Last checked: October 10, 2026
Want to fish in Okinawa without spending the day on a rocking boat? Off the town of Motobu, a big fishing raft gives you a flat deck, a roof and a toilet instead.
A fishing raft (ikada) is a platform anchored at sea. A small boat takes you out in 10–15 minutes and picks you up again when you’re ready to leave. Motobu Fishing Raft (本部釣りイカダ, Motobu Tsuri Ikada) sits in water about 18–20 m deep. It’s run by a local company called Marine Life (海生活, Umi Seikatsu) from Toguchi Port, about 15 minutes by car from Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium.
Facts come from Marine Life’s website and its own catch blog unless another source is named. We point out where sources disagree and what we couldn’t confirm.
OKINAWA REGION
Motobu Fishing Raft, near Churaumi Aquarium, Okinawa
From Naha Airport: Yanbaru Express Bus, about 2 hours (¥1,900), to Motobu Hakubutsukan-mae
At a Glance
- Booking: a round-trip ferry ticket, or a fishing pack with rod, reel, bait and rigs. Prices change by date on Klook and KKday
- Boats out: 8:30–11:00 and 13:00–15:30, whenever there are guests
- Last boat back: leaves the raft at 16:45
- Ages: any age, as long as an adult is watching
- Language: Japanese only
- Free cancellation: up to 48 hours before on Klook (2 days before on KKday)
- Closed: the 4th Tuesday of each month and over New Year
Two things shape your day. No boats run between 12:00 and 13:00. And to go out in the morning, you need to check in by 11:00.
Is the Motobu Raft Right for You?
✅ Great if you…
- worry about seasickness. The operator says the raft rocks less than a fishing boat
- are traveling with kids. Children of any age can come with an adult, and there are toilets on the raft
- have never fished. The fishing pack includes the rod, reel, bait and rigs
- are visiting Churaumi Aquarium and want something else to do nearby
- only have a few hours. You choose when to come back, and the price stays the same
⚠️ Think twice if you…
- want to fish offshore from a boat for bigger fish
- need an English-speaking guide. The trip runs in Japanese only
- expect food on the raft. Nothing is sold there, not even water
- are visiting in typhoon season with no spare days. The raft closed several times for typhoons in 2026
📅 When the raft is open
Open △ Check dates Closed
The raft is closed on the 4th Tuesday of each month and over New Year. Fishing seasons shift a little from year to year, so check dates on the booking page.
Source: Marine Life website, checked October 2026.
How the Motobu Fishing Raft Works
Check in, then a 10-minute boat ride
Check in at Marine Life’s tackle shop, Umiya (海屋), 30 minutes before your boat, as Klook and KKday ask. Boats leave in the order people check in. One boat carries about 12 people, so if you arrive just after it leaves, you may wait about 30 minutes.
Everyone must wear a life jacket on the boat and on the raft. Klook includes one with your booking, and KKday lists ¥550 to rent one on site.
Come back whenever you like
You pay the same price whether you stay one hour or all day. The boat runs back and forth on demand, except during the lunch break.
8:30
First boat out to the raft
11:00
Last check-in for a morning crossing
11:30
Tell the staff by now if you want to be back before lunch
12:00–13:00
Lunch break, no boats
15:30
Last boat out (on Klook you can pick up to 15:00)
16:45
Last boat back from the raft
Source: Marine Life’s website and FAQ, checked October 2026.
Is it really seasickness-free?
Not quite. Marine Life says the raft rocks less than a fishing boat, so there’s only a little worry about seasickness. If you get sick easily, bring medicine anyway.
Prices: Ferry Ticket or Fishing Pack
You can book just the boat ride to the raft, or a pack with the gear included. Klook sells two packages.
Prices below are what Klook and KKday showed in October 2026 and change with the date and availability.
| Package | What it covers |
|---|---|
| Round-trip Ferry Ticket | One round trip by boat to the raft, a life jacket and insurance. Bring your own gear |
| Raft Fishing Package | The boat ride plus a rod, reel, bait and rigs |
Source: Klook and KKday listings, checked October 2026. On Klook, children 13 and over pay the adult rate, and there are child (7–12) and toddler tickets.
If you’ve never fished, we’d book the fishing pack for each adult. Kids who’ll mostly watch or take turns can go on a ferry ticket. KKday suggests this mix for families.
Rentals and extras
Umiya rents gear at the shop. Stock is limited, so ask when you check in. KKday lists these on-site prices:
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Rod for the raft | ¥3,000 |
| Raft fishing set (rod, reel, bait, 2 rigs) | ¥4,950 |
| Life jacket | ¥550 |
| Cooler box | ¥550 (medium), ¥1,100 (large) |
Source: KKday listing, checked October 2026. Klook lists the same cooler prices. KKday also offers BBQ equipment with a ticket or pack. You bring your own food, plates and chopsticks.
