The Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium, which boasts No. 1 sightseeing spot in Okinawa Prefecture, is located on the site of Ocean Expo Park. It is a popular spot for traveling in Okinawa, but do you know that it is not only the aquarium that you can enjoy? In fact, it is no good idea to look back only at the aquarium. There are other great spots in the park.
Ocean Expo Park boasts No.1 tourist attraction in Okinawa Prefecture, and is located in Kunigamigun Motobucho Town. This state-owned park was created on the site in 1975 to commemorate the Okinawa International Ocean Expo, which has held a high-profile event.
In Okinawa, where there were no expressways at the time, widening of the expressways and general roads, construction of large resort hotels, etc. took place at once for the exposition.
At the site where deep history is to be found, popular attractions such as Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium, facilities with show of planetarium and dolphins, Botanical Garden and Okinawa Local Village where you can get in touch with Okinawa culture are gathered. It has become one of the “100 Selected City Parks in Japan” and has attracted attention.
Above all, Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium has become well-known for its ability to travel to Okinawa, and it has become famous for swimming with several whale sharks and manta rays in a huge aquarium.
The Tropical Dream Center is a facility for flower lovers. More than 2,000 orchids are on display at all the time, and there are three dreamy greenhouses full of subtropical flowers. As you enter one step, you will see a fantastic world like a jungle, like being in a flower garden!
A variety of orchids such as phalaenopsis species distributed in the tropical area of Southeast Asia, vanda species distributed in Southeast Asia, India, China, Taiwan to northern Australia, and cattleya species distributed in the tropical area of central and South America are located in the greenhouse with a magnificent orchid family are planted.
Some are rare and some are not available at florists. Take a walk around the flower path while taking a photo of your favorite orchid in a large greenhouse.
If you are hungry, try fruit pancake and pineapple pork bowl at Tropical Fruit Cafe “Squall”.
The Museum Shop Nangoku, located in the Stained Hall, also sells original T-shirts, hand-dyed scarves, and Iriomoteran seedlings. You can also enjoy it at home, so please try it.
Many rare plants unique to the southern country are filling the garden
The “Tropical Dream Center” is a botanical garden located in the “Okinawa Commemorative National Government Park” familiar with the “Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium” and others. It is the largest scale in Okinawa Prefecture as a pure botanical garden without animals, and over 2000 shares of orchid are cultivated at all times in the park. Many rare plants unique to the southern country, tropical fruit trees that have never been seen, huge carnivorous plants etc. are filling the garden.
Fall into a strange feeling that you are in a different world
Despite the beauty of the plant being cultivated, the charm of the Tropical Dream Center lies in the building itself. The building of the Tropical Dream Center is made like a ancient ruins. When walking in a quiet park, you fall into a strange feeling that you are in a different world. At the center of the facility, you can see a huge tower swirling like a snail, but this tower is “distant view stand”.
Light passing from the sky makes it so colorful by passing through there
Stained Hall is the entrance to the Tropical Dream Center. There is “Tropical Shop” here and you can buy goods such as souvenirs. If you look up at the ceiling, it is a colorful “stained glass”. Light passing from the sky makes it so colorful by passing through there.
The Tropical Dream Center located on the south side is unexpectedly quiet
It takes more than an hour to see the inside of the Tropical Dream Center. It is such a huge facility, but actually it is also quite a spot in the “Okinawa Commemorative National Government Park”. Since popular facilities such as “Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium” and “Okichan Show” are gathered in the north side of the park, the Tropical Dream Center located on the south side is unexpectedly quiet .
It is also recommended to visit this place to relax
However, it is probably because a lot of people do not drop in, so that the mysterious atmosphere like the ruins wrapped by the Tropical Dream Center has not been destroyed. Compared with other institutions in “Okinawa Commemorative National Government Park”, so if you get tired of the crowds, it is also recommended to visit this place to relax.
Information(Access, Price/Charge, Tel, Address, Official site, etc.)
| Name: | Tropical Dream Center |
| Address: | 424 Ishikawa, Motobu-cho, Kunigami-Gun, Okinawa, 905-0206 |
| Access: | Travel Time varies between approximately two hours twenty minutes and three and a half hours from Naha Airport. There are 2 ways to visit Ocean Expo Park from Naha Airport by bus. If you take the Yanbaru Express Bus/Expressway bus No.117/Okinawa Limousine Bus, you can go to the aquarium without transferring. If you take an Expressway bus No.111 or a Local bus, you should change the bus at Nago Bus Terminal. *Please get off the “Kinen Koen Mae” bus stop when you get the Yanbaru Express Bus, Expressway bus No.117, and Local Bus. *In the case of rain, We recommend you would take the bus stop of "Centurion Hotel and Resort Vintage Okinawa Churaumi" located near the Ocean Expo Park, because of having a roof. *The time may defer according to traffic Local roads are especially congested in various places during rush hour. Please refer the official web page.  |
| Tel: | (+81) 980-48-3624 |
| Price/Charge: | 760 yen (Adult) Free (Elementary, middle school students, or Under) Please refer the official web page. |
| Official site: | http://oki-park.jp/ |
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