Ikei Beach
👋 Haisai! I’m CULT.
Today, let’s talk about Ikei Beach, located in the eastern part of Okinawa. With its gentle waves and currents, it’s an ideal spot for families to enjoy together. Although this beach is quite a distance from the typical beaches on the western side of Okinawa, it offers less parking stress and is not overly crowded, making it a recommended spot for those who wish to enjoy a quieter beach experience. If you have plans to visit Okinawa, consider adding it to your itinerary.
📌 Location and Information of Ikkei Beach
Ikei Beach is located on Miyagi Island in eastern Okinawa, and it’s easily accessible by rental car as it’s connected by an underwater road. However, the road is winding, so it’s recommended to drive slowly and carefully when visiting. [Google Map]
It is closed every Wednesday and Thursday, and ⏰ opening hours are from 10 AM to 4 PM. Okinawa’s beaches typically operate from early April to the end of October, so you can check the website for more detailed information. [Ikei Beach]
When you arrive using Google Maps, you’ll find a spacious car park. I recommend parking under the trees inside to keep your car a bit cooler. Even during the peak summer season, this place isn’t overly crowded, so you likely won’t experience any stress related to parking.
This is the entrance to Ikkei Beach. You can enter through this entrance, but please note that it is a paid facility. Therefore, you will need to pay an admission fee.
The price is 400 yen for middle school students to adults, 300 yen for children aged 5 to elementary school students, and free for those under 4 years old. For camping, it is 600 yen for adults and 400 yen for children.
🏝️ Beautiful Beaches
This is the welcome sign you will first encounter upon entering Ikkei Beach. Okinawa’s summer usually features such blue skies and beautiful clouds, so you can expect a similar view when you visit.
The first thing you might notice is the lifeguard station. In Okinawa, swimming and snorkelling in areas without a lifeguard are strictly prohibited. If you were to engage in water activities outside the supervision of a lifeguard or in an unauthorised area and an accident were to occur, insurance would not cover it. Please be sure to prioritise your safety. 🛟
The swimming area is marked by buoys within the beach, and there are signs indicating restricted areas outside the lifeguard’s watch. If you accidentally wander into the wrong area, a lifeguard will come and guide you to a safe spot.
The swimming area is determined based on the number of tourists, and since this place is not usually crowded with visitors, you can enjoy swimming within the buoy line drawn in the sea, centred around the diving pier on the left. That area is designated as a safe swimming zone by Okinawa, and lifeguards monitor to ensure you swim within this area.
The beach has quite a wide stretch of sand. This seems possible because the area experiences mild waves and currents, resulting in minimal sand erosion. You can rent parasols, sunbeds, goggles, and more here.
Parasols are 1,000 yen / Sunbeds 1,000 yen / Mats 1,000 yen / Goggles 300 yen / The tent shown in the photo is 3,000 yen. All prices are per day.
Ikkei Beach is a place where the water is clear and the surrounding terrain provides protection, allowing you to enjoy swimming safely. Okinawa unfortunately holds the record for the highest drowning rate in Japan, which is why the region is very strict about water safety. I hope you enjoy your time in the water safely and return home with wonderful memories.
When you walk along the beach, you can witness scenes like this. Especially on weekdays, there are even fewer people, so if you visit on a Monday or Tuesday, it feels almost like you have the place to yourself.
You can rent a tent and also book a barbecue for 1,600 yen per person. Meat, vegetables, seasonings, gas, and an iron plate are provided. You can also bring your own food supplies.
This is meant to be installed for interior decoration, right?
I was sitting on Ikei Beach, enjoying some leisure time, when I noticed a group of young men having a delightful swim. The water is clear and refreshing.
🚿 Other Facilities
Of course, there are toilets available. Although the building is a bit old, perhaps due to the age of the beach, it is still perfectly usable, so rest assured.
You can also use the coin lockers. However, there are only a few of them, and if you’ve brought your own padlock, you can use that instead. I’m not sure if anyone actually brings their own padlock here, though. You can leave your clothes here for a moment and take a shower.
This is a coin-operated shower. You can shower for 3 minutes for 200 yen, which does feel a bit pricey. Ikkei Beach is a completely paid facility, though it is quite secluded.
If you’re just dipping your feet in the beach, you can use the foot bath area for free. Even if you’re not swimming, many people like to just dip their ankles and feel the sea, don’t they? This facility is for those people.
Additionally, there are dining facilities where you can enjoy light meals such as Okinawa soba and zenzai, and a small shop selling items like swimsuits, tubes, and goggles, ensuring you have everything you need for a day at the beach.
What do you think? Does this sound like a beach worth visiting during your summer trip to Okinawa? If you’re looking for tranquillity, I recommend Ikei Beach.
