Located in Kumejima Town, Okinawa Prefecture, the Kumejima Sea Turtle Museum is a valuable facility where you can learn about sea turtles and experience their charm firsthand. Kumejima is known as a nesting ground for many sea turtles, including loggerhead sea turtles. By visiting the Kumejima Sea Turtle Museum, you can learn about sea turtle ecology and conservation efforts from various perspectives.

Highlights of the Kumejima Sea Turtle Museum! Experience observing sea turtles in the large tank.

The biggest attraction of the Kumejima Sea Turtle Museum is the opportunity to observe sea turtles up close. Loggerhead, green, and hawksbill turtles swim leisurely in the large tank, and their presence is truly soothing. You can also peer into the tank from above, allowing you to enjoy them from various angles.
The best time to visit is during feeding time, especially around 10:40 AM (Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday). The turtles, which had been swimming calmly until then, suddenly become active and swim around in all directions in search of food. Their dynamic swimming is truly impressive.

Also, although it varies from year to year, sea turtle interaction experiences (feeding) are sometimes held during the summer holidays in July and August, or during Golden Week in May.

The exhibits are also worth seeing. Learn about efforts to protect sea turtles.

The exhibition area provides easy-to-understand explanations about the ecology of sea turtles, designed to be enjoyable and educational for both children and adults. Furthermore, there are comprehensive exhibits on the process from egg-laying to hatching, as well as the impact of environmental issues on them.

The Kumejima Sea Turtle Museum is also dedicated to sea turtle conservation. The museum staff works to preserve nesting grounds on local beaches and supports the process of egg hatching and the emergence of hatchlings into the sea.

The Kumejima Sea Turtle Museum is full of charm, including its surroundings.

The Kumejima Sea Turtle Museum is a facility where you can learn about the charm of sea turtles and environmental issues in a fun way. It's not just a tourist attraction; it also gives you an opportunity to think about nature and life. Nearby, you'll find tatami-ishi rocks shaped like turtle shells, and if you're lucky, you might even spot wild sea turtles swimming in the ocean from the Shin-Oku Bridge connecting Kumejima and Okujima. When you visit Kumejima, why not take some time to admire the ocean from the bridge? Be sure to stop by!

Yuhei Tonosho, a cyclist and photographer who delves deep into Japan

Born in 1993 in Toyota City, Aichi Prefecture. Graduated from Doshisha University, Faculty of Letters, Department of Cultural History and Department of English Literature. While working as a salaryman, he is a travel writer who travels all over Japan by bicycle and mountain climbing. He captures and shares the changing seasons of Japan with all his senses.