Orion Happy Park — Restaurant in Nago

When in Okinawa, you'll notice that most places that serve beer, is going to serve Orion beer.  Draft choices are limited to that. It was rare to see Kirin or Sapporo. As a beer fan, I thought I'd take this opportunity to visit the Orion beer factory (Orion Happy Park).

Getting There

The Orion beer factory is 1 hour by car from Naha City and 2 hours by public transportation.  It is far from the city and difficult to navigate to on your own.  If you're looking up things to do in Okinawa, you might as well do this part of a set tour.  That's exactly what I did. My set tour included the Okinawa Aquarium, Orion Happy Park, Okinawan lunch, Pineapple Park (more like Pineapple Gift Shop), and dinner at the oldest restaurant in Okinawa.  Having the set tour is nice just because driving around Okinawa is a hassle.

Price

Free! They also provide 2 beers and a small bag of beer nuts at the end.

The Orion Beer Factory Tour

The tour is only in Japanese. If you go to the official Orion website you'll find that the website is only in Japanese too.  But, you're still welcome to go.  You'll need to schedule in advance for the tour.  We had a tour guide that translated the tour for us...pretty awesome.  Much like any other beer factory tour, they'll start off with the history of beer then walk you through the process.

A thousand canned Orion beers can be produced in just one minute

Beer Tasting

After the tour, the beer tasting started. They pretty much just had Orion Beer and an Orion Cider.  If you've taken the tour, they provide you with 2 draft beers or 1 cider/non-alcoholic drink.  Along with that they provided you with a bag of tasty beer nuts.

Of course, the gift shop is right at the entrance/exit. They want you a little drunk so you're more impulsive to make a purchase. Classic...

Such a happy place, just as advertised. When I get there I was asked if I had a reservation. Silly Paulina didn't make one, but the kind ladies at front desk were kind enough to squeeze me in the last group. Only Japanese though, but they handed me an English booklet, that was the exact transcription of what the guide was saying. We walked through the building and we learnt all sorts of interesting things about the different processes carried there, even the 100% recycling of products produced at the factory. After the tour we were guided to the bar area and we were able to enjoy 2 pints of beer and a complimentary set of nuts. Can I say the tour and the beer tasting were free. I repeat free. I am always amazed by the service provided by Japanese, it's always flawless. Once we were done, we had 2 options, either walk away and go home or stay and check the souvenir shop. Once again, it was amazing, it had all sorts of products at amazing prices. Going to visit Orion Happy...

As a beer enthusiast, I felt I had to visit Orion Happy Park. I made a reservation in advance and took a 60 km bus ride, but I left with mixed feelings. It's a classic brewery tour explaining the beer-making process, showing part of the factory, and giving you two small draft beers at the end. Honestly, you can get Orion draft beer in Naha anytime—so I expected something more special or exclusive. I was hoping for a tasting with more variety or limited-edition brews.

Also, the name “Happy Park” made me expect some kind of fun or unique experience—maybe something more interactive. But in the end, it’s a standard factory tour followed by a souvenir shop. That’s why I’d only recommend visiting if you’re driving around the island or staying nearby. In that case, it’s definitely worth a quick visit. Also, note that if you're a foreign tourist, the tour is only in Japanese. If you don’t speak the language, you’ll be given a brochure with the translated content to...