To Churaumi Aquarium
This year’s Golden Week plan was to relax with my family in Motobu Town, Okinawa, after enjoying a traverse of the snowy Northern Alps. The day we arrived in Okinawa, the weather wasn’t great, and we entered Motobu Town in the evening, so I thought maybe the crowds would have somewhat thinned out. So, off we went to the Churaumi Aquarium.
Our prediction was better than expected; even with nearly two hours left until closing, there weren’t many people. It was absolutely wonderful to slowly and thoroughly enjoy the Churaumi Aquarium, a place everyone in the family had wanted to visit. And seriously, watching manta rays and whale sharks gracefully swim in the ocean is just so incredibly soothing~.
Hearty Meal at Steak House 88
Since it was our first day of travel and we’d been walking a lot at the aquarium, we wanted to dig into some serious meat, so we headed to Steak House 88’s Churaumi branch. When in Okinawa for steak, I didn’t hesitate and ordered the special tenderloin steak. The bacon-wrapped steak was thick, tender, and delicious.
To Bise Fukugi Tree Road and Bise Cape
This time, we decided to fix our lodging in Motobu Town and just chill out in the surrounding area, so we hadn’t decided on anything else. We thought we’d just take a walk nearby.
The fukugi tree-lined path that leads to Bise Cape. While it offers shelter from the sun and wind, it’s also humid, with a unique, grassy scent from the plants, giving it a truly tropical vibe. It’s surprisingly tall and intricately winding; if you randomly turn into an alley, you’ll find little shops here and there, which is quite interesting.
After walking a bit through the fukugi tree-lined path, we reached Bise Cape. The tide was high at this time, but colorful and beautiful tropical fish were swimming in the shallows, looking like they could be easily caught with a net. The kids were playing in the tide pools and seemed to be having a great time.
To Nakijin Castle Ruins
My wife wanted to see a “gusuku” (Ryukyuan castle), so we decided to visit Nakijin Castle, one of the gusuku designated as a World Heritage Site, since it was nearby. The weather just barely held up, and with blue skies peeking through, it had a lovely atmosphere. I remember visiting some gusuku when I was a student, but I don’t recall them being this beautiful.
While strolling around Nakijin Castle, I suddenly noticed a vividly iridescent blue butterfly flying. I waited for it to land, and sure enough, it was a Blue Admiral. It’s not supposed to be a rare butterfly, but I feel like this was the first time I’d seen one just naturally in such a place.
Near the entrance of Nakijin Castle, there was a place offering freshly squeezed sugarcane juice, and since our kids probably hadn’t tried it before, we decided to order some. When they put the sugarcane into the machine and squeezed it, a unique, brownish-yellow juice came out. They added plenty of ice. The sugarcane juice had a distinct flavor, not too sweet, and was very delicious. It seemed like a good vitamin boost too.
Churaumi Taro – Folk Song Live Izakaya
My wife found Churaumi Taro, an izakaya near our accommodation. Jimami tofu, umi-budo (sea grapes), salted island shallots, Goya champuru, aburi sushi with Agu pork, Okinawan bluefin tuna, yakisoba, gurukun tempura, and more – every dish was delicious, especially the Okinawan bluefin tuna, which was exquisite. The person performing, with his incredibly strong gaze, playfully teased the customers, then told everyone to stand up and dance around the restaurant! Some people might have known, but we were completely surprised (and amused!) to be made to dance. It turned out to be a very fun and memorable experience.
The Main Island’s Sea is Beautiful Too
When we visited the sea around Nakijin Town, expecting fewer people, I was honestly a little surprised by how truly beautiful the ocean stretching out before us was. I had sometimes heard comments like, “The main island’s sea isn’t as good as the remote islands’… “, but the main island’s sea is perfectly beautiful. After that, we also went to Cape Manza for the first time in decades. Although it’s become very touristy and crowded, it’s still undeniably beautiful and wonderful.
On the Beach CAFE
The On the Beach CAFE, where we stopped for lunch, felt like a classic “instagrammable” spot. We were lucky it was relatively empty, even during Golden Week, probably because it was a bit late for lunch. I guess with that kind of vibe, it’s usually filled with young couples, and a family might feel a bit out of place there.
Tropical Dream Center
The Tropical Dream Center, where you can enjoy seeing mysterious tropical plants. It’s located on the same grounds as the Churaumi Aquarium, but it doesn’t seem to attract as many visitors. Still, there’s so much to see that it never gets boring. Seeing the golden pupa of the Great Mormon butterfly in person is truly astonishing.
Cape Maeda ~ Zakimi Castle
Cape Maeda, which I remember visiting and trying discovery diving as a student. The brilliant blue sea and the presence of many foreign visitors were pretty much as I remembered. We didn’t have time for diving or snorkeling this time, but I feel like I’d love to go diving again when I next visit Okinawa or Ishigaki.
Okinawan gusuku truly look stunning against a blue sky. There weren’t many people on this day, and just as we finished looking around and were about to leave, we saw a wedding photoshoot happening at the main entrance (the first photo), which created such a wonderful atmosphere. I called out “Congratulations!”, and their beaming smiles in response were very memorable, though I did feel a bit sorry for the groom in his hot suit.
Inaka, Famous Soki Soba Restaurant
We wanted to eat delicious Okinawa Soba near Zakimi Castle, so we found a place called Miyako Soba Inaka on the map. Driving there, we discovered a stall-like shop beyond a public cemetery with house-shaped grave markers. Its appearance was surprising, but this shop is actually a chain… yet, with the vibe of the grandmas inside, it felt nothing like a chain. The Miyako Soba we ordered was exquisite. Miyako Soba has plenty of saba meat (pork belly) under the noodles, and it perfectly complements the light soup – absolutely fantastic.
Since I have friends there, I often went straight to Ishigaki, but this trip to Okinawa made me realize that the main island is pretty great too sometimes.
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