Kouri Beach is a beach on Kouri Island, a small island off Nakijin Village on the northern part of Okinawa’s main island.
It is an outlying island, but a bridge connects it to the main island, so you can drive there.
Blue water, white sand, and a view of Kouri Ohashi Bridge make it a genuinely lovely place.
It is one of the popular beaches that draw crowds in summer — somewhere you can spend an unhurried afternoon on the sand, or swim and try marine activities.
Ratings for Kouri Beach
*Ratings are the subjective assessment of the Okinawa Bookmark editor, compared with other beaches in Okinawa Prefecture.
Kouri Beach at a Glance
| Swimming season | April–October 9:00–18:00 |
| Opening hours | None in particular |
| Swimming fee | Free |
| Safety net | Yes |
| Lifeguard | During the swimming season only Yes |
| Showers | Yes (paid) |
| Lockers | No |
| Equipment rental | Yes |
| Activities | Yes |
| Shop | Yes |
| Restrooms | Yes |
| Official website | No |
Kouri Beach has lifeguards and a safety net in place, so adults and children alike can enjoy the water here.
There is a shop and a marine-activity desk as well, which makes it a good choice if you want to get out on the water.
[Equipment rental] ・Swim rings ・Parasols ・Beach beds *Rentals are available during the summer swimming season only
[Marine activities]
・Kouri Island circuit
・Banana boat
・Marble ride
・Jet ski
・Snorkeling tour in search of clownfish and sea turtles
・Pedal SUP or paddle SUP
・Jet ski rental
*For prices, see "COCONUTS CLUB"
The Highlights
Pure-White, Beautiful Sand
The sand at Kouri Beach is fine-grained, and walking barefoot is hardly uncomfortable at all.
In summer the shore fills up with parasols and visitors enjoying the water.
Blue Water with Excellent Clarity
It does not look like much in photographs, but the water is genuinely beautiful in person.
Plenty of Marine Activities
Snorkeling, SUP, and a good deal more are all available at Kouri Beach.
You can book on Viator or GetYourGuide as well, so do take a look.
The View from Kouri Ohashi Bridge Is Remarkable
From Kouri Ohashi Bridge, blue water stretches away on both sides — a genuinely restorative stretch of road.
I have driven it many times, and it is beautiful enough that you never quite get used to it.
Showers and Restrooms Are in Place
Showers are available for a fee.
There are restrooms too, of course.
There Is a Shop as Well
Kouri Fureai Plaza has restaurants and souvenir shops, and you can pick up beach sandals and swim rings there.
Access and Parking
| Access | About 100 minutes by car from Naha Airport |
| Address | Kouri, Nakijin Village, Kunigami District, Okinawa |
| Parking | Available (free) |
| Restrooms | Yes |
There are two parking lots with room for about 100 cars in total.
The entrance to the Kouri Beach parking lot is shown on the map below.
The photo above shows the Kouri Beach parking lot.
The photo above shows the parking lot on the Kouri Fureai Plaza side.
Around Kouri Beach
Tinu Beach
Tinu Beach is also on Kouri Island, and it is well known for Heart Rock — a heart-shaped rock formation that draws visitors of its own.
Perhaps because of that rock, it is especially popular with couples.
Activities on Kouri Island
Kouri Island has plenty in the way of marine activities.
Snorkeling tours, trips around Kouri Island, SUP, jet skiing, and more.
If you would like to try something on Kouri Island, take a look at what is available on Viator or GetYourGuide.
One Suite THE TERRACE
One Suite THE TERRACE is a luxury resort hotel where every room has an ocean view.
The rooms are spacious and stylish, with a real sense of cleanliness.
Kouri Beach is about a ten-minute walk away, so if you are looking to stay on Kouri Island, One Suite THE TERRACE is worth considering.
JUNGLIA OKINAWA
JUNGLIA OKINAWA is a theme park in Nakijin Village that opened on July 25, 2025.
The site covers roughly 60 hectares, with attractions built around the wild nature of Yanbaru and a spa looking out over a remarkable view.
It is about an hour and a half by car from Naha Airport, which makes it easy to work into a day of beach-hopping on Kouri Island.
If you want more than just the sea on your trip, it is well worth a visit.
A Rental Car Is the Way to Go in Okinawa
A rental car is by far the best way to get around Okinawa’s main island.
Shuri Castle in Naha, the beautiful beaches of the north, American Village in Chatan — the places worth seeing are spread across the island, so having a car lets you explore at your own pace. Buses are infrequent and do not always run to time, so a car makes a real difference to how much you can fit in.
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.
In Closing
This guide has covered Kouri Beach.
Kouri Beach draws large numbers of visitors every year, and with rentals and activities all in place, it is somewhere children and adults can both enjoy.
Kouri Island has plenty of other sights too — Kouri Beach, Tinu Beach, Kouri Ohashi Bridge, and more.
When you visit Kouri Beach, make time for the rest of the island as well.
Thank you for reading to the end.
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