Complete Travel Guide of Cape Zanpa and Cape Maeda in Okinawa!
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CONTENTS
Some of Okinawa’s most famous, and most beautiful, sightseeing attractions.
Q: Where are Cape Zanpa and Cape Maeda?
A: They are located in the central part of Okinawa. Because of the amazing sea views, many tourists also come here to visit!
Q: Other than the capes, what can we see here?
A: Other than the beautiful sea views, you can also find diving schools, shops, restaurants, hotels and even World Heritage Site in this area!
– Hotel –
Best Western Okinawa Onna Beach
Address: 1888 Maeda, Onna, Kunigami-Gun, Okinawa
Tel.: 1-800-780-7234
Reservation Page
Beach right in front of the hotel
If you take route 58 and head to the north, you can reach the famous "Churaumi Aquarium" in about 1 hour from the hotel.
Another great thing about this hotel is you just need 10-second walk from the hotel, then you can reach the beautiful beach in front of the hotel!!
All hotel room are sea view!!
So no matter which seasons you visit this hotel, you can see the beautiful Okinawa ocean just from your balcony and even your bed!!
A big breakfast to start you day!
For this breakfast buffet, you can find both Japanese and western style food. What's more, lots of food are made of Okinawa's local ingredients!!
– Gourmet –
01. Cafe Restaurant LATILLA
Address: 1046-2 Yamagawa, Honbu-cho, Kunigami-Gun, Okinawa
Hours: 11:30 – 21:00
Homepage (Jap.): http://www.latilla.jp/
A sea view cafe and restaurant
With white colored interior design and floor-to-ceiling windows, you can enjoy the beautiful sea at the same time as you eat. Moreover, just 2-minute drive from here, you can reach the "Churaumi Aquarium".
Okinawa dish or Japanese dish
If you want to try some local dishes, this is a good place for you to visit!
02. Okinawa barbecue restaurant "Ti-da33"
Address: 1861 Uza, Yomitanson, Okinawa
Tel.: 098-958-0038
Homepage (Jap.): http://www.ti-da33.com/
Barbecue party beside the beach!
With the nice food and view, the price is not that expensive indeed!! Ti-da33 provides different set menu for you to choose. Drinks are all-you-can-drink too! Nice!
Many of you must hate to clean up things after barbecue parties. Don't worry. At Ti-da33, you can just leave this task to the restaurant,
01. LEQUIOS THEATER in ZANPA
Address: 1861 Uza, Yomitanson, Okinawa
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LequiosTheater/
Homepage (Jap.): http://www.ashibi-ent.com/
Ryukyu Ninja Show in Okinawa
After playing in the ocean and having some nice barbecue food, how about watching a special and exciting Ryukyu Ninja show right beside Ti-da33!
Ninja Show after barbecue party!
Highly recommend this ninja show to all visitors! You don't need to understand Japanese to understand the story. It's just simply exciting and easy to understand!!
02. Hill of Bios
Address: 961-30 Ishikawakadekaru, Uruma-shi, Okinawa
Homepage: http://www.bios-hill.co.jp.e.vr.hp.transer.com/
A huge dragon in Hill of Bios!
It is a great place to take you kids to explore the Okinawa subtropical forest.
Unique experience
There are various kinds of experience and activities you can try inside the park. For example, sea kayaking in the subtropical forest, riding on the train and listening to the tour guide's introduction, or putting on the traditional Ryukyu costumes!
03. Marine Support TIDE ZANPA
Address: 950 Senaha, Yomitanson, Nakagami-gun, Okinawa
Homepage (Jap.): http://www.mstide.com/
Can't miss the water activities in Cape Zanpa
Do you still remember Marine Support TIDE ZANPA that we shared with you in summer this year? It is actually just near Cape Zanpa!
Explore the beauty of the Blue Cave
In the most famous diving spot Blue Cave, you can see the amazing blue ocean. Even you are a beginner of scuba diving, you can still try this activity! Don't worry!
– Sightseeing –
01. Cape Manzamo (万座毛)
Address: Onna, Kunigami-Gun, Okinawa
Famous for the sunset view
Standing and looking from the 20-meter high cliff, the sunset is spectacular! Actually there is another reason why it is famous.
