Urasoe Dai Park 2, originally uploaded by juliamagnolia. (Click on the photo above for more pictures.)

CONTRIBUTED BY JULIA

One of the things I love about Okinawa is the wonderful parks out here.  With the weather on its way to cooling down I’m looking forward to rediscovering these treasures.

One of those treasures is Urasoe Dai Park. It’s a great park located between MCAS Futenma and Camp Kinser.  There’s a large play structure suitable for older kids that has a few large slides and ladders to climb.  It can be quite challenging for a younger child and if you have one that needs more supervision you are guaranteed a good workout climbing and chasing after your monkeys.

There is also an area for smaller children with a play structure, slides, teeter totters, and swings.

Directions from Camp Lester:

    • Take a LEFT out of Lester’s Main Gate to head South on Hwy 58.

 

  • Pass MCAS Futenma and McDonalds on your left side and make sure to stay in the left lane so that you DO NOT go over the overpass.

 

 

  • Pass A& W Drive-Thru Restaurant and Mos Burger.

 

 

  • Take a LEFT at the intersection of Arin Krin Garlic Restaurant (white building on your far left with garlic head people running around) and a McDonalds and Pachinko Parlor on your right.

 

 

  • Pass a red and white Meiji sign on your right and then take a LEFT at the 2nd light.  (You will see a tiled roof bus stop and a Coke sign on your right.)

 

 

  • Take a RIGHT at the next corner and go under the overpass.

 

 

  • There will be a parking lot on your right side and additional parking on your left.

 

 

14 COMMENTS

  1. I am surprised there aren’t more reviews of this park. It is beautiful. We went to the other side of the “park” that doesn’t have play equipment. There were a couple of lovely stone/concrete bridges and lots of twisty paths. It is steep in some parts. An abundance of trees shade the paths but make it bit slippery this time of year (rainy season). A great place for photos. Lots of butterflies right now.

  3. Melissa- I just visited the park for the first time today, it is the park right off the highway.

    Since there has not been an update in a while I thought I would add my input. After reading about how this park was mainly for older kids I was not getting my hopes up. But since I live right on Kinser I wasn’t going to pass it up. I wasn’t sure where I was going at first since the park is a bit hidden by trees and a little snack shack building. I was really impressed with the size of it, as soon as my son (22 mo.) I walked in we were greeted with a toddler size roller slide. He instantly feel in love with it! There was also another area just above the slide just for toddlers, but as adventurous my son is he wanted to be on the big kid playground. There were a few things he was unable to do because it was too big, but for the most part we covered the whole playground. Especially the big roller slide that my son wanted to do over and over again. There is also another staircase above the playground up to a covered area with a picnic table. And then even above that there is what looked like a little observatory. We didn’t go up it but I am sure there are great views from it, but by that time I was tired of walking up the stairs. =) I hope this helps anyone wanting to visit this park with young kids. It is worth the trip.

  6. Just a note you turn at the 3rd light after the meiji sign. Theres a white and blue sign that says Urasoe Dai Park at the light. My kids loved this park. Oh and take cardboard or something for the big rolling slide:)

  8. Anyone know when this will be re-open? We’re coming to Okinawa to visit my son, and my two younger kids would love this. We’re going to be there the first week of April. If anyone knows, thanks in advance!!

  9. Good to know – this place has been in need of a little renovation for a while now. I’m sure the upper area of the park is still open though and there is an observation tower there with beautiful views, particularly in the evening. That area also links up with a network of walking trails that eventually links up with Urasoe Yodore.

  11. I highly recommend this park for older kids. We had to go drop my husband off at the airport yesterday morning. I figured we’d take 58 back and stop and check it out! TOTALLY worth finding. My 4 year old really enjoyed it although there wasn’t a lot for my one year old to do. He had plenty of fun just running around and playing on the smaller “train” structure. This place even has bathrooms, plenty of drink machines, and even an ice cream machine! A hit for sure:)