Paying
KKday says only cash in Japanese yen is accepted on site. Bring yen for rentals, bait, ice and the restaurant.
What You Can Catch, Month by Month
Marine Life posts photos of the day’s catch on its blog. We read all 264 posts from October 2025 to September 2026 and noted the months each fish was named. The table shows when a fish came up, not how many were caught.
| Fish | Named most in | How it was caught |
|---|---|---|
| Fusilier (gurukun) | July and August, and most other months | Sabiki |
| Rabbitfish (aigo) | March, July, October and January | Sabiki, bait balls |
| Blue-barred parrotfish (aagai) | October and July | Paste bait, bait balls |
| Yellowfin surgeonfish (tokajaa) | June to December | Float fishing with chum |
| Spangled emperor (taman) | November to January, March, July to September | Float fishing, bottom rig |
| Indian mackerel (gurukuma) | June to October | Sabiki, float fishing |
| Trevally (gaara) | Most months except February to April | Float fishing |
Source: Marine Life catch blog (tsuri-ikada.jugem.jp), October 2025 – September 2026, checked October 2026. Fish names: FishBase. Only one post went up in February, so the winter months are thin.
The blog also shows a 50 cm white trevally (shima-aji) in January and green jobfish (oomachi) in spring and late summer. It also has quiet days. One November post says the fish barely responded all day, and a Klook reviewer found “quite few fish.”
Sabiki
A line of small hooks with a basket of chum. It’s the easiest method for beginners, and it catches fusilier and rabbitfish.
Float fishing (fukase)
A light line that drifts with the current while you throw chum. It’s used for surgeonfish, emperor and trevally.
Bottom rig
A weighted rig dropped to the seabed. One September post shows seven spangled emperor caught this way.
I’ve never fished. Will I catch anything?
You have a fair chance, but it’s not guaranteed. The blog shows first-timers catching fish in a single morning, and also days when hardly anything bit. Marine Life names sabiki as one of the easiest rigs for beginners, so ask for it at Umiya.
Good for Kids and Non-Anglers?
Yes. Marine Life says children of any age, even babies, can go on the raft if an adult is watching them. The raft has toilets, a shade roof, tables and chairs, so non-anglers can sit and watch the sea. Swimming from the main raft isn’t allowed.
⚠️ Bring your own food and plenty of water. Nothing is sold on the raft, and drinking water isn’t provided. Umiya doesn’t sell food either. After typhoon damage in August 2026, the operator warned that shade on the raft was reduced while repairs went on, so bring hats and sunscreen.
We couldn’t confirm whether life jackets come in small children’s sizes. If your kids are small, ask Marine Life or bring your own.
Eating Your Catch
The fish are wild, so there’s no charge for what you catch. You can take them home, release them, or have them cooked. Marine Life can also send your fish by refrigerated courier.
Marine Life runs a restaurant across the harbor, Sakana Kanasa (さかなかなさ), about 3 minutes by car from the check-in shop. Klook says the cooking fee starts from about ¥3,000 per person, depending on the size and type of fish. KKday says you pay it in cash (yen) at the restaurant. Cooking starts from cleaning the fish, so it takes longer than a normal order.
The restaurant opens for lunch from 11:30. Every source lists Tuesday as a closing day, and some also list Wednesday. We’d call before you go (0980-43-6612, or +81-980-43-6612 from abroad) to check the day and time.
What if we book the restaurant and catch nothing?
Marine Life says that if you’ve booked and bring no fish, or only a few, the restaurant cooks a suitable dish with its own fish.
A note on raw fish
Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare warns that Anisakis larvae live in seafood such as mackerel, horse mackerel, sardines and squid. Eating them raw can cause severe stomach pain, usually within hours to a few days. Freezing at −20°C for at least 24 hours, or cooking at 70°C or higher (or 60°C for 1 minute), kills them. Vinegar, salt, soy sauce and wasabi do not. If you want sashimi, let the restaurant prepare it.
Getting to the Motobu Fishing Raft
10:10
Yanbaru Express Bus leaves Naha Airport (bus stop 1)
12:15
Arrive at Motobu Hakubutsukan-mae (本部博物館前)
About 12:25
Walk about 700 m (about 9 minutes) to Umiya and check in
13:00
First afternoon boat to the raft
Source: Yanbaru Express Bus timetable (valid from November 1, 2025), checked October 2026. The walk is our estimate from a map.
By bus from Naha Airport
Okinawa has no train to Motobu. The Yanbaru Express Bus runs from Naha Airport to Motobu in about 2 hours for ¥1,900. Get off at Motobu Hakubutsukan-mae, not Motobu Port; it’s the stop nearest to the check-in shop.
You pay when you board, for your whole group at once. The bus takes Suica and other Japanese transit IC cards (but not OKICA), credit cards with tap-to-pay, and PayPay. You don’t need to book a seat.
