Okinawa Hip Hop Bus 1 Day Tour [A Course] to Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium, Kouri Island, Cape Manzamo & Nago Pineapple Park
As I wasn’t renting a car in Okinawa, I decided on booking a tour to see the rest of what Okinawa has to offer within the short time I had. While I generally don’t do tours, this was the most time-efficient way for me to get around. And since the entrance fees to the various attractions are also included in the tour, this was quite worth it. I decided on the Okinawa Hip Hop Bus One Day Tour [A Course] on Klook to visit the attractions in the north of Okinawa.
The Okinawa Hip Hop Bus One Day Tour [A Course] will go to:
- Nago Pineapple Park
- Warumi Bridge (Sightseeing from bus window)
- Kouri Big Bridge (Sightseeing from bus window)
- Kouri Island
- Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium
- Okashigoten Onna Branch
- Cape Manzamo
Kenmin Hiroba (Kencho-mae) Pick-up Point
The first pick-up point of the day is at Kenmin Hiroba (Kencho-mae), or Prefectural Citizens Park, on the western end of Kokusai-dori. This is beside the Okinawa Prefectural Assembly building which is more prominent.
The pick-up is at 8.10am with passengers reminded to be at the pick-up point 10 minutes before departure, which is 8am.
The Okinawa Hip Hop Bus was already waiting at Kenmin Hiroba (Kencho-mae) before 8am. The tour guide will be there to check you in. I showed my Klook voucher to the guide for check-in.
The Jumbo Tours Okinawa Hip Hop Bus is laid out in a 2+2 configuration, with a similar layout as regular highway buses. There are also tip-up seats installed using the aisle space, but this was not in use during my trip.
The legroom available on board the Jumbo Tours bus. A seat pocket, hook, and drinks holder is provided on the seat back in front.
A bottle of mineral water is provided by the tour guide upon boarding.
As everyone was on time, my Okinawa Hip Hop Bus departed from at 8.03am – 7 minutes early. Be sure to arrive in good time as the bus will not wait for latecomers.
Hotel Loisir Naha (East Annex) Pick-up Point
The Okinawa Hip Hop Bus then picks up at Hotel Loisir Naha in Miegusuku.
Hotel Royal Orion Pick-up Point
The Okinawa Hip Hop Bus then picks up at Hotel Royal Orion on the eastern end of Kokusai-dori.
DFS T Galleria Okinawa Pick-up Point
The Okinawa Hip Hop Bus finally picks up at DFS T Galleria Okinawa.
The Okinawa Hip Hop Bus departed from DFS T Galleria Okinawa at 8.43am – 2 minutes early. The tour will be running on time.
DFS T Galleria Okinawa is located just beside Omoromachi Station on the Yui Rail Okinawa Urban Monorail.
An audio guide was handed out by the tour guide. Along the trip, the tour guide will inform when to use the audio guide for commentary. The audio guide will also remind you to switch it off after the commentary to conserve the battery life.
A sticker was also given out by the tour guide to affix on your shirt for easy identification.
The first stretch of the trip was a longer distance commute direct to Nago Pineapple Park first. The Okinawa Hip Hop Bus uses the Okinawa Expressway for a faster journey.
After heading off the northern end of the Okinawa Expressway, the continues on the coastal Nago Shortcut Route 71.
Nago Pineapple Park
Nago Pineapple Park is a unique attraction located in Nago City, offering visitors an immersive experience into the world of pineapples. Visitors can explore vast pineapple plantations, gaining insights into the cultivation and harvesting processes.
There is 1 hour to visit Nago Pineapple Park.
The experience starts with an autonomous pineapple cart ride. Passengers are sorted by groups, and individuals get their own private carts.
The autonomous pineapple cart drives around a fixed route slowly, with a commentary pre-selected for me in English explaining the process of pineapple cultivation and harvesting.
After the autonomous pineapple cart ride, the path continues with a walk around Nago Pineapple Park.
There is also a butterfly garden in Nago Pineapple Park.
Following the pineapples, the exhibition moved on to a random dinosaur park.
The walk around the park area ended with dinosaurs dancing and singing the Nago Pineapple Park theme song. Strange and random, but I guess it would be pleasing to children.
