Enjoy the Beautiful Flowers of Tropical Okinawa! Our Recommended Spots

In the southern paradise of Okinawa, you’ll find a wide variety of tropical plants including the bright and beautiful hibiscus flowers. The hibiscus blooms year-round and are very popular and you’ll see them everywhere throughout the prefecture with their cheerful hues of red and yellow. They are delightful to see and enhance the mood of a tropical vacation. Besides the hibiscus, you can enjoy many other varieties of flowers that are also gorgeous and colorful. In this article, we’ll introduce some great spots to view and appreciate various types of tropical flowers in Okinawa.


 

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Fields of Ochroleuca Flowers in the Peaceful Countryside

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Ogimi Village is situated in the northern region of Okinawa Island and is well-known for the longevity of its residents. Here, there’s a flower-viewing spot that has become quite popular with the local Okinawan people in recent years. When we think of Okinawan flowers, we often imagine those with bright, solid colors of reds and yellows, but these ochroleuca flowers are a delicate, light purple. The purple petals that bloom at the top of the long stems are just like blue flags, or blue-flowered irises.



The ochroleuca begin to bloom around the end of March and are at their finest in April. In Okinawa, this time of year is referred to as “Urizun”, and is a time when spring begins to change into the rainy season. Many locals visit Ogimi to enjoy the ochroleuca flowers during this period when the temperatures are pleasant and the breeze is refreshing. In the language of flowers, ochroleuca means “good news”. How wonderful it would be to receive wonderful news while traveling in Okinawa.



Information on the Ochroleuca in Kijoka
Location: Rice Paddies at Kijoka, Ogimi Village, Okinawa


 

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Lovely Spring Flowers at the Izumi Begonia Gardens

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There’s a lovely spot in Izumi, Motobu Village, situated in the northern region of Okinawa, where you can view a variety of spring flowers. From March to April, the grounds of the Izumi Begonia Gardens are bursting with pretty, pink flowers of the begonias. The begonias blooming on the slopes of the hill are like a huge carpet of brilliant pink and is particularly breathtaking.



When the timing of the blooming period coincides, you can also enjoy other flowers of the season in the Gardens. The brilliant turquoise of the jade vines, the pure white Easter lilies, the brilliant red of the amaryllis, and the blue and purple hues of hydrangeas are so lovely and we’re sure you’ll enjoy them.



Details for Izumi Begonia Gardens
Address: 1660 Izumi, Motobu Town, Kunigami, Okinawa
Telephone: 0980-47-2742


 

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Easter Lilies in Full Bloom at Lily Field Park on Ie Island

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After about a 30-minute ferry ride from Motobu in the northern area of Okinawa Island is Ie Island. You may have seen the symbolic mountain of Ie Island in the distance when riding the escalator to reach the entrance to the Churaumi Aquarium. Around Golden Week (a series of Japanese holidays from the end of April to the first week of May), the Easter lilies are in full bloom and every year, the island celebrates with the earliest lily festival in all of Japan.



Besides the spectacular fields of lilies, the festival offers a wide range of fun with the many kinds of booths that line the venue, offering delicious eats and specialty products of Ie Island. On the weekends and holidays, you can also take in traditional Mura Odori dance and folk music performances. These performances are unique to each of the hamlets on Ie Island and are not seen in the traditional dances and songs of Okinawa Island, so it’s certainly worth attending to enjoy the local culture together with the Easter lilies.


 

Details on the Ie Island Easter Lily Festival
Venue Location: Ie Island Lily Field Park


 

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Enjoying the Orchids at the Tropical Dream Center in Ocean Expo Park

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One of the most popular tourist destinations on Okinawa is the Churaumi Aquarium and the Ocean Expo Park. Within the Park are several facilities where you can learn about the nature and culture of Okinawa, and among these facilities is the Tropical Dream Center. Inside is a greenhouse that displays over 2,000 orchids regularly, inviting visitors to enjoy the gorgeous flowers. Besides orchids, you’ll find other tropical and subtropical flowers, and in the fruits house, you’ll see various tropical fruits growing on the trees.



The Tropical Dream Center offers guided tours to learn more about tropical vegetation and visitors can enjoy observing the various types of plants as they tour inside.


 

Details on Ocean Expo Park
Address: 424 Ishikawa, Motobu Town, Kunigami, Okinawa
Telephone: 0980-48-2741


That was our introduction to the spots to enjoy beautiful flowers in Okinawa, added to the pretty hibiscus flowers blooming around the islands. With the passing of winter, it will get nice and mild as Okinawa welcomes springtime, so an outing to see various flowers would be a great way to spend your day.



Okinawa CLIP Editorial Department