Top Things To Do In Naha !
Kokusaidōri, literally "International Road") is Naha’s main tourist and shopping street, stretching for roughly two kilometers through downtown Naha.
Naha is the capital of Okinawa Prefecture, the tropical island group south of mainland Japan. It's known for Shuri Castle, the restored royal palace of the Ryukyu Kingdom, which flourished from the 1400s–1800s and invented the martial art karate. Tsuboya district is assocated with traditional ceramics like shiisa (lion-dog figures). Lined with shops, bars and restaurants, Kokusaidori is Naha's main street.
KOKUSAI DORI - Start the Day in Naha’s main shopping street. The main shopping street of Naha, Kokusai Dori spans around 1.5 km in the town’s centre. Plenty of shops sell just about everything you could imagine, from Okinawan snacks and shisa statues (Ryukyuan guardian lions) to traditional clothes and anime merchandise.
Shopping option includes both luxury brands and touristy boutiques, so you can expect to see a varied clientele roaming the street. On a sunny day, it's an excellent area to enjoy drinks and people-watching. There are lots of colourful street art to admire in Kokusai Dori, as well as live traditional Okinawan music.
Location: Kokusai dori, 3 Chome-2 Makishi, Naha, Okinawa, Japan
TAMAUDUN MAUSOLEUM - The final resting place of the Ryukyu kings. Tamaudun Mausoleum, one of 3 royal museums of the Ryukyu Kingdom, houses the remains of 17 kings, along with their wives and children. As you walk around this 16th-century mausoleum, you'll notice carvings of shisa (guardian lions), which protect the tombs from evil spirits, as well as dragons and phoenixes. Look out for the engraved stone just beyond the first gate, which is inscribed with curses against the king's enemies.
The tombs are sealed to protect the remains, but you can see models of what's behind the doors in the onsite museum, located in the basement of the reception building. It also displays period artefacts like Okinawan urns, historical documents, and photographs of the funeral of Sho Ten, the last crown prince of the Ryukyu Kingdom.
Location: 1-Chome-3 Shurikinjocho, Naha, Okinawa 903-0815, Japan
Open: Daily from 9 am to 6 pm
It is a place of pottery workshops handed down from generation to generation, quaint ateliers selling exquisite works.
TSUBOYA POTTERY DISTRICT- Traditional arts and folk crafts produced by local artisans. Whether you are sitting at a dining table or walking through the aisles of a souvenir shop, the eyes are automatically drawn to the colors and craftsmanship of traditional Okinawan pottery. Known as yachimun in Okinawan, these plates, bowls, figurines, and much more, are functional, elegant and part of everyday life on these islands.
Okinawan pottery has been produced in Tsuboya Pottery District since the 17th century. The area's shops produce high-quality pottery that makes for excellent souvenirs. Some also offer hands-on pottery lessons for those who want to learn about the local arts. The Tsuboya Pottery Museum, located at the end of the main street, displays ancient ceramics from various eras of Japan.
While only a short walk away from bustling Kokusai Street, the limestone-paved road running through the small district is just the first indication that you are entering one of the most charming parts of the city. Somewhat miraculously, the Tsuboya area escaped much of the devastation inflicted on the rest of Naha during the Battle of Okinawa (1945). The streetscape, with its narrow, winding alleys (known as sujiguwa in Okinawan), gives a glimpse of a time gone by. It is a place of pottery workshops handed down from generation to generation, quaint ateliers selling exquisite works, and boutique cafes with fine teas and coffee served in splendid crockery.
Some of the many beautiful crafts sold in Tsuboya Pottery District include mugs, bowls and pitchers, as well as shisa – Ryukyuan statues resembling a lion and dog. It’s believed that placing pairs of shisha in front of your door can ward off evil spirits. In between the pottery shops are cosy cafes where you can grab a coffee and dessert.
Location: 1 Chome-21-14 Tsuboya, Naha, Okinawa 902-0065, Japan
It features beautiful, relatively simple, wooden palace buildings with Okinawan-style, red tile roofs and a spacious Japanese-style landscape.
SHIKINA -EN GARDENS - Take some time out in this tranquil setting. Shikinaen (識名園) was constructed in the end of the 18th century as the second residence of the Ryukyu kings. It features beautiful, relatively simple, wooden palace buildings with Okinawan-style, red tile roofs and a spacious Japanese-style landscape garden with a central pond. While the garden is designed in a style seen elsewhere in Japan, the architecture and flora give Shikinaen a uniquely Okinawan flavor.