The walking route then approaches a snack area.
Of course, pineapples in various forms are on sale here.
I bought a pineapple on a stick for ¥500. This was sweet, juicy, and refreshing after walking through the park.
Following the snack corner, the route led on to the souvenir shop.
There is a pastry shop here, with the tour guide recommending the cornet pastry.
This surprisingly was not the end of the route.
The path continues on to the pineapple winery where various wines are on sale. Tasting flights are also available, but I did not try it as the Okinawa Hip Hop Bus does not have an on-board toilet, and I wasn’t sure how long the next leg of the bus journey would be.
There are also non-alcoholic pineapple juice concentrates available, and available for free tasting.
There is also a pineapple distillery with various pineapple gin. Tasting flights are also available, but I did not try it as the Okinawa Hip Hop Bus does not have an on-board toilet, and I wasn’t sure how long the next leg of the bus journey would be.
Following the distillery, it was back on to the bus for the 25-minute journey on to Kouri Island.
Warumi Bridge
Warumi Bridge is an arch bridge connecting mainland Okinawa and Yagaji Island, and is the fifth longest arch bridge in Japan, offering views of Yagaji Island and Kouri Island.
Kouri Big Bridge
After driving through Yagaji Island, the bus goes on the Kouri Big Bridge on to Kouri Island.
Kouri Big Bridge is Japan’s longest toll-free local road bridge connecting Kouri Island and Yagaji Island. With just a small arch in the middle to allow ships to pass, you feel like you are driving on the ocean.
Kouri Island is just up ahead.
Kouri Island
Kouri Island is a small island at only 8km in circumference and renowned for its crystal clear water. The bus stopped at Kouri Beach for 30 minutes, just after the Kouri Big Bridge.
Walking to Kouri Beach through a small park.
It was surprisingly quite a warm day which offered a clear view and blue skies. Unfortunately the lighting position doesn’t do justice to the pictures I’ve taken with my camera.
Kouri Big Bridge is just beside Kouri Beach.
There is also a small market here to buy souvenirs and some refeshments.
A food court is located just behind the market.
Kouri Big Bridge
Heading back on to the Kouri Big Bridge when heading out of Kouri Island.
Warumi Bridge
Heading back on to the Warumi Bridge when heading out of Kouri Island.
It is about a 40 minutes drive from Kouri Island to Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium.
Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium
The bus stopped at the big coach park opposite Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium. There is a 3-hour stop here, counting from the moment the bus stopped at the coach park.
Ie Island can be seen from the coach park opposite Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium.
The walk from the coach park to Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium took about 8 minutes. Do remember this walking path as you will have to make your own way to the coach park after the visit in time for the pick-up timing.
After arriving at Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium, the tour guide went to pick up everyone’s tickets before a free-and-easy visit to Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium.
The entrance will be down 1 floor on the left.
Inoh Restaurant Lunch Buffet
The 3-hour stop at Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium also includes lunch time at your own expense. Lunch is not included in the Okinawa Hip Hop Bus tour. As many tour groups were arriving at the same time to rush for the dolphin show, I decided to give the dolphin show a miss to have lunch first and avoid the crowds.
I decided to have a buffet lunch at Inoh Restaurant, since I had a light breakfast, and it would be a good time for me to sample some Okinawan food. This costs ¥2,200, which I think is quite reasonable for a tourist attraction.
There is a good buffet spread in the buffet lunch at Inoh Restaurant, allowing me to try many types of Okinawan food in small portions.
My small sample of what I had for lunch. The buffet is all-you-can-eat, so there’s no need to pile up on food on the first round. There is also a 50-minute time limit to dine in, but it was no problem as I was quite full before the time limit, and there was a more important 3-hour time limit to hit or I’ll be left behind by the tour bus.
Following lunch, I headed down 1 floor to the entrance of Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium.
Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium
The Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium is quite possibly the most popular attraction in Okinawa, part of the larger Ocean Expo Park (Okinawa Expo Commemorative National Government Park) in Motobu. The aquarium showcases the marine ecosystems of Okinawa and the broader Pacific region. Visitors can explore displays of coral reefs, tropical fish, and marine creatures unique to the area.
