Araha Beach, a great beach to visit with children
👋 Haisai! I’m CULT.
Today, I want to briefly talk about a beach along Route 58 during a rental car trip in Okinawa. Firstly, there’s a large playground shaped like a sailing ship here, which children love, and it’s very convenient for dining or accommodation with nearby restaurants and the American Village. Also, the American Village Sunset Beach… well, in June and July, it’s not really a sunset beach. To watch the sun set over the horizon, you should consider Araha Beach instead of the American Village for sunset viewing.
📌 Beach Next to Route 58
If you rent a car and travel north or south on Route 58 without using the highway, this is a place you can easily encounter. It’s right next to the American Village, so if you want to watch the sunset, I recommend coming here. The beach lifeguard ⏰ operates from 9:00 AM to 5:30 PM. [Google Map]
The rental services for water play equipment and parasols are available during the lifeguard’s operating hours.
Araha Beach may seem modest compared to the scale of American Village, but it does offer a small free parking area. However, on weekend afternoons, finding a parking spot is nearly impossible, so opting for a paid parking lot or simply heading straight to American Village might be a good alternative.
After parking, as you move towards the beach, you’ll find these recreational sports facilities. Given the proximity to a US military residential area, there are quite a few basketball facilities available.
🏖️ Araha Beach
This is the beach. The blue buoys are jellyfish prevention nets, and if you swim outside that area, a lifeguard will come and guide you to play within the buoys. The reason for this operation is that Okinawa has the highest water-related fatality rate in Japan, so they are very sensitive about water safety.
How about visiting Naminoue Shrine to pray for safe swimming before enjoying the water?
The blue booth in front is where the lifeguards are stationed. They are the ones who rescue you if there are any unusual occurrences while you’re swimming. The reason you always need to pay attention to water safety in Okinawa is that, although lifeguard training is ongoing, there are simply too many beaches compared to the number of lifeguards available.
Of course, there are also commercial facilities available. You can rent items like life jackets and water tubes, and there are restaurants where you can enjoy a light beer or a meal. Dining with the beach as your backdrop is quite pleasant. The terrace of this restaurant is a great spot, especially in summer, as you can watch the sunset beyond the horizon.
🚿 Shower Facilities and Playground
If you’ve only dipped your feet in the beach, it’s recommended to wash off the salt at the foot bath. It’s free, so feel free to use it without any worries.
There is also a coin-operated shower where you can shower for 3 minutes for 100 yen. It’s a bit of a shame that they don’t seem to sell disposable towels, which would be quite handy.
Once you step outside the beach, you’ll find a variety of commercial facilities. If the dining options here don’t quite appeal to you, taking a short trip out might be a good idea.
This is the landmark that represents this beach. It’s a playground shaped like a pirate ship, and children always get excited about new playgrounds, don’t they?
Okinawa has many beaches that are great for playing with children.
I’ll introduce you to all those wonderful beaches. See you again, Matayasai 👋
