[Northern Okinawa] Enjoy the nightlife in Okinawa! Eight recommended night spots
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Introducing starry sky tours, night markets, and night pools: how to enjoy them and other recommended spots. When you think of Okinawa, you may have a strong impression of experiencing the blue sea and unique nature of Okinawa under the sunlight. However, in fact, Okinawa has many night spots. In th...
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Hotel Management Japan Co., Ltd. is a hotel management company that operates 22 hotels in Japan (total number of rooms: 6,445). In addition to its own brands, "Oriental Hotel" and "Hotel Oriental Express," the company also manages and operates a variety of hotels, including "Hilton," "Sheraton," and "Hotel Nikko."
ORIENTAL HOTEL OKINAWA RESORT & SPA in Nago City, Okinawa, welcomes you to a comfortable hotel that offers a unique stay experience through a wide range of accommodation plans and activities that guests can choose from to suit various occasions and needs.
For more information, please refer to this article.
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Table of Contents
- What kind of night spots can you enjoy?
- Kokusai Street
- Night diving and fishing
- Classical Music and Dance Shows
- A classic Okinawa night spot! Night Walk
- Starry Sky Tour, Illumination
- A must-have for nightlife! Alcohol & Clubs
- Night Pool
What kind of night spots can you enjoy?
Night spots in Okinawa come in a wide variety of genres. The main ones are as follows:
・Kokusai Street
・Night diving, fishing
・Classical music and dance shows
・Night walks, starry sky tours, illuminations
・Alcohol, clubs, night markets, night pools
Let's take a closer look at each one.
Kokusai Street
Kokusai Street located in Naha City is the busiest street in Okinawa. About 600 stores are lined up along the 1.6 km long street. There are plenty of things to enjoy not only during the day but also at night! You can enjoy the night on Kokusai Street in ways such as bars, billiards, darts, clubs, and places offering the use of water pipes.
Night diving and fishing
Diving and fishing are popular leisure activities in Okinawa. Night diving and night fishing allow you to encounter nocturnal creatures and show a different look at the ocean than during the day, so these activities are recommended for an evening date.
Recommended spots for night diving
The most popular diving spot on Okinawa's main island is the Blue Cave at Cape Maeda in Onna Village. In the blue cave lit by the moonlight, you may encounter fish that can only be seen at night. It is about a one hour drive from Naha Airport, so it is very accessible. You can also enjoy night diving in the Kerama Islands located west of Okinawa's main island. Tokashiki Island, one of them, is about a one hour boat ride from Tomari Port on the main island. In the mysterious night sea, which is different from the daytime, you can observe nocturnal creatures such as crabs and shrimp that are sleeping during the day, and you can get a close-up look at sleeping fish. Coral spawning in June is a precious moment that can only be seen at night, and the snow-like scene is called "summer snow." In addition to travel agencies, many facilities offer tours for night diving. If you are not sure where to participate, ask the hotel where you are staying.
Recommended spots for night fishing
Okinawa during the day in summer is like a little sauna. Even if you think "fishing during the day is not your thing..." you can cool off and enjoy night fishing. In fact, there are many night fishing spots in Okinawa. If you can rent a fishing rod, you can easily enjoy it at a nearby fishing port. Famous night fishing spots include "Coastal Yasuda" in the north of Okinawa, and "Ginowan Fishing Port" and "Shikiya Fishing Port" in the central and southern parts of Okinawa. Fishing spots are introduced on various websites. If you want to enjoy serious night fishing on a boat, you can also apply for a night fishing tour organized by various travel agencies.
Classical Music and Dance Shows
Enjoy a luxurious Okinawa night at a live music venue where you can enjoy Okinawan music and cuisine. Here are three recommended venues.
Okinawan Music Kalahaai
This is a restaurant where you can enjoy first-class live performances and Okinawan cuisine. A gorgeous and sophisticated performance using traditional Okinawan instruments such as the paranku, sanshin, and sanban, and incorporating Ryukyu dance, is held twice a night. Every Saturday, the Rinken Band, representative of Okinawan pop, will perform! At the end of the live performance, the audience will join in and perform Kachashi.
Island Song
Shimauta, located in the middle of Kokusai Street, is a live music venue where you can hear live singing by Ne-Ne-Z. Ne-Ne-Z is a female group formed in 1990 that sings Okinawan music. Enjoy Okinawa's standard Orion beer along with goya chanpuru and Okinawan-style chijimi "Hirayachi" while listening to the Okinawan songs played by Ne-Ne-Z. If you can't decide what to order, we recommend ordering the "Ne-Ne-Z Set," which includes all the standard Okinawan dishes.
Okinawa Cuisine Angama
Angama is an Okinawan restaurant located just off Kokusai Street. In Okinawa, pork ribs are generally called soki. You can enjoy a variety of Okinawan dishes, such as soki soba, which is made by simmering soki until it becomes soft and tender, Okinawan-style okonomiyaki "Tasty Hirayachi," and "Agu pork loin steak." Live Okinawan tunes are also performed every night in the restaurant. The name of the restaurant, Angama, comes from the Obon festival that is traditional on Ishigaki Island, and every year during the Obon period, you can see a group of people wearing wooden carved masks parading around lively while playing the sanshin, flutes, and drums.
