Leaving Hong Kong after 6 short days, I packed my bags and flew to an island not so far away. Hello Japan!! But this place isn’t so familiar…. Okinawa: the southern most island in Japan, I am ready for some exotic weather, delicious seafood, and a different sceneries from the Japanese Mainland.

In this post I share with you the 7 places I’ve visited while I was here. Hopefully this will inspire some readers out there to visit this beautiful island in Japan.

1. Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium

2. 百年古家大家

3. Heart Rock at Kourijima

4. Gala Aoiumi (Gala 青い海)

Next I was handed these hand protective gloves and sleeves, while one of the staff members started to heat up the glass in the furnace.

Shortly after, I was invited to blow on this orange globe. This is the first step to form my glass cup.

The staff member went back to the furnace for more burning, and I was led to this table with two rods sticking out. Here is where I shaped my glass.

Then my task was completed, but the staff member continued to add their final touches to my glass so that it will have the colours I want at the bottom of the glass.

My final product: it’s one of a kind, and I think it’s beautiful!

Access to Gala青い海 :
Address: Japan, 〒904-0323 Okinawa-ken, Nakagami-gun, Yomitan-son, Takashiho, 読谷村高志保９１５
Mapcode: 33 851 545
Phone Number: 098-958-3940
Hours of Operations: 10AM – 6PM
*Reservation is also recommended if you want to do this glass blowing workshop: http://www.gala-aoiumi.com/en/glassblowing/

5. Manzamo

This place is another work of art by mother nature – the elephant rock. Such wondrous things mother nature can do! Don’t you think the below looks like an elephant?

Not too far from Cape Manzamo is also a pathway (maybe a 15 minute walk) to a hidden cave. I highly recommended everyone to check this place out!

Follow the pathway beside the public washroom there is a sign on the left.

Then you will see this junction, you will want to head towards the trees for a short hike.

Then you need to cross a road, and shortly after you will arrive at the entrance of the cave.

It’s kind of mysterious at first as you walk down this really sketchy cave, and then all of a sudden, you will see rock formations shaped by the crashing waves. It’s so beautiful here! If it wasn’t so hot, I would have stayed here longer.

Venturing down the rocks… you can literally feel the ocean crashing to you.

And looking back, the cave looks like this!

Access to Cape ManzamoAddress: Onna, Kunigami District, Okinawa Prefecture 904-0411, Japan
Mapcode: 206 312 038*55
Phone Number: 098-966-1280

6. Futenma Shrine and Cave (普天満宮)

To continue the trend of caves! The next attraction also has a hidden cave! At the back of this small Japanese temple, is a small lava cave! It’s not as large as the one in Jeju Island (see my post all about my adventures in Jeju Island here: https://mstravelicious.wordpress.com/2016/01/26/the-jeju-adventure-continues/), but it’s still pretty cool to find a hidden lava cave at the back of a temple. Don’t you think so?

Don’t be confused as there are two temples in this location. The below is the right one!

Walking up the stairs you will see the shrine / temple, and a hand washing station to the left.

You want to go to the left side of the temple and a lady at the counter will show you where the entrance to the lava cave is! And low and behold, here is the small lava cave at the back of this temple!

Access to Futenma Shrine and Cave:
Address: 1 Chome-27-10 Futenma, Ginowan-shi, Okinawa-ken 901-2202, Japan
Mapcode: 33 438 614*17
Phone Number: 098-892-3344
Hours of Operations: 10AM – 5PM, daily

7. Shurijo Castle Park

Last but not lease, is the Shurijo Castle Park. This is probably the most historical Japanese building I saw while I was in Okinawa.

Shurijo Castle is a Ryukyuan gusuku in Shuri, Okinawa. Between 1429 and 1879, it was the palace of the Ryukyu Kindom, before it became largely neglected. In 1945, during the Battle of Okinawa, it was almost completely destroyed. After the war, the castle was re-purporsed as a university campus. Beginning in 1992, the central citadel and walls were largely recontructed on the original site based on historical records, photographs and memory.

It was pouring a lot that day when I visited this castle as the typhoon was approaching. Below is the Zuisenmon where everyone would enter the castle.

After some slippery steps up the first set of stairs, I walked up these additional stairs to the Roukokumon. Almost slipped twice while getting up these slippery stairs. Japanese stone pathways aren’t exactly the greatest place to walk on when it’s raining and pouring!

But walking up these stairs was worth it! The view of the castle is stunning!

Making my way into the castle now, because the outer castle was under construction  I made my way to the throne room! Rare instance when I actually got a chance to see the throne room in Japan!

Looks like some Chinese throne room to me, doesn’t it?

Access to Shurijo Castle Park:Address: 1 Chome-2 Shurikinjocho, Naha, Okinawa Prefecture 903-0815, Japan
Mapcode: 33 161 526*71
Phone Number: 098-886-2020
Hours of Operation: 8:30AM – 6:30PM
Admission: 820 Yen (adult); 310 Yen (child); Free for children below 6 years old

And that is all for some of the highlight attractions in Okinawa! Stay tune as the Okinawa adventure continues with a tummy filling way!