Just look at it from the side. Does it look like like an elephant?
02. Zakimi Castle (座喜味城)
Address: 708-6 Zakimi, Yomitanson, Nakagami-Gun, Okinawa
UNESCO World Heritage Site
This castle was built between 1416 and 1422. The arched entrance is the photo spot!
03. Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium
Address: 424 Ishikawa, Motobu-cho, Kunigami-gun, Okinawa
Homepage: https://churaumi.okinawa/en/
This is the No.1 sightseeing spot in Okinawa. The biggest feature of the aquarium if definitely the whale sharks!!
04. Bise Fukugi Trees Road
Address: 626 Bise, Motobu-cho, Kunigami-gun, Okinawa
Visit the tree tunnel that leads you to the Okinawa beach. These trees are used as windbreak too. It's a great place to visit no matter you want to do some cycling here or taking some nice pictures here like wedding photos!! Just 10-minute from Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium, you can find this special place.
– Souvenirs –
01. Okashigoten (御菓子御殿)
Address: 657-1 Uza, Yomitanson, Nakagami-Gun, Okinawa
Homepage (Japanese): http://www.okashigoten.co.jp/
Various kinds of Okinawa souvenirs can be found here, like the Okinawa Shisa products and Ryukyu glasses. The most popular souvenir is the Okinawa's purple yam tart! Don't forget to get some for your family and friends.
02. Okinawa limited edition – Onigiri (Rice ball) and Drinks
You need to try the local style onigiri and drinks made with Okinawa's lemon and Sanpin tea.
Travelling around Okinawa with your own rental car is the best way to enjoy Okinawa!! Of course, NISSAN Rent-a-Car is the best place to rent your car!
Naha Airport 1st Outlet
Address: 3-8-17 Kanagushuku, Naha, Okinawa
Tel.: 098-858-2523
Hours: 08:00 – 20:00
More Details: JAPANKURU BLOGGER
Other JAPANKURU's Okinawa blogs!
# Travel ♪ Hill of Bios! A park where you can explore the Okinawa subtropical forest!
# Travel ♪ Enjoy a Barbecue Party at Ti-da33 in Okinawa!! A seaside barbecue restaurant in Cape Zanpa!
# Travel ♪ Diving, Fine Food, Shopping, Sightseeing! Everything You Need To Know About Okinawa!!
# Travel ♪ Water Sports in Okinawa! Scuba Diving in the Blue Cave with Marine Support TIDE ZANPA!!
# Travel ♪ Exploring the Okinawa Ocean with Marine Support TIDE ZANPA!!
# Shopping ♪ Bring home your Okinawa memories! Grace Anniversary Design Shop
# Gourmet ♪ The Most Famous and Delicious Okinawa Beef Restaurant – Ryukyu no Ushi!
Wanna get more and share your Japanese stories with us? Please join us on Google+ too!!
See ya there!
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Niseko is about two hours from New Chitose Airport, in the western part of Hokkaido. It's one of Japan's most noted winter resort areas, and a frequent destination for international visitors. That's all because of the super high-quality powder snow, which wins the hearts of beginners and experts alike, bringing them back for repeat visits. That's not all, though, it's also a great place to enjoy Hokkaido's culinary scene and some beautiful onsen (hot springs).
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Tochigi Prefecture's capital is Utsunomiya, known for famous gyoza, and just an hour from Tokyo. The prefecture is full of nature-related sightseeing opportunities year-round, from the blooming of spring flowers to color fall foliage. Tochigi also has plenty of extremely well-known sightseeing destinations, like World Heritage Site Nikko Toshogu Shrine, Lake Chuzenji, and Ashikaga Flower Park―famous for expansive wisteria trellises. In recent years the mountain resort town of Nasu has also become a popular excursion, thanks in part to the local imperial villa. Tochigi is a beautiful place to enjoy the world around you.
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Tokyo (東京) is Japan's busy capital, and the most populous metropolitan area in the world. While the city as a whole is quite modern, crowded with skyscrapers and bustling crowds, Tokyo also holds onto its traditional side in places like the Imperial Palace and Asakusa neighborhood. It's one of the world's top cities when it comes to culture, the arts, fashion, games, high-tech industries, transportation, and more.
