Kouri Island & Churaumi Aquarium Bus Tour Review Without a Car

This article continues our review of the

Okinawa sightseeing bus tour visiting Manzamo and Nago Pineapple Park.

Some of the stops and sightseeing times have changed

since the time of our original trip.

As of 2026,

the main itinerary is:

※The order of stops and sightseeing times may change.

In this article,

we focus on our firsthand experience at

Kouri Island, Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium, and Okashigoten.

Even without renting a car,

we were able to visit several of northern Okinawa’s most popular attractions in one day.

The View from Kouri Bridge Is Amazing from a Tour Bus

Look at this～～!

The sea was such a beautiful emerald green.

The view from the bus crossing Kouri Bridge was absolutely beautiful.

We had visited Kouri Island by rental car before,

but a sightseeing bus sits higher than a regular passenger car.

That means

you can enjoy a wider view of the ocean from a slightly higher position.

And because you are not the one driving,

you can simply enjoy the scenery

and take photos along the way.

Why We Recommend Kouri Island for Travelers Over 60

It was quite windy that day,

and the forecast had been cloudy with rain,

so we were a little worried about the weather.

Luckily,

the sun came out when we reached Kouri Island.

The sea looked incredible.

If you want to see the beautiful emerald-green waters Okinawa is famous for,

Kouri Island is definitely worth visiting.

Kouri Island is also famous for

Heart Rock,

a rock formation that looks like a heart.

However,

this particular bus tour does not visit Heart Rock.

We spent our time

enjoying the scenery

and taking photos and videos.

There are many places around Kouri Bridge

where you will want to stop for photos.

When we visited,

we even saw a couple having wedding photos taken.

It is also a lovely place for travelers who enjoy photography.

The scenery was so peaceful

that we could easily have stayed much longer.

However,

the current VELTRA bus tour allows

about 30 minutes on Kouri Island.

So it is not really a stop where you can spend hours relaxing.

If you want to take photos

and look around the nearby shops,

it is best to think about your time from the beginning.

150 Minutes at Churaumi Aquarium Was Enough for Us in Our 60s

Next,

we arrived at the main highlight of the bus tour:

Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium.

The current VELTRA tour still allows

about 150 minutes at Churaumi Aquarium.

For us,

that was enough time to explore the aquarium

and also enjoy the dolphin show.

However,

if you want to have a slow meal at the café

or visit every outdoor facility in detail,

it is a good idea to keep an eye on the time.

Inside the aquarium,

you can see many species from the waters around Okinawa.

My daughter especially likes Napoleon fish,

so she was happy to see one here.

The large tanks also make a great background

for travel photos.

Whale Shark “Jinta” Reached 31 Years in Captivity in 2026

One of the most famous sights at Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium

is the whale shark swimming through

the huge

Kuroshio Sea

tank.

The whale shark we saw,

Jinta,

was enormous.

Watching him glide slowly through the tank

was incredibly impressive.

In March 2026,

Jinta marked 31 years in captivity.

According to the aquarium’s official information,

he is approximately

8.8 meters long.

He remains one of the most iconic animals at Churaumi Aquarium.

Café Ocean Blue｜Relax Beside the Giant Aquarium Tank

Next to the Kuroshio Sea tank,

you will find

Café Ocean Blue.

You can enjoy drinks and light meals

while watching whale sharks,

manta rays,

and other marine life swim past the large viewing window.

There are currently

nine reserved seats beside the aquarium tank,

available for

¥1,000 per seat.

If you want to take a break

while enjoying a close-up view of the aquarium,

these seats offer a special experience.

※Prices and opening hours may change.

Dolphin Show at Okichan Theater

After visiting the aquarium,

we watched the dolphin show at

Okichan Theater.

The venue still hosts

approximately 20-minute dolphin shows

featuring bottlenose dolphins,

false killer whales,

and other dolphins.

As of September 2026,

the regular show times are:

• 10:30 a.m.
• 11:30 a.m.
• 1:00 p.m.
• 3:00 p.m.
• 5:00 p.m.

※Shows may be changed or canceled depending on weather conditions and the animals’ health.

