Naha Travel: 10 Places to Visit in Okinawa's Major Urban Hub

Discover Naha: Okinawa’s Gateway City

The Kenchomae Station area in Naha. Photo by Pixta

Naha, home to Naha Airport—the gateway to Okinawa—is a city that beautifully blends modern urban life with retro, old-world charm.

Popular destinations include the Shuri district, where the rich history of the Ryukyu Kingdom era (*1) still lingers; Kokusai Dori, a bustling street popular with international tourists; and the sleek, redeveloped area known as Naha Shintoshin.

Getting around is easy thanks to the Okinawa Urban Monorail. Naha also features a port with ferry services to the surrounding remote islands, making an overnight stay here incredibly convenient for your island-hopping itinerary.

This article introduces our top recommended places to visit in Naha.

*1: Ruled by the Ryukyu dynasty. The kingdom of Ryukyu existed for 450 years, from 1429 to 1879.

• Table of Contents
• 1. Shuri Castle Park: Ryukyu Kingdom History
• 2. Okinawa Prefectural Museum and Art Museum: Cultural Exhibits
• 3. Kokusai Shopping Street: Everyone's Favorite Place to Hang Out
• 4. Makishi Public Market: Dine on Okinawa Cuisine
• 5. Tsuboya Yachimun Street: Find the Perfect Okinawan Pottery Souvenir
• 6. Experience Traditional Okinawan Art with Tie-dye
• 7. Take a Keepsake Photo Dressed in an Okinawan Kimono
• 8. Minatogawa Stateside Town: Retro Homes Turned Chic Cafes
• 9. Naminoue Beach: The Closest Beach to Naha
• 10. ANTEROOM MEALS Naha: Lunch with a Stunning Ocean View
• Tips for Enjoying the Night in Naha
• Naha Restaurants: Try Okinawa Cuisine
• Okinawa Souvenirs from Naha

1. Shuri Castle Park: Ryukyu Kingdom History

The Shureimon Gate at Shuri Castle. Photo by Pixta

Shuri Castle Park, a registered World Heritage Site, is located just a 20-minute walk from Shuri Monorail Station.

For 450 years, this was the royal court of the Ryukyu Kingdom. Walk through the Shureimon Gate and up to higher ground to admire the striking vermilion-lacquered main structures.

Following a devastating fire in October 2019 that destroyed six main buildings—including the Main Hall (Seiden), North Hall, and South Hall—Shuri Castle is currently welcoming visitors through its "Exhibiting Reconstruction" initiative. This unique project invites the public to witness the journey of renewal firsthand.

A newly built observation deck offers an up-close look at the Main Hall's roof and intricate ornamentation. While the interior remains closed for ongoing restoration, it is scheduled to fully reopen to the public in November 2026.

Shurijo Castle Park

1-2 Shuri Kinjocho, Naha City, Okinawa Prefecture 903-0815

Shuri Castle Park is a castle ruins park in Naha City, Okinawa Prefecture. Shuri Castle once stood on a hill overlooking Naha Port, which was a base for international trade, and is now an urban park. The main hall was destroyed by fire in 2019, but restoration work is underway with the aim of completion in 2026. Photo by AC

2. Okinawa Prefectural Museum and Art Museum: Cultural Exhibits

Picture courtesy of Okinawa Convention and Visitors Bureau

Designed to resemble a traditional Okinawan castle (gusuku), the Okinawa Prefectural Museum & Art Museum (OkiMu) is located in the modern Naha Shintoshin district.

The museum section features fascinating exhibits covering Okinawa’s subtropical nature, archaeology, folklore, and its rich history—from the prosperous Ryukyu Kingdom era to the period of postwar U.S. administration.

Meanwhile, the art museum showcases a diverse collection of Okinawan-related works by both local and international artists.

Exhibits change seasonally, and visitors can also explore outdoor displays, which include contemporary art pieces and a reconstructed traditional Okinawan home (kominka).

