A little over an hour drive from Naha Airport, there is a secret beach known only to locals in Nago, in the northern part of Okinawa’s main island. It is a beach with rounded pieces of colorful glass, and beautiful white sand with coral and shells. What kind of beach is it?
Point 1: What kind of beach is “Sea Glass Beach”?
Sea Glass Beach” is located on the Pacific Ocean side of Nago City in the northern part of Okinawa’s main island. I couldn’t reach it on the narrow, unpaved road with my navigation system, so I relied on Google Map to get there, and there I found a shallow emerald-green sea.
I was impressed by the color of the ocean in northern Okinawa, provided the weather was good.
Behind the beach, there are thick bushes and a moderate amount of greenery. It has the atmosphere of a South Sea paradise.
Sea Glass Beach” got its name from the colorful glass bottle fragments scattered about, but nowadays glass bottles are rarely used and seem to have been exhausted, so there are only a few sea glass pieces left.
The beach is not very wide, but the sand made from coral and shells is very white and beautiful. There are no tourists. Locals occasionally come to take a dip in the ocean or have a BBQ. Because of the location, there are many foreigners.
There are some craggy rocks, and the contrast between the oddly shaped rocks and the emerald green is interesting, so taking pictures is recommended.
Point 2: “Sea Glass Beach” has interesting topography!
Not only “Sea Glass Beach,” but Okinawa also has many beaches with interesting topography. Recently, some tour operators have been calling the red clay beach “Ryukyu Sedona” because of its resemblance to Sedona, while keeping the exact address secret!
The topography of this “Sea Glass Beach” is also quite unique.
Some beaches have large rocks in the ocean that were washed away by a tsunami that occurred tens of thousands of years ago, but this one was uplifted by tectonic movements.
The layered, sheer rock formations and the rocky terrain that looks like a devil’s washboard leading to the sandy beach. You can only see this in Okinawa, can you not?
Of course, the clarity of the sea here at “Sea Glass Beach” is quite clear, so swimming and snorkeling are recommended, but it is also nice to stroll around the unusual rocky beach.
However, bare feet can be quite painful, so we recommend wearing marine shoes if possible.
Point 3: Some art is made with materials from “Sea Glass Beach”!
There is almost no sea glass on “Sea Glass Beach” anymore.
At other Okinawan beaches, sea glass, uniquely shaped coral, and shells have already been collected and sometimes made into jewelry and sold.
Officially, however, it is not allowed to take sea glass, coral, or shells from Okinawan beaches. Some places allow it if you get the manager’s permission, so if you really want to get a large quantity, why not contact them?
It is fun to pick up a few pieces individually and make framed art, etc., as shown in the photo.
