Okinawa – July 4 Marine Expo Ocean Expo Park Churaumi Fireworks Festival

Access

The main ways to reach Emerald Beach at Ocean Expo Park, the venue for the Ocean Expo Park Churaumi Fireworks Festival, are by car or public transportation.

By Car

After exiting the Okinawa Expressway at the Kyoda IC, take National Routes 58 and 449, followed by Prefectural Route 114, to Ocean Expo Park. The drive from the Kyoda IC takes approximately 50 minutes.

Parking Ocean Expo Park has 9 free parking lots with a combined capacity of approximately 1900 vehicles. The closest to Emerald Beach is the P9 Emerald Gate multi-story parking garage.

On the day of the fireworks festival, traffic restrictions were put in place on roads around the park, and severe congestion was expected. Traffic was particularly heavy from the afternoon onward, so arriving in the morning or earlier was recommended. A paid temporary parking lot exclusively for fireworks attendees was also made available through advance sales.

To avoid the heavy traffic after the event, one recommended strategy was to leave your seat about 15 minutes before the finale (around 20:45) and head to the parking lot, or stay in the area until after 22:00 and return home after the crowds had dispersed.

By Public Transportation

From Naha Airport, take a highway bus (No. 111 or 117), Yanbaru Express Bus, Okinawa Airport Shuttle, or a similar service to Nago Bus Terminal. The journey takes approximately 2 hours to 2 hours 40 minutes.

At Nago Bus Terminal, transfer to a local bus—No. 70, 65, or 66 (bound for Ocean Expo Park)—to reach the park. Get off at the Kinen Koen-mae bus stop, then walk approximately 20 minutes to the venue.

On the day of the fireworks festival, local bus schedules, services, and routes may have been changed or suspended, so it was important to check the latest information on each bus company’s official website in advance.

Paid Seating and Tickets

For the 2026 Ocean Expo Park Churaumi Fireworks Festival, the entire viewing area at Emerald Beach consisted of paid seating, and no free viewing area was provided. Advance ticket purchase was required to guarantee admission to the fireworks viewing area.

Approximately 9,000 paid seats were available in total, and admission was restricted. Before regular advance sales began, a limited number of discounted “early-bird tickets” were offered at special prices. Several travel companies also sold bus tours that combined round-trip transportation from Naha Airport or the city with paid viewing seats, providing a convenient way to secure both transportation and a place to watch the show. For the types of paid seating and specific prices, please check the official announcements.

Lesser-Known Viewing Spots

Because the area around the venue becomes extremely crowded on the day of the fireworks festival, several spots are known for offering a more relaxed view from a little farther away.

• Around the Bise Fukugi Tree Road: The area north of the historic Bise Fukugi Tree Road, a short distance from the venue, was known as a relatively peaceful place to watch the fireworks. Visitors could also enjoy the contrast between the traditional tree-lined road and the fireworks.
• Plaza around Ocean Expo Park’s Central Gate: The plazas elsewhere in Ocean Expo Park, particularly around the Central Gate, offered good locations for avoiding the crowds at the venue while still enjoying much of the fireworks display.
• High ground around Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium: From the elevated areas around Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium within Ocean Expo Park, visitors could watch the fireworks from a vantage point overlooking the venue. The area was said to offer a relatively calm viewing environment.
• Sesoko Island: From Sesoko Island, which is connected to the venue by a bridge, visitors can enjoy a distant, panoramic view of the Ocean Expo Park Churaumi Fireworks Festival. It is recommended for those who want to enjoy the fireworks in a romantic atmosphere away from the bustle of the venue.

These lesser-known spots were also expected to become crowded on the day, so arriving early to secure a place was essential.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. Can I watch the fireworks for free? A. At the 2026 Ocean Expo Park Churaumi Fireworks Festival, the entire area inside Emerald Beach consisted of paid seating, and no free viewing area was provided. Advance ticket purchase was required to watch the fireworks.

Q. Is parking available? A. Ocean Expo Park has 9 free parking lots with a total capacity of approximately 1900 vehicles. The closest to Emerald Beach is the P9 Emerald Gate multi-story parking garage. A paid temporary parking lot exclusively for fireworks attendees was also offered through advance sales on the day of the event. As the surrounding roads and parking lots were expected to be extremely crowded, early arrival was recommended.

Q. Can I bring food and drinks? A. Food and drink stands were set up inside the paid area at Emerald Beach, the event venue. Regarding the rules for bringing in food and drinks, visitors were encouraged to check the official website according to the information available in 2025. The same was expected to apply in 2026, so checking the official website for details was the most reliable option.