Shikinaen was completely destroyed in the Battle of Okinawa of 1945, but has been neatly restored in the postwar years. In 2000, Shikinaen was among the sites added to the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites under the title Gusuku Sites and Related Properties of the Kingdom of Ryukyu.
The palace building stands near the pond's shore. The beautifully wooden structure used to serve the entertainment of the royal family and important guests. Today, visitors can inspect the building's large tatami rooms that look out onto the garden.
You can cross the palace’s central koi pond on 2 curved stone bridges. Classic Japanese cherry blossom is abundant at the Shikina-en Gardens, along with unique Okinawan plants like sago palm and Ryukyu pine. The Chinese-style pavilions offer some much-needed shade if you’re visiting on a hot day.
Location: 421-7 Maaji, Naha, Okinawa 902-0072, Japan
Open: Thursday–Tuesday from 9 am to 5.30 pm (closes at 5 pm in winter)
Admission: 400 Yen
Getting There And Around
By public transportation
Shikinaen Garden is one of the few attractions in Naha that is not accessible by the Okinawa Monorail. Instead it can be reached in about 20 minutes and for 240 yen one way from central Naha by bus numbers 2, 4, 5 and 14. Among the four lines, bus number 2 and 5 operate frequently. Line 5 can be boarded along Kokusaidori, while line 2 stops at the prefectural office (県庁前, Kenchō-mae) near the Naha Bus Terminal. Line 14 also serves Shuri Castle.
It is the kitchen of the Uchinanchu (Okinawan people), with colorful fish, island vegetables that convey the energy of the land.
FIRST MAKISHI PUBLIC MARKET - A vibrant market full of tasty treats. First Makishi Public Market is a traditional wet market with hundreds of stalls selling fresh fish, produce, toys and local crafts. There's an astonishing assortment of foods on offer, including pig's feet, irabu sea snake, sponge gourd, and bitter melon. Vendors are usually happy to offer free samples if you’re curious.
Naha's Makishi district is a place where you can get a glimpse of the days when Okinawa was known as the Ryukyu Kingdom, which flourished by trading with various countries around Asia. You can find interesting marketplaces all around the district, some of which are located in the Sakae-cho area, which thrived as Naha's downtown in the old days.
The Naha Public Market (Makishi Kosetsu-ichiba), Naha's central produce, meat, fish and general merchandise market, is an excellent place for visitors to go to learn about everyday life in Okinawa. On the first floor you can buy all kinds of Okinawan foodstuffs, from pork, including pig's face, feet and stomach, to many kinds of colorful fish and shellfish, from unique vegetables like goya (bitter melon) and hechima (sponge gourd) to tropical fruits that are delivered directly from the farm. To whet your appetite, the small alleys around the market feature stand-up-style shops, selling delicacies such as fresh tempura (deep-fried fish and vegetables), steamed cakes and goya juice.
You can have your colorful tropical fish, lobster and shellfish purchased on the first floor cooked per your request at the eateries located on the second floor. If you are interested in tasting specialty marine products and deli foods, ask for free samples, even if you are not intending to purchase anything, as sellers are more than willing to give out samples of their products. Communicating with local people in the marketplace is a great way to experience the Okinawan spirit called ''ichariba chode,'' meaning that once we meet, we are like brothers and sisters.
A number of eateries stand side by side on the second floor of Makishi Public Market. Here you can sample almost all kinds of Okinawan dishes at reasonable prices. The floor is food court-style, and you can order a variety of dishes from different restaurants.
Onigiri rice balls are ubiquitous throughout Japan. But in Okinawa, you will typically find onigiri made with processed pork lunch meat.
MUST -TRY OKINAWA STREET FOOD
ONIGIRI - Just outside Makishi Market in Naha, Pork Tamago Onigiri Honten is the place for Okinawa's best onigiri (rice balls). Handmade and wrapped in crisp seaweed, items such as their exclusive Pork Tamago (Spam & egg) Onigiri have elevated this traditional "everyman's" food to a gourmet delight. As its name implies, the pork-egg onigiri has a slice of processed pork lunch meat and a lard-fried egg in seaweed-wrapped white rice. A variety of toppings like thick miso or island-made tofu can also be added. Besides stores that specialize in this delectable dish, pork-egg onigiri can usually be found in convenience stores across the islands.
As its name implies, the pork-egg onigiri has a slice of processed pork lunch meat and a lard-fried egg in seaweed-wrapped white rice.