21st Century Forest Beach | Barbecues, Parking & Nearby Guide

21st Century Forest Beach is located in Nago, in the northern part of Okinawa’s main island.

It is a man-made beach, but the clear water and clean sand make it an appealing one.

It is well equipped for swimming and open to barbecues, which has made it a favourite with locals and visitors alike.

A new complex called Akemio Terrace opened on 15 April 2026, bringing a Starbucks, the marine leisure operator Marine Club Berry and the local restaurant Higashi Shokudo — plenty for families and couples alike.

21st Century Forest Beach Ratings

Water clarity・・・・・4.5
Beach beauty・・・・4.5
Rest areas・・・・・5.0
Swimming facilities・・4.5
Openness・・・・・・・4.5
Natural feel・・・・・3.5

*Ratings are the subjective assessment of the Okinawa Bookmark editor, compared with other beaches in Okinawa Prefecture.

21st Century Forest Beach Essentials

Swimming season	April–June　10:00–18:00 July–September　10:00–18:30
Hours	As listed above
Swimming fee	Free
Jellyfish net	Yes (during the swimming season only)
Lifeguard	Yes (during the swimming season only)
Showers	Yes
Lockers	Yes
Rentals	Yes
Activities	Yes
Shop	Yes
Restroom	Yes
Official site	Nago City Hall

21st Century Forest Beach forms part of the wider 21st Century Forest Park.

Nago City manages the whole park, and it is kept in excellent condition.

Highlights

A Starbucks opened on 15 April 2026

Starbucks Coffee Nago 21st Century Forest Park Akemio Terrace opened on Wednesday 15 April 2026.

An ocean view opens up directly in front of the store, and plenty of families and visitors were enjoying an unhurried break there.

21st Century Forest Beach lies just across the footpath.

Starbucks has both indoor and outdoor seating, and the outdoor seats come with gazebos and shade from the trees — it looked a very comfortable place to sit.

Exceptionally clear water

The water here is clear and lovely.

When we visited the waves were gentle, and our impression was of a beach well suited to swimming.

A long, beautiful stretch of sand

21st Century Forest Beach has sand on both sides of the promenade that runs through it.

The left-hand beach has a jellyfish net and lifeguards on duty.

Marine activities are provided for as well, and the whole area was beautifully kept.

YouTube Short

We also made a short video of the Starbucks — do take a look!

An attractive promenade

From the promenade you can take in the beach on both sides.

A fair number of people walk the promenade for exercise.

Swimming and no-swimming areas are separated

The left of the promenade is the swimming area; the right is closed to swimming.

The swimming area has a jellyfish net and lifeguards on duty, so adults and children alike can enjoy the water.

Well-equipped for swimming

Restrooms, showers and lockers are all provided.

Showers are available until 7 p.m., so please bear that in mind.

Barbecues welcome

This is a beach where you can hold a barbecue.

Barbecues require permission in advance, so please apply before using the facilities.

*Fee (per pitch): 2,000–3,500 yen

There are designated areas for barbecues.

Plenty of places to take a break

Rest areas are dotted throughout.

There is space to sit in the gazebos and in the shade of the trees.

Vending machines are installed near the restrooms and showers.

Points to note

Please follow the posted rules when using the beach.

Snorkeling, diving and swimming outside the designated area are all prohibited.

Please follow the rules and enjoy the water safely and comfortably.

Access & Parking

Access	About 90 minutes by car from Naha Airport
Address	Miyazato, Nago City, Okinawa Prefecture
Parking	Yes (free)
Restroom	Yes

As 21st Century Forest Beach forms part of 21st Century Forest Park, there is plenty of parking.

The car parks are spread across the site, but wherever you park within the park you can reach the beach within a 5-minute walk.

The image below shows the car park on the baseball stadium side.

Here is the car park on the 21st Century Forest Beach side.

Around 21st Century Forest Beach

21st Century Forest Park

21st Century Forest Park is operated by Nago City.

It offers a wide range of facilities, sports venues chief among them.

Tapic Stadium Nago (Nago Municipal Baseball Stadium)
Akemio Sky Dome
21st Century Forest Beach
Football and rugby pitches
International Exchange Hall
21st Century Forest Park open-air stage, and more

Activities in Nago

In Nago, marine sports such as snorkeling, diving and SUP in the clear water are hugely popular.

There are plenty of tours beyond marine sports too, so take a look on Viator or GetYourGuide.

View on Viator

View on GetYourGuide

Hotel Yugaf Inn Okinawa

Hotel Yugaf Inn Okinawa suits business travellers and holidaymakers alike.

21st Century Forest Beach is about a 5-minute walk away.

The hotel received the Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare Award at the 24th Awards for Welcoming, Community-Minded Accommodation.

The award recognises local inns and hotels — and hotel associations — that show genuine consideration for all guests, older visitors among them.

*For details, please see here

View on Booking.com

View on Expedia

A rental car is the way to see Okinawa

For getting around Okinawa’s main island, a rental car is by far the best option.

Shuri Castle in Naha, the beautiful beaches of the north, American Village in Chatan — the sights are scattered across the island, and with a car you can take them in at your own pace. Local buses are infrequent and rarely run to time, so having a car makes a real difference to the trip.

Cars fill up quickly in the peak season, so we recommend booking early once your travel dates are set. One important note for overseas visitors: to drive in Japan you must obtain an International Driving Permit (Geneva Convention) in your home country before you depart, and remember that traffic in Japan drives on the left.

View on Klook