Driving Around Nago City: Neo Park Okinawa, Nago Pineapple Park and More

“We’re driving up to Churaumi Aquarium. Is there anything worth stopping for in Nago?” “My kids want animals and fruit.” When you plan a drive in northern Okinawa, Nago often becomes a place you simply pass through. In fact, Nago and its immediate surroundings have an animal theme park, a pineapple attraction, a brewery tour, a famous cherry blossom spot and a city beach, all within easy reach and enough for half a day or a full day.

This article introduces Neo Park Okinawa, Nago Pineapple Park, the Orion Beer Nago Factory (Orion Happy Park), Nago Castle Park and 21st Century Forest Beach, based on information we could confirm on official websites and similar sources. We also cover refueling and eating in downtown Nago, how to use the city as a base for northern Okinawa, and a warning about drinking and driving if you visit the brewery. Where we could not confirm a detail, we do not give a number and ask you to check the official website.

Nago as a Base for Northern Okinawa

From Naha Airport to Downtown Nago

Nago is the gateway to northern Okinawa. From Naha Airport, the Okinawa Expressway takes you to its northern end at Kyoda IC in about 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes when traffic is light (see our 2-day northern Okinawa drive article for routes and tolls). Once you leave Kyoda IC, most of the places in this article are 10 to 20 minutes away on local roads.

The roadside station Michi-no-Eki Kyoda is right by the exit, so stopping there before heading into Nago helps you avoid driver fatigue (see also our roadside station article).

Refueling, Eating and Shopping in Downtown Nago

Downtown Nago has supermarkets, gas stations and restaurants, which makes it one of the few real towns in the north. Stores and gas stations become much less frequent as you head toward Churaumi Aquarium, Kouri Island and the Yanbaru area. It is a good idea to refuel and shop in downtown Nago before going deeper into the north, or on your way back from the aquarium.

For meals, you can use restaurants in town as well as cafes and shops inside the attractions. Neo Park Okinawa has a cafe and shop, and pineapple sweets and souvenirs are part of the fun at Nago Pineapple Park. Lunchtime gets busy, so arriving a little earlier or later helps cut waiting time. Opening hours of individual restaurants change often, so please check just before you go.

Using Nago as a Base

Because Nago sits in the middle of the north, it also works well as a place to stay. If you stay in downtown Nago, it is easier to reach Churaumi Aquarium, Bise and Nakijin Castle Ruins in the quieter hours the next morning. A 2-day, 1-night model route is here, and tips for avoiding crowds at the aquarium parking lots are here. The spots in this article fit in before or after those routes.

For Families: Neo Park Okinawa and Nago Pineapple Park

Neo Park Okinawa

This is an animal theme park in Nago. According to the official website, there are several places where you can feed animals, including a petting area with dogs, guinea pigs and goats, a lake where you can feed birds, and red panda feeding (twice a day). The park’s Okinawa Light Railway runs from the first train at 10:30 to the last at 16:45.

You walk outdoors to see the animals, so bring a hat, sunscreen and drinks. The official FAQ states that pets are not allowed because animals roam freely in the park and this can be dangerous. You may bring your own food and drink, but eating and drinking is not allowed in animal exhibit areas. Umbrellas are lent out free of charge, but the number is limited.

Nago Pineapple Park

This is a sightseeing facility with a pineapple theme. You can ride a pineapple-shaped cart through the plants, and enjoy pineapple sweets and souvenirs. For visitors in rental cars, the official website says that a pineapple train takes you from the parking lot to the entrance of the facility (it may stop depending on conditions).

We do not list the admission fee here because several different amounts appear on the official website, depending on the page. Please check the latest price at the ticket window or on the ticket sales page. The official “Access and facility information” page gives hours of 10:00-18:00 (last entry 17:30), but the closing days are not stated there. Please check the official website or call (0980-53-3659) before you go.

Tips for Visiting Both

Both places are in Nago, so you can visit both in one day. However, both involve a lot of walking, and with children it takes longer than you might expect. If you go to both in one day, splitting them up, for example Neo Park Okinawa in the morning and Nago Pineapple Park in the afternoon, keeps the day from feeling rushed.

If you are traveling with young children, our guide to driving Okinawa with kids explains how to arrange child seats and plan rest stops. Child seats are required for children under 6, so please remember to request one when you book.

Orion Beer Nago Factory (Orion Happy Park)

Tour Overview

Orion Beer is the beer of Okinawa. The Nago factory offers guided tours of the brewing process as the visitor facility “Orion Happy Park.” According to the official website, tours have limited capacity and advance reservations are required. You can reserve through the reservation form on the official website (available in Japanese, English, Korean and Chinese) or by phone.

The facility is closed every Sunday and Monday, and during the New Year period. The reservation page also notes that the production line does not run on weekends and national holidays, so if you want to see the factory in operation, choose a weekday and confirm when you book. We could not confirm the tour fee on the official pages, so please check the latest amount on the reservation page.

