Yanbaru Shizenjuku (Yanbaru Nature School)
やんばる自然塾26°36′ N 128°09′ EKayak
Yanbaru Shizenjuku, the Higashi village nature school founded in Gesashi in April 1999, runs small-group canoe tours through the Gesashi River mangrove at high tide, from ¥5,500 for two hours to ¥7,000 for three hours out to the sea.
Photo Ray_go · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 3.0
Shizenjuku grew out of a village revival group formed in Gesashi in 1995, when the hamlet of about 180 people had no tourism to speak of, and locals bought the first ten kayaks themselves. It now runs canoe trips and treks for groups of two to ten, and the school says nine in ten of its guides were born in the village and still live there. Tours go out only at high tide, a rule the school sets for the river's large tidal range and to keep the programme light on the environment.
The three-hour course paddles up into the mangrove and then all the way down to the sea, and ends with sata andagi doughnuts. Gesashi is about two hours from central Naha by car and 40 minutes from the Kyoda interchange; turn right at the Gesashi community store and the school is 50 m on.
What they offer
| Offering | From | Duration | Months |
|---|---|---|---|
| Course A: Gesashi River mangrove canoe out to the seaChildren ¥5,500, young children ¥3,500; ages 5 and up. Sata andagi and the tour photos come free at the end. | ¥7,000 / adult | 3 hr | Year-round, at high tide only |
| Petit course: mangrove canoeChildren ¥4,500. Open to children from age 3. | ¥5,500 / adult | 2 hr | Year-round, at high tide only |
FAQ
Quick answers about Yanbaru Shizenjuku (Yanbaru Nature School)よくある質問
Why do Gesashi mangrove tours change start time every day?
Because they run at high tide. Yanbaru Shizenjuku sets each day's start by the tide on the Gesashi River, which has a large tidal range, so check the schedule on its site before you plan the drive.
How much is the Gesashi mangrove canoe tour?
Yanbaru Shizenjuku charges ¥5,500 for an adult on its two-hour petit course and ¥7,000 on its three-hour course that continues out to the sea. Children pay ¥4,500 and ¥5,500.
Does Yanbaru Shizenjuku (Yanbaru Nature School) speak English?
Yanbaru Shizenjuku (Yanbaru Nature School) works in Japanese.
Is Yanbaru Shizenjuku (Yanbaru Nature School) open in winter?
Yanbaru Shizenjuku (Yanbaru Nature School): Yanbaru Shizenjuku paddles all year, with start times set by the high tide. From December to about March it asks guests to bring a windbreaker or rain jacket against the wind, and you will wade in to below the knee, so pack a full change of clothes, underwear included.
Within 6 km