Things to do before coming to Japan
Create a WISE card (no annual or maintenance fees) to exchange foreign currency between your home country and Japan at low fees.
Use the app to open a Japanese yen account and exchange currencies at lower rates than exchange stores.
You can convert currencies back and withdraw cash from ATMs in the country you’re in.
What is the WISE card?
・A card that allows you to easily exchange currencies from different countries with the lowest fees
・A reliable card created by the president of the Skype calling app
・Easy screening because it is a debit card
・Can be used in any major country in the world (MasterCard)
・Can also withdraw money from ATMs in foreign countries in local currency
・Can be used as a simple foreign account
・No annual fee. No account maintenance fee. (Only a card issuance fee)
How to get to Okinawa
In Okinawa, we mainly travel by train.
From Naha Airport, take the Yui Rail monorail.
You will mainly get off at the stations 県庁前 Kencho-mae'' and 牧志 Makishi.”
The basic idea is to eat while walking around the shopping streets around here.
It’s best to create a Suica card or a mobile Suica app.
Let’s go to the aquarium by bus for a day
We recommend the company “RADO Kanko”. However, if you cannot confirm your reservation date until the last minute, a VEKTRA bus sightseeing tour may be a good option. There were people of various nationalities and only one guide. Read the QR code in front of your seat and listen to the guide in each language on your smartphone as you go around. Wireless earphones for your smartphone are required.
It is impossible to go from Naha Airport to the north side of Okinawa by train. So much so that I use the expressway. There are buses and rental cars, but rental cars cost about 7,000 yen per day. If you take the bus, it will cost around 2000 yen to get to Churaumi Aquarium, and around 5000 yen including sightseeing. Bus sightseeing tours are the most efficient.
【Okinawa】Recommended sightseeing spots
Okinawa is mainly worth visiting the aquarium.
★Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium
Whale shark. 8.8m 6t.
The world’s largest fish.
Because it requires a huge tank, it is kept at the Churaumi Aquarium in Okinawa, Japan, as well as at the Georgia Aquarium (Atlanta, USA) and the Yantai Haichang Whale Gage Museum (Yantai, China).
Okimyu (Okinawa Museum Art Museum)
A museum where you can learn about the history of Okinawa. It is a far place to walk, so it would be best to go by bus or taxi.
Fuzhou Garden (a park in Fujian Province, China)
I recommend going here at night. It’s open until around 8 o’clock. This was once the residence of a merchant from China’s Fujian Province. The atmosphere is quite nice. Naha City and Fujian Province, China are close sister cities.
アメリカンビレッジ
A place you would want to go if it was on a bus tour etc. Since Okinawa in Japan was an American territory, this theme park is a recreation of an American village.
★Nagannu Island
In order to enjoy the most beautiful ocean in Okinawa and the most beautiful sunset, we recommend staying at Nagannu Island for one day. This is the most beautiful sea that can be reached by boat from Okinawa in just 20 minutes. Reservations are required.
【Okinawa】Recommended Restaurants
Ice cream shop FontanaGelato
A colorful ice cream shop. Recommended because Okinawa is hot.
fruit market
The cheapest place to eat Okinawa pineapple
Soki soba from Makishi soba
It’s the cheapest restaurant in Okinawa, but it’s especially delicious. Sweet and spicy stew of pork called soki goes well with soba noodles.
Okinawa direct market
Enjoy sampling delicious sea grapes and unusual local teas. The chicken skin rice crackers are salty and delicious.
Awamori bar Bird sake and appetizers (Shimaatoate)
Okinawan mozuku, tofu, and bitter melon champuru. Orion beer. A standard one set.
The bitter melon had a bitter taste, so I was able to finish it all. It was also my first time to eat mozuku dipped in something like hot somen soup. delicious. Unusual local food.
Taco rice cafe Kijimunaa
Taco omelet rice is very delicious. You can go there by bus from the airport. There is also a store in American Village.
【Okinawa】Reasonable and good hotel recommendation
Hotel Mr. Kinjo
Mr. Kinjo’s hotels scattered all over Okinawa are wonderful. Although it is located in the center of Naha city, it has one bedroom with separate bathroom and toilet, bathtub, washing machine, and refrigerator. Rates start from 4,000 yen per night.
Departing from Okinawa
Okinawa Aeon Naha store
On your last day, get off at Oroku 小禄 Station and shop at Aeon.
This is definitely the cheapest place to find Okinawan souvenirs. Cheaper than the airport and cheaper than souvenir shops.
・Okinawa rice noodles
・Okinawa beer nuts
・Okinawa premium pineapple cake
These three are overwhelmingly delicious.
