The proper journey to Okinawa World – You May Journey

Okinawa World is a cultural theme park situated within the southern a part of Okinawa Island, showcasing the island’s wealthy historical past, tradition, and pure magnificence.

Throughout our journey to Okinawa, my husband and I made a decision to incorporate this park in our must-visit attraction checklist, intrigued by its promise of a deep dive into Okinawan heritage. Our go to turned out to be an enchanting journey by way of conventional Ryukyu Kingdom crafts, vibrant dance performances, and the beautiful pure surprise of Gyokusendo Cave.

Throughout your go to to Okinawa World, you’ll be able to anticipate numerous experiences and actions, together with cultural workshops (which I very a lot suggest). Okinawa World is a must-visit for anybody trying to expertise the essence of Okinawa.

Attending to Okinawa World

To succeed in Okinawa World, situated within the southern a part of Okinawa Island close to Nanjo metropolis, you’ve gotten a number of choices relying on the place you keep in Okinawa.

From Naha Airport

• By Automotive: The quickest method is by automotive, taking roughly half-hour through the Okinawa Expressway. Exit at Haebaru South and observe the indicators to Okinawa World.
• By Bus: Take bus quantity 54 from Naha Bus Terminal to Gyokusendo-mae Bus Cease. The journey takes round 60 minutes.

From Naha Metropolis Heart

• By Automotive: Drive south in direction of Nanjo metropolis, following the indicators to Okinawa World. The journey ought to take about half-hour relying on visitors.
• By Bus: Catch bus quantity 54 from Naha Bus Terminal, which is able to take you on to Gyokusendo-mae Bus Cease, proper outdoors Okinawa World.

Different Concerns

Renting a automotive affords flexibility and comfort for exploring Okinawa, together with Okinawa World and different points of interest. We rented a automotive to journey across the island, and it enabled us to see much more points of interest and maximise our time on the island.

Taxis can be found however might be costly for longer distances like from Naha to Okinawa World.

Information to Okinawa World

Okinawa World is filled with completely different points of interest, every exhibiting off a particular a part of Okinawa’s tradition and pure magnificence. Right here’s a have a look at the primary highlights you could find within the park.

The entry ticket to Okinawa World offers you with entry to all points of interest, however please observe that for collaborating in sure actions and workshops, you have to to pay an additional payment.

Gyokusendo Cave

This spectacular cave is considered one of Japan’s longest and is full of lovely formations of stalactites and stalagmites, all lit as much as improve their magnificence. Strolling by way of this cave, you’ll see the superb pure artwork that took over 300,000 years to type. Okinawa is dwelling to greater than 600 limestone caves, however the Gyokusendo Cave is the biggest and extra phenomenal. In the summertime months, you’ll be able to join a particular tour in areas of the cave not usually open to the general public.

Gyokusendo Cave was the spotlight of Okinawa World for us and even when come particularly for this cave it’s nicely well worth the entrance payment and the time spent right here. It takes round 30-40 minutes to discover the cave, and there are numerous picture spots alongside the way in which. Some elements are lit up in numerous colors like blue and purple, which make the entire path so atmospheric and enjoyable.

Kingdom Village

This a part of the park takes you again in time to a conventional Ryukyu village. Right here, you’ll be able to watch and even take part on making conventional Okinawan crafts like pottery, glass-blowing, and weaving. It’s a hands-on technique to join with the island’s craft traditions.

I put collectively the checklist of all experiences and their value to make it simpler to plan your journey.

Extract actual pearls from Akoya oysters and have them reworked into lovely jewelry like necklaces, earrings, or straps. Whilst you look ahead to the grasp to put the pearl into your chosen jewelry, you can be given colouring pencils to create a fantastic reminiscence on the oyster shell.

Length: 5-10 minutes
Price: From ¥800

Bingata Dyeing Expertise

Dive into the world of Bingata, famend for its vivid colours and complicated patterns. This workshop permits you to attempt your hand at conventional dyeing strategies, together with shade layering and gradient results, to create your personal distinctive piece.

Length: 20 minutes
Price: From ¥1,300

Plaster Shisa Coloring Expertise

Create your personal Shisa, the long-lasting guardian deity of Okinawa, on this simple and gratifying workshop. Select your favorite colors to personalize a one-of-a-kind Shisa to take dwelling.

