🚲Ride the Eco-friendly Electric Bicycle "BJAY EV"
Besides renting a car or taking the monorail, riding an electric bicycle is also highly recommended when traveling to Okinawa!
Saving energy while leisurely enjoying the beautiful scenery of Okinawa.
It's a wise choice that riding the BJAY EV Eco-friendly Electric Bicycle. The rental location is about a 6-minute walk from the Okinawa Monorail "Miebashi Station.
The shop offers two types of bicycles for rent: two-wheel and three-wheel models. The three-wheel model has a unique and cool appearance.
This time, I rented a two-wheel bicycle. It has a lightweight and foldable frame. With a top speed of 30 km/h, it is the best way to tour the Okinawa city area!
The rental fees for the electric bicycles are offered in three billing methods: hourly, daily (up to 10 hours), and for 1 to 4 days.
※Show the QR code of Have Fun in Okinawa Pass to the counter staff to redeem a 2000 yen discount coupon for renting the BJAY EV Eco-friendly Electric Bicycle (2-wheel/3-wheel).
Reminder: Before riding in Okinawa, ensure you have your passport, international or foreign driver's license, and a Japanese translation of your driver's license ready.
Steps to operate the BJAY EV Eco-Friendly Electric Bicycle：
Turn on the power.➡️Press the button on the bike key twice.➡️The screen displaying numbers indicates successful activation!
The electric bicycle supports 4 riding modes, switchable by pressing the white gear button on the right side. The green button on the left handlebar operates the horn, with turn signals located above it for easy and clear operation.
It's recommended to first get accustomed to the feel of riding before setting off. Once you're familiar with the bicycle, you're ready to go!
Okinawa BJAY EV Eco-friendly Electric Bicycle Official Website
📍 Address：3-1-8 Maejima, Naha-shi, Okinawa Prefecture, 1st floor, Happiness yui
🏠 Business Hours：
9:00～17:00 (Mon./Fri./Sat./Sun.)
9:30~18:30 (Tue./Wrd./Thu.)
After renting the electric bicycle, ride towards Naha Port, heading to the passenger waiting area at Naha Pier.
First stop of the day: let's take a ride on the underwater sightseeing boat!
🛥️Okinawa Naha underwater sightseeing boat Orca
Inside the Naha Pier passenger waiting area, look for the blue counter where you'll see "WEST MARINE" and "ORCA" written above it — that's where you can purchase tickets.
※ Present the QR-code of Have Fun in Okinawa Pass to redeem a 1,000 yen discount coupon.
After purchasing your boat ticket, follow the signs to the boarding gate.
When visiting Okinawa without plans for water activities, you must try to take a special semi-submarine sightseeing boat. Explore the gorgeous underwater world and experience the marvelous sensation of being immersed in the sea.
This boat is the "Underwater Sightseeing Boat Orca" which we seek for!
After boarding, look for signs indicating the entrance to the "Underwater Viewing Room."
Follow the stairs down to reach the semi-submersible cabin, which has quite a spacious interior.
In some parts of the sightseeing boat, the cabin submerges underwater. You can enjoy the view of Okinawa's unique tropical fish through large glass windows!
Experiencing the underwater sensation and visual impact firsthand is absolutely different from viewing it in an aquarium! You'll understand once you try it yourself.
There's a chance to see beautiful coral reefs when the underwater visibility is good.
Image Source：©c 2018 West Marine
Okinawa Naha underwater sightseeing boat Orca Official Website
📍 Address：2-1 Tsuudou-cho, Naha-shi, Okinawa Prefecture, Terminal (Naha Port Passenger Waiting Area WEST MARINE)
🏠 Business Hours：8:00~20:30
The second stop, we aim to take everyone to experience Okinawa's unique dyeing techniques.
🪸Experience Shuri Ryusen's Coral Dyeing
Okinawa is an island with the most diverse types of coral, symbolizing good luck, happiness, prosperity, and longevity!
"Shuri Ryusen" is the only dyeing specialty store on Okinawa Island where you can experience coral dyeing.
On the first floor of the store, there are many dyed fabric products on display and seats available nearby for resting.
Different colors of dyed fabrics also have different meanings.
※ Present the QR code of the Have Fun in Okinawa Pass to the counter staff to redeem a 1,000 yen discount coupon for the coral dyeing experience. (Advanced reservation is required.)
Heading to the second floor for experiencing the unique coral dyeing.
There will be a basic tutorial first, introducing the color blending variations, the tools for dyeing, and the steps of Shuri Ryusen.
One thing to pay special attention to is using a tool like a powder puff to gently press the pigment during dyeing. Be sure to press lightly; pressing too hard may cause the colors to blend together into a patch.
Using coral as a stamping tool to create unique designs on clothing, scarves, bags, and other items is a truly enjoyable creative process!
There are various patterns and motifs available on-site that you can freely mix and match.
Shuri Ryusen Official Website
📍 Address：1-54 Shuriyamakawacho, Naha-shi, Okinawa (about a 5-minute walk from Shuri Castle)
🏠 Business Hours：9:00～18:00
※Resevation Link：https://reserve.shuri-ryusen.com/step1
The third stop is Shuri Castle, about a 5-minute walk from Shuri Ryusen.
🏛️Shuri Castle
The Ryukyu Kingdom was a monarchy that lasted for about 450 years. During that time, it developed a unique Ryukyu culture through trade and exchange with China, Japan, Southeast Asia, and other countries.
At that time, Shuri Castle served as the political, cultural, and economic center of the Ryukyu Kingdom, witnessing the history of the Ryukyu Kingdom.
This Ryukyu-style castle was designated as a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site in 2000.
Throughout the Ryukyu Kingdom's history of power struggles and wartime destruction, Shuri Castle has been destroyed four times.
The fifth destruction occurred in the early hours of October 2019, when a severe fire burned down the main hall, south hall, north hall, and other structures of the World Heritage site Shuri Castle.
In 2022, the restoration of Shuri Castle began, with a primary focus on fire prevention. The reconstruction is expected to be completed in 2026.
An illustration of the envisioned restored castle can be seen on the outer walls of the warehouse where the timber is stored within Shuri Castle.
The restoration process is fully open to the public. Visitors can walk in and observe the reconstruction of the palace from the ground up until completion.
There is also a display area for the remnants of the disaster, showcasing the impressive guardian dragon head decoration from the main hall, surviving tile decorations, and shisa lion roof tiles.
During the restoration period, there will be various experience activities offered periodically, such as palace reconstruction experiences and roof tile laying experiences.
Be sure to take the opportunity to experience the rebirth of the ancient Ryukyu Kingdom!
Shuri Castle Official Website
📍 Address：1-2 Shurikinjocho, Naha-shi, Okinawa Prefecture
🎫 Admission Fee：Adilt 400 Yen/High School Student 300 Yen/Junior High School Student and Elementary School Student 160 Yen (Paid Area)
🏠 Business Hours：8:00～18:30
※The business hours may vary depending on the season, so please refer to the official website for the latest updates.
⚠️Attractions in the Pass will be updated from time to time, please refer to the official website for the latest information.