White sand or rocky cliff sides, Okinawa has a beach to make just about anyone on the island happy. For those families searching for kid friendly beaches in Okinawa, we’ve got you covered!

Sometimes we just want a beach where we don’t have to think about all those dangerous creatures out there or bother with sharp rocks. Safety is an important factor when it comes to exploring the local beaches with kids.

5 Kid Friendly Beaches in Okinawa

Here are our top 5 kid friendly beaches in Okinawa that you can add to your next weekend adventure that give you peace of mind without lacking in beauty.  

1. Sunset Beach

Located in a popular touristy area, Sunset Beach is right next to American Village. A convenient, quick walk from Camp Lester as well, Sunset Beach offers amenities, food and security.

The swimming area is netted, which keeps out the dangerous fish and wildlife giving you peace of mind while you and your kids enjoy the water. During low tide especially, the water gets quite shallow which makes for great playing with little kids.

Make sure to wear water shoes, though, as the sand under the water can be a bit rocky. An added layer of security here are the lifeguards that are posted on the beach during open swimming hours.   

The beach itself is soft, white sand perfect for building the next sand castle city. There is plenty of room on the beach and you rarely feel like you don’t have room to breathe.

Umbrellas and chairs are available for rent if you happen to forget those or decide you don’t want to lug so much stuff to the beach. 

There is a small cafe located at Sunset Beach that specializes in Mojitos and also carries non-alcoholic drinks and a small menu of food including pizza and fries. The cafe is YEN ONLY so plan ahead because no one likes a hangry kid! 

After you’ve enjoyed your day at the beach and are ready to head home but aren’t looking to bring the beach home with you, you are in luck with showers and rinse stations along with restrooms to get ready for the trip home.  

• WEBSITE: https://www.uminikansya.com/  

• GOOGLE PIN: https://maps.app.goo.gl/3W4Gd52QfHQpxP518  

2. Araha Beach

 

Just a mile south of Sunset Beach is Araha Beach. This is another beach heavily trafficked by tourists in the summer months but with a net and a playground nearby Araha Beach is one of our favorite kid friendly beaches in Okinawa to add to your weekend destination list.  

As I mentioned, Araha Beach is netted so you get the added peace of mind that nothing poisonous or dangerous is lurking in the waters. The swimming area for Araha Beach is long and there is plenty of sandy beach area to share.  

The seawall path goes right along Araha Beach which offers a paved path to walk, bike or skate along. There is lots of grass that leads up to a large Pirate Ship Park playground the kids can enjoy till their heart’s content. The grass offers a great place to move your fun once you are done with the sand at the beach.  

Araha Beach also offers amenities to make a trip to the beach easier for families. A large facility with showers, toilets, rinse stations and lockers is located just up from the beach near the playground. It is right in between the two main parking lot areas for Araha Beach making it very accessible.  

Lifeguards are present during opening hours and facilities remain open for some time after the beach closes to make sure you maximize your beach time while lifeguards are present and are still able to clean up and leave the beach at the beach before heading home.  

• WEBSITE: https://www.okinawastory.jp/spot/600006207  

• GOOGLE PIN: https://maps.app.goo.gl/98XShtJ4Hcg4AobL7  

3. Zanpa Beach 

Zanpa is another one of the best kid friendly beaches in Okinawa because of the way the beach is sloped creating a wonderful environment for swimming at both high or low tide. Nestled in a cove just south of the famous Cape Zanpa and the Cape Zanpa Lighthouse, Zanpa Beach offers a beautiful netted swimming area in addition to all sorts of water activities available for purchase.  

The netted area offers that sense of security most parents look for when looking for family friendly beaches. But if you happen to be looking for some fun with older kids, Zanpa Beach offers the opportunity to take a boat further out offshore for a snorkeling experience.

Depending on the time of year, a blowup obstacle course can be found floating just offshore. Tickets can be purchased to run the obstacle course but there is a height requirement and everyone is required to wear a lifejacket which can be rented there.  

Lifeguards are present during open swimming hours. Showers are available at for a small fee. Rinse stations and toilets are also available.  

• WEBSITE: https://mice.okinawastory.jp/en/en-contents/contents-all/c-283/  

• GOOGLE PIN: https://maps.app.goo.gl/kZ2qKqCwy554UpVY7  

4. Oodomari Beach

 

If you are looking for kid friendly beaches in Okinawa to experience some aquatic wildlife up close and personal, Oodomari Beach is where you need to go. Located on Ikei Island off the east coast of Okinawa, there is no need to hop on a ferry for this adventure as Ikei Island is one of the few islands accessible by car via bridges.  

You will want to make sure to visit the website for Oodomari Beach as they provide a detailed list of directions complete with photos along the route. It is down some small, winding Okinawa back roads but it is WELL worth the trip.  

There isn’t a large parking area but they do a great job fitting as many cars in as possible, so it’s best to plan to go in the morning to get a spot. It’s 500¥ for adults and 300¥ for kids and the money helps the family who owns the land maintain it.  

There is a small stand when you walk in that has all sorts of beach items for rent or purchase. They have a small food menu and you can sometimes purchase fish food here. If you want to get up close and personal with the fish, you are going to want to have some sort of fish food, whether you purchase there or ahead of time.

Most of the fish are close to shore since that’s where most people are feeding them so it’s easily enjoyed by little ones and families who prefer to stay closer to shore. It is such a fun experience for the kids and the fish are so used to it they have no fear and will swim right up to you.  

They are very strict with keeping people in the roped off area but the area is so big there is plenty of room to swim without worrying about others. The beach is sloped perfectly offering a good amount of sandy area to swim around in shallow enough for kids of all ages to enjoy.

It does slope quite dramatically not far from shore (depending on the tides) and the water gets deep, somewhere between 20-30 ft, more during high tide. It’s usually calm and you can rent life jackets for little kids or you can bring puddle jumpers or tubes for kids to swim further out.  

There are a few toilets and showers that can be used for a small fee. There isn’t a designated rinse area other than the showers so clean off before heading to your car if you don’t plan to pay for showers. Facilities are limited here so plan accordingly.  

• WEBSITE: www.oodomari.com  

• GOOGLE PIN: https://maps.app.goo.gl/kBsBFrt8AycdaLAD6  

5. Okuma Beach

Okuma Beach is located in the northern part of Okinawa and accessible to anyone with access to the military bases. Not to be confused with the Okuma Beach Private Resort next door, Okuma Beach managed through Kadena Air Force Base offers the military and military connected families on Okinawa a great reprieve from the hustle and bustle.  

While there are opportunities to make reservations to stay in accommodations at Okuma Beach, there is no need for a reservation to enjoy the beach. With two, long sandy beach areas, both North and South beaches are kid friendly and fun for the whole family.

The north beach is where the water activities and rentals are for the summer season, so be sure to check these out if you are looking for some fun jet skiing or holding on for dear life on a float pulled by a jet ski.  

Both beaches offer facilities including showers, toilets and rinse stations making post beach fun clean up easy.  

Along with typical water activities available, Okuma Beach regularly holds family friendly events, especially on popular weekends when everyone has time off. Bubble parties, bounce houses, bingo or fun runs, if you are looking for some family fun be sure to check out the calendar for Okuma Beach. 

• WEBSITE: https://kadenafss.com/okumabeach/  

• GOOGLE PIN: https://maps.app.goo.gl/mRDiVvYdYHZJMx7d8   

Looking for more? Check out these other popular articles on Beaches in Okinawa.