Tasting and Drinking and Driving: A Warning for Rental Car Drivers

After the tour, there is a tasting of freshly brewed beer. What matters here is how you handle it if you came by rental car. The official website states that drivers are not served beer and are offered soft drinks instead. In other words, the rule assumes that people who drive do not drink.

Drunk driving can bring responsibility not only for the driver but also for passengers and for the person who lent the car. If you go by rental car, decide before the tour who will drive back. If everyone wants to enjoy the tasting, it is safer to go to the factory by taxi or bus and use the rental car on another day. Thinking “just one glass” or “only a little” does not apply when it comes to driving.

If you buy beer as a souvenir, wait until you reach your hotel to drink it. For more on driving a rental car, please also see our article on driving rules in Okinawa.

Parking and Reservation Notes

The official website says parking spaces are limited and asks visitors to carpool or use public transportation. Arrive a little before your tour starts, and if your group is large, riding together in one car helps even when the lot is busy. For details such as conditions for large groups, please check the guidance on the official website.

Also note that this is a different place from the “Orion Churasun Office” in Tomigusuku City. When you enter the destination in your car navigation, check it against the address “2-2-1 Agarie, Nago City.”

Nago Castle Park: Cherry Blossoms and a Lookout Hill

Highlights of Nago Castle Park

Nago Castle Park, right next to downtown Nago, is known as a spot for Taiwan cherry trees, which bloom earlier than anywhere else in Japan, and it is the only park in Okinawa selected as one of Japan’s 100 Best Cherry Blossom Spots (according to an Okinawa tourism information site). From the lookout near the top you can see the town of Nago and the East China Sea. The park also has a nature observation garden where you can walk through the woods, and a multipurpose field.

Outside the cherry blossom season it is quieter, so it also suits a short walk between other stops. However, we could not find a source that confirms the number of parking spaces or fees, so we do not list them here. Please check with the management office (0980-52-7434) or the official website before you go.

Visiting in Cherry Blossom Season

The Nago Cherry Blossom Festival is held mainly on the last Saturday and Sunday of January each year. On those two days, roads and parking lots in town become crowded. Our winter drive article covers planning your drive during the festival and how to combine it with the cherry blossoms in Motobu and Nakijin. It also talks about refueling and eating in downtown Nago, which helps make the day easier.

21st Century Forest Beach and Downtown Nago

21st Century Forest Beach

This is a city beach near Nago City Hall. According to an official notice from Nago City, swimming hours are 9:00-17:00 from April to June (except Golden Week), and 9:00-18:00 during Golden Week and from July to September (notice dated April 30, 2026). The notice also says that from fiscal 2026 the beach will be managed by “YAMBARU GATEWAY PARK.”

If you want clear water and coral reef scenery, see our article on beaches within an hour of Naha and also consider the well-known beaches in the north. This beach is handy when you want an easy dip close to town, or a short play session for your kids.

Box Jellyfish Nets and Sea Safety

Nago City asks swimmers to use the swimming area with the habu box jellyfish net. Avoid swimming outside the net, and keep to the swimming hours. Even when the sea looks beautiful, Okinawa’s waters carry risks from currents and marine life. Never take your eyes off young children.

21st Century Forest Park and a Walk in Town

21st Century Forest Park spreads out in front of Nago City Hall, and it is where the press center was set up for the Okinawa Summit in 2000 (according to Nago City materials). The area around the park is also a good starting point for a stroll through Nago. It is easy to use even for a short time, as a rest during your drive or for a walk before or after a meal.

Model Plan and Rental Car Tips

A Half-Day Plan in Nago (Example)

Below is an example half-day to full-day plan linking the places in Nago. It is built backward from the last entry times. In practice, please check the latest opening hours on each official website.

If you add the Orion Beer Nago Factory tour, make your reservation first and then rearrange the whole day. Tours run on weekday daytimes, so it is more relaxed to keep it separate from the plan above and use another day.

Combining with Churaumi Aquarium

The spots in Nago are also convenient before or after Churaumi Aquarium. For example, you can visit the aquarium and Kouri Island on Day 1 and spend Day 2 at an easy pace in Nago. Our article on Churaumi Aquarium parking helps with crowds at the aquarium.

Refueling and Returning the Car

The basic rule is to return the rental car with a full tank. There are fewer gas stations in the north than in Naha, so refueling in downtown Nago keeps you from rushing before you return the car. After you return the car at the Naha Airport Store, a free shuttle takes you to the airport. Cars must be returned to a store, and one-way drop-off is not available.

Even if each place in Nago is small, combining them widens the fun of the drive. Animals, fruit, cherry blossoms and a city beach let each family member choose by taste. UMUI Rent-a-Car offers a free shuttle from Naha Airport to our stores. You can check the steps from booking to returning the car on our how it works page. Please use us for your trip to the north.

* Opening hours, prices and other information in this article are as of October 2026. They may change, so please check the official website of each facility before you go. Travel times are estimates for light traffic.

Photo credits: Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0 / CC BY-SA 4.0). Photographers are credited in each photo’s caption.