The main attraction of the Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium is the Kuroshio Tank, which holds around 7,500 cubic meters of water. The tank is home to a diverse range of marine life, including whale sharks, manta rays, and various other fish species that inhabit the Kuroshio Current, a powerful warm current in the western Pacific Ocean.
There are also outdoor exhibits like the Manatee Pool, Sea Turtles Pool, and Dolphin Lagoon.
I had thought that 3 hours might have been a little rushed, but it turns out that I had about an hour to spare. This gives me a chance to walk around the Ocean Expo Park after the Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium visit.
Remember that the 3-hour visit time is the time from the bus arrival to bus departure, and you will have to walk back to the coach park yourself. Remember to factor in enough time to get back to the bus in good time. The bus will not wait for latecomers.
Okashigoten Onna Branch
It is about an hour’s drive to Okashigoten Onna Branch for some local products shopping. The stop here is for 30 minutes.
Okashigoten is a small confectionary store established in Yomitan Village in 1979, and has now become one of the leading sweets manufacturers in Okinawa. The most popular item here is the Beni Imo Tart, made of soft dense sweet potato on top a buttery crust.
Okashigoten Onna Branch is a tax-free outlet, so you won’t get charged for tax if you spend a minimum of ¥5,500 before tax. There are also some small free gifts with a minimum spend of ¥3,000.
Following this shopping stop, it’s on to Cape Manzamo just about 7 minutes away.
Cape Manzamo
The bus stops at the coach park just outside the Cape Manzamo visitor centre. The stop here is for 30 minutes.
There is a nominal entrance fee of ¥100 to visit Cape Manzamo, probably for conservation purposes. While this was mentioned in my itinerary that the entrance fee was not included, it was alas included by Jumbo Tours, and I need not pay extra to visit Cape Manzamo. The tour guide will pay for everyone’s tickets before handing it out at the entrance to Cape Manzamo.
Cape Manzamo is a scenic rock formation located on the western coast of Okinawa Island, part of the Okinawa Prefecture in Japan. It is known for its unique and picturesque landscape, shaped by natural erosion. The name “Manzamo” is derived from the Okinawan dialect and can be translated to mean “a field for 10,000 people.”
The most iconic feature of Cape Manzamo is a large, flat limestone plateau that juts out over the East China Sea. The plateau is often likened to an elephant’s trunk, as seen from a specific angle, and it provides a stunning panoramic view of the ocean. The surrounding area is also adorned with rugged cliffs and vibrant vegetation, making it a popular spot for sightseeing and photography.
Unfortunately, the sun worked against my camera’s favour with the strong backlight.
The path around Cape Manzamo goes in a loop. Visitors come to Cape Manzamo to enjoy the scenic views, relax, and appreciate the natural beauty of Okinawa’s coastline.
The path leads back to the visitor centre where there are food and souvenir shops. This is also the last toilet break point before the journey back to downtown Naha.
Heading back to the tour bus for the trip back to Naha.
The Okinawa Hip Hop Bus took the Okinawa Expressway back to Naha, which sped up the journey time. There was a road traffic accident along the way which added to the journey time, but it probably would have still been faster to stay on the expressway than to take the local roads back. There is only 1 highway on Okinawa.
The Okinawa Hip Hop Bus drops off first at Omoromachi Station opposite DFS T Galleria Okinawa, thereafter opposite Hotel Royal Orion, Kenmin Hiroba (Kencho-mae), and finally Hotel Loisir Naha.
Kenmin Hiroba (Kencho-mae) Drop-off Point
I arrived back at Kenmin Hiroba (Kencho-mae) at 6.50pm – 10 minutes earlier than scheduled. Jumbo Tours had probably factored in traffic jams for their Okinawa Hip Hop Bus schedule.
Conclusion
The Okinawa Hip Hop Bus 1 Day Tour [A Course] is a useful tour to visit Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium, Kouri Island, Cape Manzamo, and Nago Pineapple Park without renting a car in Okinawa. The entrance fees to the various attractions are all included in the price of the tour, which worked out to be about the same price if I had planned my journey separately to visit lesser attractions with more time. With the Okinawa Hip Hop Bus, I was able to visit the far-flung attractions from Naha within a day, without worrying about bus connections.