8 Nights in Okinawa, Japan - Day 5 and 6

Sunday, 17^th Dec 2023

We will have to leave this mountain hut and move down South to our next accommodation. We used the Expressway this time. There was no need to rent an ETC card, we paid cash. We visited Katsuren Castle Ruins, had lunch at Payao fish market (famous for lobsters) on the way. My husband wanted to make a stop at the Finishing point of 2023 Okinawa 10K Ultra Marathon at Yonakohama Park and so we ended up buying groceries and dinner at Yonabaru Farmer’s Market.

We did not go to the Apeman Spa Natural Hot Spring which was 4 mins drive away. I might have forgotten about this. Business hours: Weekdays 7:00-23:00 (last reception 22:30) Adult 1,850 yen (bath tax and consumption tax included) Children 950 yen (bathing tax and consumption tax included).

Accomodation: 2 nights stay in 2 container units at Glory Island Yabusachi Resort Hyakuna-650-1 Tamagusuku, Nanjo, Okinawa 901-0603. Whene we arrived, I was surprised to see that there was no check-in counter (sign said it’s closed due to Typhoon) but thankfully there was an email with details on the allocated unit. Didn’t use the pool since it was too cold and am not sure if it is still maintained, some units were under maintenance/painting and maybe 2/3 units occupied. Maybe it would’ve been better if we stayed at 8Point Resort Okinawa instead.

Monday, 18^th Dec 2023

Very little driving today. I planned to visit Cape Chinen, go round Ojima Island, have lunch at Ojima Market and Tempura shop missing Sefa-Utaki (https://maps.app.goo.gl/FWDynCuKETQpZia5A). At Cape Chinen, we saw a couple taking photos and riding horses, and the kids very much wanted to do the same. I should have booked horse riding with Umikaze Horse Farm (https://umikaze-horsefarm.jimdofree.com/).

Ojima market is very small and it was recommended to arrive before 2pm. But we still enjoyed this place because the local cats were very friendly and wanted to be fed desperately. Spent a long time feeding the cats cooked fish.

We arrived at Okinawa World near closing time and only had time to visit the cave which I now declare best cave I have ever visited (excluding Waitomo Glow worm cave in New Zealand). This cave has clear underground stream with marine life! No regrets about paying for the high entrance fee for this cave. Didn’t visit the Snake Museum inside and only had time to watch the Snake show (in Japanese) and the only highlight was the swimming race between a sea otter and a snake.

With some time to spare ad the kids wanted to play at the beach, my husband searched and suggested Gushichan Beach. When we arrived, I received bad news…….. our guinea pig Coco just passed away at the pet boarders. We had no mood to play at the beach and went back, stopped by A-Coop Tamagusuku for groceries and dinner.

We didn’t visit Odo Beach(大度浜海岸), the place John Manjiro landed which was touted to have small fishes, sea turtles and warm sea water and Giza Banta Cliff, a place where many Okinawans jumped to their death during WWII.

Go to Okinawa Day 7, 8 and 9