If you're visiting Okinawa for the first time, this is a no-brainer.

If you're not driving in Okinawa, I really recommend joining a day tour, so you can just focus on taking photos 😂. When I took the bus to the outlying islands later... ✏ To avoid getting up early, I chose the classic North Line tour that meets at 8:45. We didn't get back to the prefectural office until 19:00. ✨ Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium 2 hours 30 minutes The only paid attraction worth visiting. Follow Crayon Shin-chan to the aquarium. The highlights are the whale sharks and dolphin show, the rest can be skipped. Two and a half hours is enough for a rough visit. If you want to explore it thoroughly, I suggest spending a whole day there, as the round-trip bus ride is time-consuming. 🐋 ✨ Kouri Beach 20 minutes Check in at Kouri Bridge. The sea in Okinawa is really nice. It was cloudy and drizzling at the time, but the sea was still clear and transparent. 🌊 ✨ Onna no Eki Nakayukui Market 20 minutes There is a store on Kokusai Street. It's a good place to stop and rest, and recharge your energy. ✨ Cape Manzamo 20 minutes (JPY 100/person) Well, it was backlit in the afternoon, but I did see a rainbow that day. 🌈 ✨ American Village 50 minutes Oh my god, it's like an open-air set. It's a bit... depending on your personal preference. But it's really good for taking photos, especially at night when the lights are on. The area is not small, so 50 minutes is a bit rushed. 🏰 💁 I weighed my options and decided to join a day tour, as I didn't want to tire myself out. It was actually quite good, and the time at each attraction was very precise. 😅 It was a bit rushed, maybe because I spent too much time taking photos.