• Must-see
• Pictures
• Information

• Access
• Fees
• Advise

• CategoryTourism・Activity/Experience
• Phone number0988-40-5121
• AreaNaha/Shuri
• Parking30 lots（Free）
• TagMangroveNatureAnimalParkNaha-city
• Hours9:00～17:00

If you have time before/after boarding a plane, this is the best sightseeing spot for you! Manko park is located close to Naha airport; within 15 minutes with a car. You will enjoy watching Mangroves and birds. The park is located in Naha-city and Tomishiro-city. You can easily get there from Naha-airport and Kokusai street. It's a good spot where you can enjoy the beautiful nature!

Must-see sights

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  Ramsar Convention

  Manko park was registered as the home of the Ramsar Convention in 1999, the 11th of Japanese Ramsar site. Ramsar Convention is "An international treaty for important wetlands" especially habitats of water birds. The Convention on Wetlands, signed in Ramsar, Iran, in 1971. Manko is a wetland habitat for waterbird. As manko, Kokuba river(Naha bridge, Madan bridge) Noha river(Ishibiya bridge) 58ha in area square. The park is an important site for sandpipers and piping plovers. In 2003, Manko Water birds and Wetland center was built to cultivate a better understanding of Mankos.

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  Manko Waterbird and Wetland center

  Manko Waterbird and Wetland center is used to understand the "three pillars" of the convention. "Safety・Regrow","Sensible Use", "get to know each other・learn". you can enjoy the center for free. At the entrance, you'll see a blackboad of drawn birds in the morning of the day. It is recommended to try listening for the birds tweeting! Once you push the button, You can listen to 5 different kinds of birds tweeting. On the second floor, you can see the view of Manko. The free observation platform is available. You can watch birds through a telescope that magnifies things by 60Xs. It's the best spot where you can see park and Toyomi bridge! It's recommended to go 2nd floor.

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  A wooden boardwalk

  At the park, you can enjoy walking on a wooden boardwalk and see the Mangroves. It takes about 15 minutes to go completely through and back. 1/5 of the Manko park is Mangrove forest. In Okinawa, you can see mangroves on Ishigaki island and Iriomote island. On the main island, you can see them at Manko park and Higashison village. Mangroves only grow in Okinawa and Kakoshima prefecture. Manko park is located 3 km inland from ocean and gets effected by the flow of the tide which helps the Mangroves to grow.

What is Manko park?

A Long time ago, Manko had much higher water levels as the name 漫湖(fill lake) depicts . In the mid 1600, A Chinese envoy named the lake “Manko”. Matthew C. Perry (commodore) saw the view and praised it. Recently, the lake turns tideland from the reclamation, when it gets high ttides the Maximum water level is 47 ha. There are many creatures living in Manko. If you look under the wooden boardwalk, You can see clubs, and Mudskippers called Tontonmi. There are signs of the description of creatures with their picture at the park.

There are 7 kinds of Mangroves seen in Japan. At Manko, you will see mainly Cadel, Bruguiera, gymnorrhiza and, Rhizophora, mucronata. There is no tree named Mangrove. It's the general term of forest that grows in blackish water that is seawater and fresh water. Most trees grow close to the wooden boardwalk are Cadel. Cadel has buttress roots and you can see it at the exit of the center. During the summer time, little white flowers bloom. The root is a little difficult to see from the wooden boardwalk, so please visit the center to see it. Lastly, don't forget to visit the "Nagomino sanpodou" (walking path).

The migratory birds come during Autumn and Winter seasons, you can see them especially in the morning and at evening. 200 kinds of birds have been seen here on Manko. Two days before we visited the park, there's news that the blue bird Collared kingfisher was seen in Okinawa for the first time in Mangrove forest. This bird only lives in Southeast Asia, and In Japan, there are a few islands Ishigaki island, Iriomote island, Miyako island, and Kume island. We couldn't see it when we visited, but on that day in the morning they said they saw one at the park.

Some tourist say that Naha is a really urban area. However, here in Manko, you can feel the great nature. 90% of birds in Okinawa are Migratory bird, and Manko is their midway. Manko park is a very good place to relax and it’s an important site. If you get a chance please visit and enjoy the nature!

Pictures

Manko park Information

Name	Manko park
Tel/Fax:	TEL：0988-40-5121 FAX：0988-40-5118
Address:	Postcode: 900-0024 3-23-1 Kohagura Naha-city Okinawa Souvenir Tourism Food Hotel
Access	It takes 15 minutes from Naha-airport by a car. It takes about 15 minutes from Ounoyama kouen station. Bus: take a bus No.9/11/101/105/ and get off at "Oroku" station, it is 10 minutes walk
Hours	9：00～17：00
Closed	Monday (If the monday is holiday, it will be closed the following day) Ireinohi Memorial day of a war June 23rd, New Year's day Dec.29-Jan.3rd

Entrance fee

Entrance fee	Entrance fee : Free

How to pay

Budget	0
Optional fee	0
Credit card	Not available
Currency
Reservation	Reservation is available You need a reservation for Group visitor(more than 10 people)

Park facilities

Parking	30 parking lots（Free）

Information

Time	40 minutes
Smorking	No smorking
Brochure	Japanese.PDF English.PDF Traditional Chinese.PDF Korean.PDF
e.t.c	Wheelchair lending is available, The park welcomes the visitors with disability. It's recommended to bring Suncream,Sunshade,Towel,Water especially during the summer time

A little advise from Churashima travel

A brief comment	This is a famous tourist spot. The park is located away from the urban area and has a calm atmosphere.
Important notice	There are no shops you can get water or etc. It's recommended to bring your own water.
What to bring	It's recommended to have suncream, sunshade, towel, and water.