The dolphins were adorable,

but another thing we loved was the scenery.

The ocean stretches out behind the theater,

giving the show a beautiful Okinawan atmosphere.

If you want a good seat,

it is a good idea to arrive a little early.

You Can Also Feed Sea Turtles

Near Okichan Theater,

there is also a

Sea Turtle Pool.

Visitors can currently take part in

a sea turtle feeding experience.

As of 2026,

feeding sessions are held from

11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

and

2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m..

The price is

¥500 per feeding set.

Sales end once the available sets are sold out.

※The program may change or be canceled depending on weather conditions or the turtles’ health.

Don’t Miss the Gelato at More Mare

One thing we especially recommend is the gelato from

More Mare.

More Mare is still open today

inside

Churaumi Plaza

next to Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium.

The café serves

additive-free, naturally colored gelato made with Okinawan ingredients.

Regular opening hours are currently

10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

※Opening hours may change seasonally.

When we visited,

there were many flavors,

including

purple sweet potato,

strawberry milk,

apple mango,

pineapple,

moringa,

tomato and mandarin orange,

and chocolate.

※Flavors shown here are from the time of our visit.

There were also Okinawan-inspired flavors such as

brown sugar rum raisin,

shikuwasa citrus,

and salted milk.

We chose

pineapple × shikuwasa

and

brown sugar rum raisin × apple mango.

They were all so delicious～～!!

Because many of the flavors use ingredients associated with Okinawa,

it is a fun place to stop for a snack during your aquarium visit.

Shopping for Okinawa Souvenirs at Okashigoten Nago

The current VELTRA tour also stops at

Okashigoten Nago

for approximately 30 minutes.

Okashigoten is famous for one of Okinawa’s classic souvenirs,

Original Beni-imo Tart,

made with purple sweet potato.

The Nago shop is still open today

and sells not only sweets,

but also a wide variety of Okinawan souvenirs.

Current opening hours are

9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

There are also many items available individually,

which is convenient if you do not want to buy a large box.

We also bought some packaged Okinawan foods

to enjoy after returning home.

They were very tasty (*´ω｀*)

※The products shown in the photo reflect what was available at the time of our visit.

Because shopping time is limited on a bus tour,

it helps to decide in advance

whether you mainly want to buy

Beni-imo Tarts,

souvenirs for family and friends,

or food to enjoy at home.

VELTRA’s Churaumi Aquarium Bus Tour Is Convenient for Exploring Okinawa Without a Rental Car

Before this trip,

we wondered whether sightseeing in Okinawa would be difficult without a rental car.

But after actually joining

VELTRA’s Churaumi Aquarium sightseeing bus tour,

we felt that it is absolutely possible to enjoy northern Okinawa without driving.

For travelers in their 60s,

being able to rest on the bus between stops

is a big advantage.

You can visit

Manzamo,

Nago Pineapple Park,

Okashigoten,

Kouri Island,

and Churaumi Aquarium

in a single day,

without having to drive yourself.

The tour currently also provides

multilingual audio guidance in English, Chinese, and Korean.

On the other hand,

time at places such as Kouri Island is limited.

So this tour is especially suitable for

travelers who want to see several popular attractions efficiently rather than spend several hours at one place.

For those who are not confident about driving,

or who want to reduce the physical burden of transportation,

we found it to be a very convenient option for an Okinawa trip.

▶Check the latest prices and availability for the Churaumi Aquarium bus tour on VELTRA

 

Okinawa Bus Tour Review: Churaumi Aquarium, Kouri Island & More Without a Car

On a previous trip to Okinawa, we rented a car. This time, however, neither my daughter nor I felt very confident about driving, so we decided to join a sightseeing bus tour. We booked a VELTRA day tour visiting Churaumi Aquarium and other popular attractions in northern Okinawa. The tour visits Manzamo, Nago Pineapple Park, Okashigoten, Kouri Island, and Churaumi Aquarium all in one day. In the end, we were very glad we chose the bus tour. Without having to drive, we were able to visit several popular sights in northern Okinawa efficiently. The current main itinerary is: ① Manzamo: ...

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