Approach the charm of the deep town "Kadena-cho"!

About 1 hour by car from Naha Airport. Kadena, where about 80% of the town is a U.S. military base, is densely populated with private houses as seen in aerial photography. It is full of spots where you can play, eat, touch, and learn in small town areas, and is blessed with nature such as the sea and forests.
In addition, there are many shops where you can feel the United States, and you can enjoy a deep Okinawa trip that you can not taste anywhere else with the atmosphere of the town deeply influenced by the culture of the United States!
The more you know, the more you will introduce Kadena, a town where you will definitely get into the charm from various angles.

"Roadside rest area Kadena" is located in the middle of Kadena Town, which was renewed in 2022. It has a direct sales place and restaurants that sell local specialties, and a learning facility where you can learn about history, and is used by tourists and local residents. Because it also provides long-distance driving, resting spots for travel, and providing tourist information, it seems that tourists are also used for collecting information.

The building is four stories, with multiple restaurants on the first floor, and vegetables and souvenirs from Kadena-cho can be purchased at the production center direct sales office.

When you go up to the third floor, you will find a learning gallery space where you can learn about the reality of the base town and the culture and history of Kadena town. In the new and very beautiful exhibition room, it was explained in an easy-to-understand manner with photos and manga videos, and I was able to learn about the history of the town, including the Battle of Okinawa.
Especially in the cylindrical space in central gallery space, I was surprised to be able to experience the realities of aircraft noise and the smell of exhaust gas with visual, auditory and smell. On the day I visited for the interview, I saw school excursion students for the purpose of peace learning.

There is an observatory on the roof, and the base is in front of you! Kadena Airfield is the largest U.S. air base in the Pacific region, with two 3,689m long runways with over Rahn at 300m. If you look through the installed telescope, you can see the runway even closer.
If you are lucky, you can see the take-off and landing of military aircraft up close, and a sound level meter is installed, so you can experience the sound of the military aircraft and see the units measured.
This day was not the time of take-off and landing, so I couldn't see it, but it seems that noise "more than 100 decibels" can be enough to talk.
In addition, picture books of airplanes and helicopters at Kadena Airfield are displayed at the observatory.

An attractive activity where you can experience the nature of Okinawa up close. By exploring mangrove forests while rowing kayaking, you can enjoy a sense of unity with nature that you can not usually experience.

Mangrove Kayak is an easy outdoor activity that can be enjoyed with family and friends throughout the year because it does not require special skills or physical strength regardless of the season. Mangrove Kayak in Kadena is worth a try to experience the beautiful nature of Okinawa, where you can move your body and experience local ecosystems and cultures while feeling nature nearby.

You can get wet, gather at the Nature Experience Center and give a lecture on how to use paddles.
I'll ride fast. This time, we had two experience with one ship.

At first, I thought it was hard because my arms were strong, but when I heard the points when I rowed, I was able to move on steadily. When you row the kayak, is it in the city? As you think, there are greens on both sides, so you can feel nature.
Mangrove forests are habitats for various creatures, and you can observe fish and birds, sometimes crabs and small animals from kayaks, and you can introduce them and enjoy a slow time.
This is a recommended activity that people with a wide range of target ages and those who are not confident in their physical strength can easily enjoy!

The experience center was completed in April 2022 and is beautiful and you can take a shower after the experience.
There is a locker with a locker for your baggage. There was an exhibition room on the first floor where you could learn about the nature of the Hija River.
Mr. Tamaki, who was in charge of the guide this time, also likes kayaking himself, and he rides on days off from work.

The kayak, rowing quietly, was able to leave the hustle and bustle of the city, providing a relaxing time and refreshing.

For lunch break, I went to LUKE TACOS, a stylish taco shop on Shinmachi-dori with both appearance and interior! When you enter the tacos shop, you will get up and feel brighter for some reason (laughs)
The interview group received a popular taco rice plus one topping, taco 1P, and a drink “OKINAWA PLATE” (1,290 yen). Tacos is a homemade semi-hard shell, and the salsa sauce with delicious sweetness of tomatoes was exquisite!

How about choosing original goods from Kadena-cho as souvenirs? T-shirts and stickers that can be purchased at Kadena roadside rest area.
The T-shirt that combines American and Okinawan tastes exquisitely combines "Kadena Corinna T-shirt"
What is Corinna? It is said that "Kari", which means good luck, and "Na", which means land, have come together, and "Kari Na" has become "Kadena"!
3,960 yen per sheet (tax included) Color is available in two colors: white and black!

Chronicle stickers are packed into stickers that capture the charm of Kadena-cho, and are on sale in all 16 types.
Each sticker has a meaning and is designed with motifs such as history, culture and food, and it is fun to find the same place as the picture of the sticker!
There is no doubt that you will love Kadena more! 1,408 yen (tax included) For each set of 4 pieces, even if you sandwich it between a PC or mobile phone, let's feel closer to Kadena-cho.