Okinawa Prefectural Museum and Art Museum
Address: Okinawa, Naha, Omoromachi 3-1-1 Google Maps
Access: 10 minutes away from Omoromachi Station on the monorail
Website: Okinawa Prefectural Museum and Art Museum

3. Kokusai Shopping Street: Everyone's Favorite Place to Hang Out

Photo by Pixta

Naha’s Kokusai Dori (International Street) was nicknamed the "Miracle Mile" after WWII due to its incredibly rapid postwar recovery. Today, packed with souvenir shops and restaurants, it is a must-visit destination for anyone traveling to Okinawa.

Top highlights along the street include the bustling Makishi Public Market, a wide variety of local eateries, and Don Quijote, Japan’s famous mega-discount store.

If you visit at night, be sure to drop into a local izakaya (Japanese pub), where you can enjoy dinner alongside live performances of traditional Okinawan folk music played on the sanshin.

Naha Kokusai Shopping Street
Access: 10 minutes away from the Kentencho-mae or Makishi stops on the monorail on foot
Website: Naha Kokusai Shopping Street

4. Makishi Public Market: Dine on Okinawa Cuisine

Picture courtesy of Naha

Head down the main market street just off Kokusai Dori (International Street) to find the vibrant Makishi Public Market.

The first floor is a bustling market packed with fresh meat and seafood, featuring colorful tropical fish, unique local ingredients, and local specialties like pig's feet.

Upstairs, the second floor features rows of restaurants serving authentic Okinawan cuisine and fresh seafood.

The surrounding area retains a charmingly retro vibe that makes it incredibly pleasant to stroll through the narrow back alleys, where lively standing bars and izakayas offer a wonderful glimpse into daily Okinawan life.

Makishi Public Market
Address: Okinawa, Naha, Matsuo 2-10-1 Google Maps
Access: 10 minutes away from Makishi Station on the monorail
Website: Makishi Public Market

5. Tsuboya Yachimun Street: Find the Perfect Okinawan Pottery Souvenir

Just a five-minute walk from Makishi Public Market, Tsuboya Yachimun Street is a hub for traditional pottery (yachimun) and antiques. Its legacy began 330 years ago when the Ryukyu Kingdom gathered the region’s master potters into a single district, fostering a craft renowned for its rich, unique glazes.

Today, the historic stone-paved lanes and iconic red-tiled buildings vividly preserve the charm of days gone by.

The neighborhood has also seen a recent revival, with young artisans opening chic new boutiques. Offering beautifully crafted, modern tableware, it’s a must-visit spot to find a one-of-a-kind Okinawan souvenir.

Tsuboya Yachimun Street
Location: Google Maps

6. Experience Traditional Okinawan Art with Tie-dye

Picture courtesy of Shuri Ryusen

For a hands-on cultural experience, visit a traditional Okinawan textile workshop to try your hand at tie-dyeing. Creating your own custom patterns and dyeing the fabric is a highly popular activity, and you get to take your finished creation home as a one-of-a-kind souvenir.

At the famous Shuri Ryusen workshop in Shuri, you can experience their exclusive coral dyeing (sango-zome) technique, a fun activity that takes about 40 minutes.

The venue also features a professional studio where you can observe master artisans at work, alongside an impressive gallery displaying antique lacquerware and ceramics from the Ryukyu Kingdom era.

Shuri Ryusen
Address: Okinawa, Naha, Shuri, Yamakawa Google Maps
Access: 15 minutes from Gibo Station on the Monorail
Website: https://www.shuri-ryusen.com/course/sango-en.html

7. Take a Keepsake Photo Dressed in an Okinawan Kimono

For a memorable keepsake, try a quick photo shoot in traditional Okinawan dress.

Convenient rental shops are located around Kokusai Shopping Street and Shuri Castle. Known as ryuso, this distinctive attire dates back to the Ryukyu Kingdom and remains a staple of traditional Okinawan dance.

The women's ensemble features brilliantly colored textiles and an iconic hanagasa flower hat, while the men's version features traditional kasuri-patterned robes and a festive headband. For maximum convenience, you can often wear them right over your everyday clothes.