Length: 20 minutes
Price: From ¥1,300

Paper Making Expertise

Uncover the artwork of paper making utilizing native Okinawan vegetation. This workshop is common for the light and pure really feel of the paper you’ll create.

Length: 20 minutes
Price: From ¥700

Weaving Expertise

Be taught the normal weaving strategies to create equipment that includes the “mincer” sample, symbolizing longevity and prosperity.

Length: 5-Quarter-hour
Price: From ¥900

Indigo Dyeing Expertise

Expertise the distinctive “Ryukyu Ai” indigo dyeing, utilizing native vegetation to realize a deep blue color harking back to the Okinawan sea and sky.

Length: half-hour
Price: From¥1,300

Pottery Expertise

Attempt your hand at “Yachimun,” the Okinawan time period for pottery, and luxuriate in creating daring and distinctive textures. Choices embrace making a Shisa canine or utilizing a potter’s wheel.

Length: 10 minutes
Price: From ¥2,000

Ryukyu Glass Expertise

Craft your personal glassware, selecting from a spread of colors and patterns, within the high-temperature glass-blowing workshop.

Length: 5-20 minutes
Price: From ¥2,200

Leather-based Work Expertise

Craft your personal leather-based items adorned with tropical motifs reminiscent of Shisa and manta rays. Leather-based’s attraction is in its means to realize character with use.

Length: Quarter-hour
Price: From ¥1,300

Eisa Dance Performances

Eisa dance is a full of life conventional Okinawan efficiency that features drumming, dancing, and chanting. These performances are stuffed with power and color, showcasing the island’s vibrant tradition. Eisa Dance Performances are often seen in each Okinawan village through the Obon pageant in summer time. With their efficiency, they purpose to ship off their ancestors to the following world.

The dance is carried out by teams of dancers wearing vibrant Ryukyu costumes, shifting rhythmically to the beat of drums such because the Odaiko (giant drum), Shime-daiko (tightened drum), and Paranku (hand-held drum). The dancers use formations and choreography, incorporating components of martial arts and storytelling into their performances.

Nanto Brewery

This brewery contained in the park enables you to see how Awamori, Okinawa’s conventional distilled liquor, is made. Awamori is thought for its distinctive flavour and robust alcoholic content material, and its manufacturing course of is steeped in centuries-old traditions distinctive to the Ryukyu Islands.

One of many highlights of a go to to Nanto Brewery is the tasting session, the place you’ll be able to pattern numerous varieties of Awamori, together with these which have been aged for various lengths of time. Ageing Awamori in conventional clay pots, or kame, is a observe that may considerably alter the flavour profile of the spirit.

Habu Park

Devoted to Okinawa’s well-known habu snake, this space combines a museum and a park. It’s dwelling to stay habu snakes and different native animals, providing a better have a look at these creatures and their place in Okinawan tradition.

Habu Park goals to demystify these snakes by providing detailed displays that cowl their biology, behaviour, and habitat. If you happen to didn’t know, Habu continues to stay in Okinawa particularly in fields, forests and rocky terrain.

For one thing out of the peculiar, take a commemorative picture with the fortunate white snake believed to be the incarnation of Benzaiten (it prices 1000 yen per picture).

Tropical Orchard

The tropical orchard is akin to a botanical backyard however nowhere close to as extraordinary because the Southeast Botanical Gardens in Okinawa.

The tropical orchard is a peaceable space is full of tropical vegetation, fruits, and flowers, highlighting Okinawa’s numerous vegetation. As you wander by way of the orchard, you’ll come throughout a spread of fruit bushes, together with mango, papaya, ardour fruit, and the Okinawan speciality, shikuwasa (a sort of citrus). The Tropical Orchard additionally serves as a habitat for butterflies, birds, and different native wildlife. On the finish of the tropical orchard, you’ll come throughout a small Fruit Parlour the place you need to get ice cream and mango smoothie.

For a scrumptious conventional Okinawan meal, don’t miss the Okinawa soba pleasure Nandanya. I like to recommend the Sea grape seafood bowl, which is just below 1900 yen. Tremendous scrumptious and stuffed to the rim with native elements together with umi-budo which is my favorite native snack.

Incessantly Requested Questions