Enjoy the best view of the Naruto Bridge from the Ochaen Observatory in Naruto Park

After disembarking from the high-speed sightseeing boat, Uzushio Kisen UZUSHIO LINE, our family plans to go to Naruto Park’s “Uzu no Michi,” where we’ll view the Naruto whirlpools from the Naruto Bridge above. Since we’ve already parked, we’d prefer not to move the car again. Looking at the map, we noticed that we’re parked in the 4th parking lot, and from there, we can go straight up to reach the Ochaen Observatory. There’s even a shortcut next to where we parked.

Next to the parking area, there’s a map showing various spots in Naruto Park, including:

Ochaen Observatory
The Ōnaruto Bridge Memorial Museum
Uzu no Michi
Senjōjiki Observatory
Magozaki Lighthouse
Magozaki Observatory
Naruto-yama Observatory

The best view is said to be from the Ochaen Observatory, so we took the stairs up.

Even though it was extremely hot, the path was shaded with trees, so the walk wasn’t too tiring, and we reached the top in about 10 minutes.

At the Ochaen Observatory, there’s a great panoramic view, along with coin-operated binoculars. The beach below looks close, almost like the height of Hualien’s Four-Eight Highland secret spot.

The main attraction here is the magnificent view of the Naruto Bridge, and below, you can see sightseeing boats approaching the whirlpools.

The area around Ochaen Observatory is planted with pine trees and other species, and there are information boards explaining the Naruto Strait’s currents, whirlpool types, and rotation directions, showing both clockwise and counterclockwise whirlpools.

From here, you can also spot a small island, Tobishima Island Lighthouse, in the Seto Inland Sea. Standing alone, like a candle, it emphasizes the surroundings’ importance and adds to the natural beauty of the Naruto Strait. The island has an abundance of juniper plants called “ibuki,” and because of this rare plant, the island is designated a natural monument of Tokushima Prefecture.

Ochaen Observatory has historical significance: long ago, the feudal lord Hachisuka of Awa Province built a tea house here for viewing the whirlpools, giving it the name “Ochaen.” It became famous for its view of the whirlpools.