Okinawa, Japan Trip 2020 - Day 5 - American Village (Travelled in January 2020) - Part 1 - How to go to American Village from Kokusai Street, Naha, Okinawa

Travelled in January 2020

Our second last day in Okinawa (travelled in January 2020), our last sightseeing will be a visit to the American Village. American Village is like a huge playground with hotels, restaurants, shopping area, entertainment, etc and a huge Ferris Wheel and a beach nearby. I guessed is more for the American Soldiers with the American Camp just opposite it. Anyone can go visit the village. No entrance fee.

Seek help from our hotel reception on how to go there by public bus. If there's four of you, best take the taxi, the fare is about the same as taking the bus for four. The journey is about 45 minutes. The hotel reception is very helpful in providing us with information on how to take bus and gave us a list on the bus numbers and a map.

From our hotel is a mere 5 minutes walk to the bus stop which is diagonally opposite the hotel near the Ryubo Shopping Mall.

The bus fare is about 740 yen per person. The bus fare in Okinawa is rather expensive so make sense to take the taxi if there's three or four passengers. Go up by the front door of the bus, pull a ticket from the machine near the driver, hold on the ticket and pay only when alighting at the front door by presenting the ticket to the driver and the fare. Give exact fare, the driver do not give change but you can change your notes into coins at the coin machine near the driver. Can use IC card too, just tap when boarding and alighting.

There's an announcement and screen in the bus to indicate each bus stop. They are in Japanese and English so no problem in getting to the destination at all.

We alighted at Kuwae Stop which is shown on the screen in the bus.

From the bus stop of Kuwae, walked backwards and can see the huge Ferris Wheel. Just walked to that direction, only about 5 minutes walk. Do wear a hat or bring along an umbrella, not much shelter along the way.

Okinawa, Japan Trip 2020 - Day 5 - The Covered Shopping area Heiwa Street Close to Kokusai Street (Travelled in January 2020)

This is an arcade that runs between Kokusai Street and Tsuboya Yachimun Street. The entrance on the Kokusai Street side is in front of Okinawa Mitsukoshi. There are numerous souvenir shops for younger people, with T-shirt shops and folk craft shops along the street. Also, Okinawan-style food courts and old fashioned clothes shops still remain in business here. As the arcade is connected to Yachimun Street and Sakurazaka, and you can pass to Makishi Public Market from the midst of the street, it is always crowded and ebullient.

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We went there after our breakfast, most shops were not open yet.

Almost every night, we would walked along Kokusai Street and the covered shopping area. We would scout for the best price for the local products before actually buying them. Our second last day in Okinawa, we spend the early morning to buy the local products before going for sightseeing.

We already did our homework during our last few days of scouting around. We found that one of the shop in the covered shopping area has the lowest price for the local products and snacks. Almost every shop sell the same brand of products and the expiry dates are similar. So our conclusion was to get from this shop as she had the best price. I got her name card. She spoke Japanese and very little english while I spoke mostly english hahaha and with hand signs we could communicate in getting discounts and her name cards haha.

Our shopping hauls from Okinawa, mostly from the shopping street and some from the airport.

Okinawa, Japan Trip 2020 - Day 4 - One day tour with Jumbo Tours Hip Hop Bus - Course A - Stop Five - Cape Manza (Travelled in January 2020)

Our fifth stop is at Cape Manza, the stop here is 30 minutes and it was very windy over here and being winter is cold too.

The distinctive Cape Manza is a rock formation that is shaped like the trunk of an elephant on the sheer 20m-high cliffs.

Very beautiful scenery and great view of the sea.

Could spot a hotel nearby with nice beach.

Okinawa, Japan Trip 2020 - Day 4 - One day tour with Jumbo Tours Hip Hop Bus - Course A - Stop Four - Okashigoten Onna (Travelled in January 2020)

Our fourth stop is at Okashigoten Onna. Only the finest locally produced purple yam is used for the production of this pioneer of Okinawan sweets. Find aligned a rich variety of sweets which use fruits that were cultivated in Okinawa and enjoy shopping. This stop is only 30 minutes.

From the shop's window, we could see a beautiful scenery of the sea. The shop is situated just next to the sea.

We each receive 1 Beniimo Tart as a free gift.

Okinawa, Japan Trip 2020 - Day 4 - One day tour with Jumbo Tours Hip Hop Bus - Course A - Stop three - Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium (Part Two) (Travelled in January 2020)

After an exciting time in the aquarium, we ventured outdoors. A beautiful day and a nice view of the ocean.

Kiosks selling fast food

Turtle pool

Many Topiary in the shape of sea creatures outdoor.

We missed the dolphin show but was delighted to watch the dolphins at the dolphins pool. It was located outdoor.

Okinawa, Japan Trip 2020 - Day 4 - One day tour with Jumbo Tours Hip Hop Bus - Course A - Stop three - Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium (Part One) (Travelled in January 2020)

Stop three will be at Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium (the highlight of the whole tour). The stop here is three hours and we can have lunch here at our own expenses. Admission ticket is included in the tour fare. The bus tour staff guided us from the car park to the aquarium about ten minutes walk. After the tour, we need to make our way back to the car park on time.

The aquarium has a beautiful view of the sea. Took so many photos of the sea.

Beautiful weather and blue sky. We were so lucky that it did not rained during our six days in Okinawa except for the last night.

We were so excited upon entering. Greeted by the touch pool, we can touch the sea creatures in the pool but I preferred to watch and take photos.

The highlight of the aquarium must be the huge tank with the whales inside. Very impressive. We had our lunch near the huge tank too. Three hours is sufficient for this stop.

Next post will be the outside of the aquarium.