Getting back to the airport
Buses leave Motobu Hakubutsukan-mae for Naha Airport at 13:28, 14:28, 15:28, 16:28 and 17:28. The last one reaches the domestic terminal at 19:45. Bus times are the timetable’s; the company often posts delays from traffic on the expressway.
If you fish until the last boat at 16:45, the 17:28 bus leaves you little time to pack up and walk. We’d ask for a boat back around 16:00 and take the 16:28 bus. We wouldn’t plan a flight home the same evening.
By car
Toguchi Port has a free parking area, according to Klook and KKday. Marine Life’s address for the raft and Umiya is 29-72 Tancha, Motobu-cho, Kunigami-gun, Okinawa (沖縄県国頭郡本部町字谷茶29-72).
Combine it with Churaumi Aquarium
The aquarium is open 8:30–18:30 (last entry 17:30) for most of the year, with longer hours in peak periods. It has no scheduled closing days until March 31, 2027, apart from typhoons. The bus from Motobu Hakubutsukan-mae to the aquarium stop (Kinen Koen-mae) takes about 10 minutes and costs ¥250.
Without a car, both orders work by bus. Fish in the morning, come back by 12:00, and take the 13:35 bus to reach the aquarium at 13:45. Or see the aquarium first and take the 13:15 bus from Kinen Koen-mae, which reaches Motobu Hakubutsukan-mae at 13:28, in time for the 14:00 boat.
Book Churaumi Aquarium tickets on Klook →More Okinawa tickets on Klook (prices are set by Klook and change by date):
Where to stay
The first bus from the airport arrives too late for a morning boat. If you want to fish in the morning, stay in Motobu the night before. Klook lists hotels near the aquarium, including ones on the airport bus route.
Hotels near Churaumi Aquarium on Klook →Can I go straight from the airport?
Yes, for an afternoon boat, if the bus is on time. The 10:10 bus from Naha Airport gets you to Motobu at 12:15. We couldn’t confirm whether the shop can hold a suitcase, so ask Marine Life before you arrive.
Booking, Cancellation and Weather
Booking
Klook and KKday both list this raft in English, but the trip itself runs in Japanese. Klook says you’ll get confirmation within 48 hours. KKday confirms 2 days after you order. Marine Life’s phone line and own booking site are in Japanese.
Cancellation
Source: Klook and KKday listings, checked October 2026. KKday says it emails you if the operator cancels. Ready to pick a date? Book at least two days ahead to keep free cancellation on both sites.
Weather and typhoons
Boats run in the rain. If you cancel because of rain, normal cancellation fees apply. When the weather or sea is bad, the operator can cancel on the day and emails you, so check your spam folder.
Typhoons closed the raft or cut it back several times in 2026, including in May, July, August and September. Marine Life posts closures on its blog and Instagram (@marine_life_motobu_ikada). If you’re traveling between May and October, we’d keep a spare day in your plans.
What to Bring
🎒 Your packing list
- ☐ Plenty of water and something to eat
- ☐ A hat, a towel and sunscreen
- ☐ Clothes and shoes you don’t mind getting wet or dirty
- ☐ Rain gear
- ☐ Cash in yen
- ☐ Seasickness medicine if you get sick easily
- ☐ A cooler, or rent one at Umiya
- ☐ A phone with mobile data for a translation app and bus times. See our guide to the best eSIM for fishing in Japan
Do You Need a Fishing License?
No. We found no license system for rod fishing in the sea in official sources. Japan’s Fisheries Agency asks foreign visitors to follow local rules. On this raft, that means life jackets at all times and no swimming from the main raft. For more, see do you need a fishing license in Japan?
FAQ
QIs there an English-speaking guide?
No. Klook and KKday say the activity runs in Japanese only, so we’d have a translation app ready at check-in.
QCan I bring my own rod?
Yes. Buy the raft ticket only, and buy bait and rigs at Umiya.
QCan I go night fishing?
Only if you’re experienced. Marine Life’s night trips are for people who’ve already fished the raft by day, because no staff stay on the raft at night. Book by the morning of the same day.
QIs it open every day?
No. It closes on the 4th Tuesday of each month and over New Year. Typhoons also close it.
QHow long should I stay?
That’s up to you. The price is the same whether you come back after an hour or on the last boat.
QCan I pay by card at the shop?
No. KKday says only cash in yen is accepted on site.
QIs winter worth it?
It can be. A December post says fewer kinds of fish bite as the water cools, but January posts show a 50 cm white trevally and spangled emperor.
Ready to Book?
Reel in your first Okinawan fish without leaving solid footing. The Motobu raft suits families, first-timers and anyone visiting Churaumi Aquarium who’d rather not spend hours on a boat. Bring water, cash and a hat, and book at least two days ahead to keep free cancellation.
