10 Best Things To Do in Okinawa, Japan with Kids

Okinawa is a Japanese prefecture comprising more than 150 islands in the East China Sea between Taiwan and Japan’s mainland. This is an advantage for them to open an aquarium with the naturally lit Coral Sea tank, which exhibits a large selection of coral reefs and the mysterious deep sea of Okinawa is reproduced, allowing you to experience Okinawa’s entire underwater world. This is a good chance for you to bring your kids here and explore the mysterious ocean of Japanese with so many things discoveries and encounters around every corner.

Some of the shows in Japan may surprise you when you experience it. Therefore, don’t miss out to enjoy Ryukyu Amazing Night Dance Live Performance when you are in Okinawa, this show also family-friendly. The kids can participate in this show to experience a traditional Okinawan dance in Matsuyama, known as the center of Naha’s nightlife. It was performed at parties for Chinese envoys during the dynastic era of the Ryukyu Kingdom. In the past, the dances were only performed by men, but since the Meiji era, many female dancers have emerged. The show is performed in the largest nightclub in Okinawa and not allow to bring foods outside, you should have your dinner before coming here since you only can buy foods inside. They may not let you go in when the show start and the seat is first come first serve, so, you should arrange the time to come early. If you worry the club is not suitable for the kids, just leave after the show end then everything will be fine since the night club just really operate after 9:00 pm.

Visiting the forest in Okinawa in a different way from others by driving ATV with your kids will be the best experience on your trip. ATV does not require a special license and children can join in on this safe yet exciting ride. Don’t worry too much, they will give you a short practice and guidance provided by the coach and you can ride this vehicle by yourself or with your kids. Discover the natural beauty of Okinawa on the back of a four-wheel ATV that promises lots of fun for the whole family! You should arrive at the venue before the starting time 30 minutes for the check-in session and bring extra clothes for change after the trip.

The southeast area of Okinawa plays home to the nature wonderland known as the Southeast Botanical Gardens and you should not miss this opportunity to be one with nature inside it. The garden is huge; it’s a hundred acres long and houses 2,000 kinds of plants and flowers. Take a relaxing stroll around the garden and admire the gorgeous nature that surrounds you. The garden has an insect collection that your kids might want to look at; there’s a lot of unique insects being taken care of by the garden and you can watch them go about their daily lives. You should get a map before exploring this garden since this place is really spacious and divide into 6 attractions follow 6 topics, just need to plan before you go if you don’t want to lose in this Botanical Gardens. 

If seeing the ocean in an aquarium is not enough for the kids, why not bring them to Glass Bottom Boat to explore the ocean in real. This tour will help to catch sight of the amazing variety of underwater life around Okinawa in a glass-bottomed boat. When your kids can’t swim or snorkeling, this is the best way to admire the underwater beauty of Okinawa without touching a drop of water. You should go up to the top of the cruise and enjoy the sea view around and take some family photos with Okinawa sea too. If you want to see the sunset, you can choose the sailing time is 3:30 pm then you can enjoy the sun slowly dive from the sky. 

Pineapple is an Okinawa agricultural product and they also open a Nago Pineapple Park to combine agriculture with travel to be developed together. Whatever your kids like or dislike pineapple, your family should make a trip to visit this park since they have so many exciting things to explore not only pineapple. There’s a lot of fun and educational things to do inside. You can hop on the pineapple cart and get film views of the landscape and the plantations in the area. You’ll also learn about the history of the fruit in the country and how Okinawa has turned into a significant area for farming the yellow delights. Nago Pineapple Park has more than 100 varieties of pineapple so your kids can learn about the differences between them. What’s more, in the gallery, visitors also learn all kinds of information about this fruit, from its origin, cultivation, nutritional ingredients, uses, how to cook dishes from pineapple … Maybe after this trip, your kids will change to like this fruit. So, let to plan your trip now.

Neo Park is really a zoo, but this zoo is not the same as the zoo in your imagination. This is Japan’s best outdoor parks and botanical gardens with thousands of species of plants and animals all in one space. Almost the kids love animals and they will be more interested in these outdoor parks when they really can see all their loved animals in their habitat. The park also houses replicas of animal habitats found in the Amazon jungle, African savannah, Southeast Asia and Oceania, a real treat for the kids to learn more about the animal kingdom. In addition, you should not miss the park’s miniature train for some fun with the family!

Japanese cuisine is always an interesting and attractive thing for everyone. Since you are in Okinawa with your kids, why not try the cooking class with them to get more close with your kids as well as discover Okinawa cuisine as you wish in a long time before. Okinawa has its own style of cuisine that make surprises you when you really want to try to cook. Let’s join this class to learn about the secrets of Okinawa’s magnificent food culture and how they help with longevity. They also create the market tour section that you and your kids also can join in to learn how to select the best ingredients available. This is a good time to spend with your kids in the kitchen that you may not have when you are at home. Let cook together and enjoy dinner with the meal that is cooked by you.

It’s an omission when you are in Japan but haven’t try kimono either yukata yet. Let bring your whole family to rent kimono and strolling down to the ancient town of Okinawa with so many family photos to save this unforgettable moment. You should note that kimono is for wintertime and yukata is for summertime. In wintertime, you should wear a thin layer inside, then wear kimono outside to keep warm for you. What’s more, you should choose some accessories like Japanese – handbags, Japanese sandals, and making hairstyles for your daughter to make it perfect. In the end, your family can walk down to the street and take some photos or enjoy street food in a real Japanese way.

Have you ever heard about Cape Chinen Park – the park offers spectacular views over Kudaka Island, one of the most sacred sites in Okinawa? This is a place that you should not skip on your Okinawa trip. It is also known as the best spot to watch the first sunrise of the year. Located close to Sefa Utaki, this is a popular place to stop on a drive around the southern area. You can rent a car to drive here or just book a tour to visit this place to marvel at the huge of Skyview and the panorama of the Pacific Ocean. The kids definitely will enjoy Cape Chinen Park with spectacular sightseeing coupled with a serene atmosphere.

Okinawa does not only have beach and water sport activities for adults, but it also has many things to do for family. You just need to search for some places then making it to your plan and bring your children to enjoy Okinawa in a different way with adults and young people. There are plenty of family-friendly activities for your whole family and the kids will like it.