Today took a rather silly turn as I schlepped up to the north of Okinawa to visit the Nago Pineapple Park. The island doesn’t benefit from quite the same slick public transport network that I’d grown accustomed to in Japan’s major cities. Forking out £80 on an Uber to get there, I came with big expectations. Thankfully, it didn’t disappoint.
The experience started with a buggy ride through the park. The speaker overhead provided a nice overview of its layout and some interesting information about pineapples, remarkably enough to fill fifteen minutes. Not that I can recall any of it, though, because I was far too busy pulling silly faces at the children in the buggy behind me to take notice.
Suffice to say I was the only adult present without children
Disembarking from my resplendent carriage, I sauntered through the enchanting pineapple gardens, breaking for a tall, refreshing glass of “pineapplenade” to slake my thirst, which I can assure you went down a lot smoother than it rolls off the tongue.
Next stop was the totally random dinosaur attraction. My parents will be pleased to know that I scored full marks on the dinosaur quiz, putting the money spent on my education to extremely good use.
And all this time I thought a meteor got them
Serious Mos Eisley Cantina vibes
After that it was off to the “Sweets De Pineapple”. This delightful shop really pushed the envelope of pineapple-based delicacies, offering an enticing array of confectioneries and pastries. I opted for a delectable pineapple cornet, which I was so eager to try that I forgot to take a photo of it.
The pièce de résistance, however, was the pineapple winery. I ordered the tasting menu, which included one pineapple wine, one pineapple sparkling wine and one blend. To my pleasant surprise, it was not nearly as sickly as I’d feared and was actually – dare I say it – quite enjoyable.
For a final gluttonous act, I indulged in some pineapple pizza. I shan’t embroil myself in the contentious pineapple on pizza debate. All I’ll say is that at this point the taste had palled considerably and so, after a few measly bites, I chucked it and bade the park farewell.
Mum I can feel your disapproval from here
A surprisingly tasteful pineapple-themed toilet
Truly, this is a fantastic attraction, catering to children and adults alike, or perhaps just the small demographic of people that stubbornly insist on keeping a foot in both camps.
Postscript: If you’re wondering where all the pineapples are, so was I. Outside of the shops, I didn’t see a single one. It must not be the right season. Just an excuse to come back, if I even needed one!