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Nagano Prefecture's popularity starts with a wealth of historic treasures, like Matsumoto Castle, Zenkoji Temple, and Togakushi Shrine, but the highlight might just be the prefecture's natural vistas surrounded by the "Japanese Alps." Nagano's fruit is famous, and there are plenty of places to pick it fresh, and the area is full of hot springs, including Jigokudani Monkey Park―where monkeys take baths as well! Thanks to the construction of the Hokuriku shinkansen line, Nagano is easily reachable from the Tokyo area, adding it to plenty of travel itineraries. And after the 1998 Nagano Winter Olympics, ski resorts like Hakuba and Shiga Kogen are known around the world.
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Aichi Prefecture sits in the center of the Japanese islands, and its capital city, Nagoya, is a center of politics, commerce, and culture. While Aichi is home to major industry, and is even the birthplace of Toyota cars, it's proximity to the sea and the mountains means it's also a place with beautiful natural scenery, like Saku Island, Koijigahama Beach, Mt. Horaiji. Often used a stage for major battles in Japanese history, Sengoku era commanders like Oda Nobunaga, Toyotomi Hideyoshi, and Tokugawa Ieyasu left their own footprints on Aichi, and historic buildings like Nagoya Castle, Inuyama Castle, and those in Meiji Mura are still around to tell the tale.
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Niigata is a prefecture on Japan's main island of Honshu, situated right on the coast of the Sea of Japan, and abundant with the gifts of nature. It's known for popular ski resorts such as Echigo-Yuzawa, Japanese national parks, and natural hot spring baths, plus local products like fresh seafood, rice, and sake. Visitors often spend time in the prefectural capital, Niigata City, or venture across the water to Sado Island.
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SHIZUOKA
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Shizuoka Prefecture is sandwiched between eastern and western Japan, giving the prefecture easy access to both Tokyo and Osaka. Not only is it known for beautiful natural attractions, with everything from Mount Fuji to Suruga Bay, Lake Hamanako, and Sumata Pass―Shizuoka's Izu Peninsula is known as a go-to spot for hot springs lovers, with famous onsen like Atami, Ito, Shimoda, Shuzenji, and Dogashima. Shizuoka attracts all kinds of travelers thanks to historic connections with the Tokugawa clan, the Oigawa Railway, fresh eel cuisine, Hamamatsu gyoza, and famously high-quality green tea.
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KANSAI
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Kansai (関西) is a region that includes Mie, Nara, Wakayama, Kyoto, Osaka, Hyogo, and Shiga Prefectures. Kansai contained Japan's ancient capital for hundreds of years, and it's making a comeback as one of the most popular parts of Japan. Kyoto's temples and shrines, Osaka Castle, and the deer of Nara are all considered must-sees. Plus, the people of Kansai are especially friendly, making it a fun place to hang out.
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KYOTO
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Kyoto flourished as the capital of Japan between the years 794 and 1100, becoming a center for poilitics and culture, and to this day it's a great place for close encounters with Japanese history. The cobbled streets of Gion, the atmospheric road to Kiyomizudera Temple, Kinkakuji's golden walls and countless historic attractions, even Arashiyama's Togetsukyo Bridge―Kyoto is a place of many attractions. With new charms to experience throughout the seasons, travelers can't stop themselves from returning again and again.
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NARA
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Nara Prefecture's important history reaches back to 710, a time now called the Nara era, when it was once capital of Japan. Called "Heijo-kyo" during its time as a capital, it's said that nara was once the end of the silk road, leading it to flourish as a uniquely international region and produce important cultural properties of all kinds. To make the most of each season, travelers head to Nara Park, where the Nara deer who wander freely, or climb Mount Yoshino, a famous cherry blossom spot.
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OSAKA
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Osaka is known for friendly (and funny) people, but its history is nothing to laugh at, playing a major part in Toyotomi Hideyoshi's 16th century unification of Japan. Thanks to long years of economic activity, it's one of Japan's biggest cities, and Osaka's popular food culture earned it the nickname "The Kitchen of the Nation." To this day Osaka is the model of western Japan, and alongside historic structures like Osaka Castle, it also has major shopping malls like Umeda's Grand Front Osaka and Tennoji's Abeno Harukas. Osaka is a place to eat, eat, eat, with local specialties like takoyaki, okonomiyaki, and kushi-katsu, and for extra fun, it's home to Universal Studios Japan.