A classic Okinawa night spot! Night Walk
The Southeast Botanical Garden in Okinawa City is located just off the Okinawa Kita Interchange on the Okinawa Expressway, and is a spot where you can experience tropical nature and animals.
During the summer holidays, they hold a night tour of the botanical gardens. How about taking a night walk while enjoying the world of colorfully shining tropical plants in the gardens, created by digital art using projection mapping?
Starry Sky Tour, Illumination
If you want to enjoy the night, you'll also want to see beautiful stars and illuminations. Here are some spots where you can experience starry skies and illuminations that can only be enjoyed in Okinawa.
"Okinawa Starry Sky Studio" Private Tour Limited to One Group at a Time
Why not take a memorable photo under the starry sky? Okinawa Starry Sky Studio offers private photo tours limited to one group at a time. Let a professional photographer take a special photo to commemorate your family trip or honeymoon. The tour lasts for one to one and a half hours and takes place on the untouched beach of Yanbaru in the northern part of Okinawa's main island. Take a memorable photo at a night spot with a quiet sandy beach and a starry sky.
A hidden popular spot at night
Shuri Castle's main hall, currently under reconstruction, is also a popular spot for a night date. The castle lights up as the sun sets, creating a fantastical world in the Shuri night. You can enjoy a romantic atmosphere that is different from the vivid vermilion of the day. From the observation deck called "Nishi no Azana," you can see the beautiful night view of Naha. It is lit up until midnight almost every day, so why not enjoy a leisurely night stroll at the end of the day? *There are rare days when the lights are not on due to equipment maintenance and inspection. Please check the official website before heading out.
"Lighted Chrysanthemums" that can only be seen in Okinawa
"Lighted Chrysanthemums" is a method of artificially lighting up chrysanthemum fields on winter nights to regulate the flowering period. Chrysanthemums are generally grown in greenhouses. For this reason, it is a rare sight that can only be seen in warm Okinawa. It is a winter-only night spot that can be seen from December to March in various parts of the prefecture, including Yagaji Island and the Itoman/Kohagura area.
A must-have for nightlife! Alcohol & Clubs
Many people want to enjoy alcohol at night spots, so here we will introduce some spots unique to Okinawa where you can enjoy alcohol.
Okinawan restaurant "Umi Monogatari Main Branch"
If you want to enjoy Okinawan cuisine to your heart's content without worrying about time, we recommend Umi Monogatari Main Branch. This is a night spot where you can enjoy local cuisine made with Okinawan ingredients such as bitter melon and sea grapes, as well as live Okinawan folk music. If you have some free time in your schedule the next day, be sure to drop by.
Okinawa also has many shopping spots at night. Enjoy eating and shopping while also taking in the illuminations at the shopping malls.
Mihama American Village: Enjoy the retro night view
At night, the entire area of Mihama American Village is lit up, creating a retro, foreign atmosphere. There are plenty of restaurants and shopping malls, so we recommend taking a leisurely stroll around the area in the cool evenings.
Hamby Market in Chatan Town
Hamby Night Market, located about a 10-minute drive from Mihama American Village, is a popular spot where many shops open on weekends, bringing together second-hand clothes and groceries. As there is a US military base nearby, a flea market is held selling American second-hand clothes and miscellaneous goods, and there are food stalls offering international cuisine. It's a night spot where you can enjoy an exotic atmosphere while still in Okinawa.
Umikaji Terrace on Senaga Island
Senaga Island Umikaji Terrace, located about 15 minutes from Naha Airport, is a popular shopping spot where you can enjoy shopping and dining while taking in the spectacular views reminiscent of Southern Europe. Many of the shops are open until around 9pm, so you can stop by even after having dinner at the hotel. There is also a free foot bath on the premises, so if you get tired from shopping or sightseeing, why not refresh yourself in the natural hot spring foot bath?
Night Pool
There are many hotels in Okinawa where you can enjoy night pools, but the Oriental Hotel Okinawa Resort & Spa is one of the best. The hotel is one of the largest in the prefecture, with six pools, a kids' pool, a 47.5m long water slide, and a sauna. There are also two heated pools, so you can enjoy water play all year round. The poolside is also equipped with cabanas and deck areas with great views. At night, colorful lights such as blue and green illuminate the water, creating a fantastic atmosphere. From 2023, the opening hours will be extended until 10pm, longer than any other facility in Okinawa! After sunset, the strong sunlight in Okinawa softens, allowing women and children to swim without worrying about sunburn.
"Oriental Hotel Okinawa Resort & Spa" is recommended as a base for sightseeing in Okinawa
Oriental Hotel Okinawa Resort & Spa completed a three-year comprehensive renovation in April 2024.
The hotel's pool and spa are of course attractive, but it also has beds for co-sleeping, a kids' space and pool, and a universal room, so it's a comfortable hotel for guests of all ages. It's also easily accessible to the theme parks in Nago City and Yambaru National Park, making it an easy base for sightseeing in Okinawa, so please use it when you're sightseeing in Okinawa.
Hotel Management Japan Co., Ltd. is a hotel management company that operates 22 hotels in Japan (total number of rooms: 6,445). In addition to its own brands, "Oriental Hotel" and "Hotel Oriental Express," the company also manages and operates a variety of hotels, including "Hilton," "Sheraton," and "Hotel Nikko."
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