full of southern island charm.
Okinawa also has dragon and lion dances! These unique Okinawan lion dance interactive performances allow the audience to interact closely with the Okinawan lions by throwing balls to them.
The final Eisa drum dance features performers in vibrant costumes, dancing energetically to the accompaniment of shamisen and taiko drums. They dance while vigorously striking the drums, filled with passion and vitality!
After enjoying the spectacular performances, take a stroll back through the park.
In Okinawa, the Shisa has a role in warding off evil spirits and ensuring safety.
In the local dialect, it's called "シーサー" (Shi-Sa). You can find its presence on rooftops, at entrances, and along walls throughout the area.
How many Shisa statues are in this photo?
Inside Ryukyu Mura, there is a sugar factory that showcases ancient Ryukyu-era sugar-making methods. Visitors can witness demonstrations where oxen rotate stone mills to extract sugarcane juice.
Please note that the event is only available on weekends.
The water buffalo rests nearby on its day off.
Ryukyu Mura Official Website
📍 Address：1130 Yamada, Onna-son, Kunigami-gun, Okinawa Prefecture
🎫 Admission Fee：Adult (16 and above) 2000 Yen/High School Student 1500 Yen/Child (6 to 15) 800 Yen
🏠 Business Hours：09:30 – 17:00 (Last Entry16:00)
After visiting the Southeast Botanical Gardens and Ryukyu Mura, you must feel a bit hungry. It's time to go to a hidden yakiniku (Japanese barbecue) and wagyu beef restaurant located near the American Village.
It's about a 30-minute drive from Okinawa Cultural Village.
🐃 Okinawa Seaside Restaurant-Wagyu Yakiniku Gyu-Samurai
Due to its historical background, Okinawa was once under American governance, leading to a significant influence of American culture alongside local Okinawan traditions. This influence is particularly evident in places like American Village, where both cultures intertwine harmoniously.
This yakiniku (Japanese barbecue) restaurant is on the 6th floor inside the American Village in central Okinawa.
The entrance of the restaurant prominently displays the large calligraphy "牛武士," making it very easy to recognize.
The restaurant offers top-quality Kuroge Wagyu and A5 premium beef.
The beef has a perfect marbling of fat. When placed on the grill, it sizzles enticingly, making our mouths water.
Enjoying meat definitely calls for a refreshing beer. Cheers!
In addition to yakiniku, the restaurant also offers the Okinawan specialty "Taco Rice."
The Taco Rice originated from a restaurant near a U.S. military base. The chef created this dish to quickly satisfy the hunger of American soldiers, combining Mexican flavors with delicious ingredients.
※Taco Rice consists of taco meat sauce poured over rice, topped with cheese, lettuce, and tomatoes. It's a hearty yet refreshing meal.
Enjoying melt-in-your-mouth beef and the unique Taco Rice while taking in the streets of American Village and the charming sea view is truly a feast for both the eyes and the palate.
In the evening, you can also enjoy the streets of American Village adorned with neon lights.
※Enjoy a '1000 Yen Discount Coupon' by presenting the Have Fun in Okinawa Pass at the counter.
※The 1,000 Yen Discount Coupon can only be used with the designated set menu.
Wagyu Yakiniku Gyu-Samurai Official Website
📍 Address：Okinawa, Nakagami District, Chatan, Mihama, 34−3 DEPOT CENTRAL 6F
🏠 Business Hours：
Mon.to Thu. 16:30 ~23:30
Fri. / Sat. / Sun. / Holidays：11:30 - 14:30/16:30 - 23:30
⚠️Attractions in the Pass will be updated from time to time, please refer to the official website for the latest information.