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CHUGOKU
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The Chugoku Region (中国地方) consists of five prefectures: Hiroshima, Okayama, Shimane, Tottori, and Yamaguchi. In Chugoku you’ll find the sand dunes of Tottori, and Hiroshima’s atomic bomb site, plus centers of ancient history like Grand Shrine of Izumo.
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HIROSHIMA
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Hiroshima Prefecture has everything, from world heritage sites to beautiful nature and delicious local cuisine, and it's either an hour and a half from Tokyo by plane, or four hours by train. Itsukushima Shrine on Miyajima Island and the Atomic Bomb Dome, two Hiroshima UNESCO sites, are famous around the world, but in Japan it's also famous for food. Seafood from the Seto Inland Sea, especially oysters, Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki, and Setouchi lemons are all popular, and the natural scenery alone is worth seeing.
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SHIKOKU
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On the other side of the Seto Inland Sea opposite Japan’s main island, Shikoku (四国) is a region made up of four prefectures: Ehime, Kagawa, Kochi, and Tokushima. The area is famous for its udon (in Kagawa), and the beautiful Dogo Onsen hot springs (in Ehime).
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KAGAWA
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Kagawa Prefecture is on the northern part of the island of Shikoku, facing Japan's main island and the Seto Inland Sea. It's known for being the smallest prefecture in Japan, by area, but at the same time Kagawa is called the "Udon Prefecture" thanks to its famous sanuki udon. Aside from Kotohiragu Shrine and Ritsurin Garden, the prefecture's small islands are popular, and Kagawa is full of unique destinations, like Angel Road. They say that if you lay eyes on Zenigata Sunae, a huge Kagawa sand painting, you'll never have money troubles ever again.
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KYUSHU
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Located in the most southwestern part of Japan, Kyushu (九州) is an island of 7 prefectures: Fukuoka, Saga, Nagasaki, Kumamoto, Oita, Miyazaki, and Kagoshima. The island's unique culture has been influenced by Chinese and Dutch trade, along with missionaries coming in through Nagasaki's port. Modern-day travelers love the lush natural scenery and fresh food, plus the natural hot springs found all throughout the area (thanks to volcanic activity)!
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FUKUOKA
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Fukuoka Prefecture has the highest population on the southern island of Kyushu, with two major cities: Fukuoka and Kitakyushu. Thanks to growing transportation networks, Fukuoka is more accessible than ever, and so are the many local attractions. On top of historical spots like Dazaifu Tenmangu Shrine, travelers shouldn't miss Fukuoka's food scene, with motsu nabe (offal hotpot), mentaiko (spicy cod roe), and famous Hakata ramen―best eaten from a food stall in the Nakasu area of Hakata. Plus, it's full of all sorts of destinations for travelers, like trendy shopping centers, and the beautiful nature of Itoshima and Yanagawa.
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KAGOSHIMA
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Kagoshima Prefecture played a major role in Japan's modernization as a backdrop for famous historical figures like samurais Saigo Takamori and Okubo Toshimichi, who pushed Japan out of the Edo era and into the Meiji. Because of that, Sengan-en Garden is just one of many historical destinations, and when it comes to attractions Kagoshima has plenty: the active volcano of Sakurajima, popular hot springs Ibusuki Onsen and Kirishima Onsen, World Heritage Site Yakushima Island, even what Japan calls the "island closest to heaven," Amami Oshima. Kagoshima might be found on the very southernmost tip of the southern island of Kyushu, but there's plenty to see.
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OKINAWA
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The island chain of Okinawa (沖縄) makes up the southernmost tip of Japan, which is why it's also the most tropical area in the country. Thanks to a history of independence and totally distinct political and cultural events, Okinawa has a unique culture, and remnants of the Ryukyu Kingdom are still visible all over the islands. Food, language, traditional dress, it's all a little different! It's also said to be the birthplace of karate.
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