It’s a fast and fun experience, taking only 15 to 30 minutes from costume selection to the final photo.

8. Minatogawa Stateside Town: Retro Homes Turned Chic Cafes

The Minatogawa Stateside Town is a unique district made up of mid-century, American-style military housing where U.S. service members and their families once lived. Locally known as Gaijin Jutaku (foreigners' residences), these charming buildings have been beautifully preserved.

Since the military's departure, local residents and entrepreneurs have transformed the neighborhood, renovating the homes into trendy cafes, artisanal bakeries, and vintage clothing boutiques.

With their nostalgic, retro exteriors and cozy interiors, the houses have become a massive hit with tourists and photographers alike. To get there from Naha, simply take a local bus to the Minatogawa bus stop; the district is just a five-minute walk away.

Minatogawa Stateside Town
Location: Google Maps
Website: http://okisho.com/foreigner-house/

9. Naminoue Beach: The Closest Beach to Naha

Naminoue Beach. Photo by Pixta

Naminoue Beach is within walking distance from Naha City. The seawater is highly transparent, drawing many tourists who enjoy sitting on the beach to relax or taking photos.

The beautiful main hall of Naminoue Shrine is visible from the beach. It enshrines the guardian deity of seafarers, so it holds a special significance for the locals.

10. ANTEROOM MEALS Naha: Lunch with a Stunning Ocean View

ANTEROOM MEALS Naha is a hotel restaurant with a breathtaking ocean view. It was developed by UDS Ltd., a company renowned for designing hotels that bring out the unique character and individuality of their local cities.

With an open, expansive view stretching out from large windows and an interior where art and culture seamlessly blend, it is so striking that, at first glance, you might not even tell if it is a hotel, a cafe, or an art museum.

Even if you aren't staying overnight, you can still drop by to spend a deeply relaxing morning or lunchtime here.

Tips for Enjoying the Night in Naha

Naha at night. Photo by Pixta

We recommend staying for a night in Naha if you arrive at the airport in the evening, or spending an evening sightseeing in Naha before returning home.

The monorail from Naha Airport to Shuri Station is cheaper than in other regions (around 550 yen/1.75km), and allows for convenient travel when paired with taxis.

If you’re taking a boat to an outlying island in the morning, you can get to the port quickly via taxi. 

Get dinner and take a stroll on Kokusai Shopping Street and enjoy the Naha night view. With a half day, you can see a different side of Okinawan, visiting Tsuboya Yachimun Street, with ceramics and antique goods, Makishi Market, the Shuri district, and retro back alleys.

Naha Restaurants: Try Okinawa Cuisine

Okinawa soba is something you absolutely must try tasting. The thickness and shape of noodles vary by island and region, and each shop prepares its soup in a different way. The soup stock is derived from sources like pork bones and bonito flakes.

One recommendation is the soba at Okinawa Soba Eibun.

Two popular local staples are rafte, slowly-simmered pork ribs, and champuru, a mix of stir-fried bitter melon and tofu. We recommend the traditional-style izakaya Urizun for people who want to enjoy Okinawan cuisine.

Some more unusual dishes include tebichi, simmered pig’s feet with collagen, and goat dishes like goat sashimi and pungent goat broth.

At Oden Todai and Maruman, you can have delicious meals. Light and fluffy battered Okinawa-style tempura, seaweed, sea grapes, and rakkyo pickles in early spring, are popular and tasty examples of Okinawan food.

To try Okinawa-style tempura, we recommend Goyatempura-ya near the Makishi Public Market.

Okinawa Souvenirs from Naha

Chinsuko, purple yam tarts, sata andagi

Okinawa-style chinsuko cookies, and Okinawa-style fried donuts known as sata andagi are staples if you’re buying souvenirs from Okinawa.

Traditional art products with modern touches, as well as products in simple packaging made with local ingredients, are popular. Take a stroll down the supermarket aisle to discover Okinawan food you can only find locally.

Enjoy Your Trip in Naha

Naha is a thriving economic center and Okinawa’s largest city. It offers a diverse range of experiences—from the rich Ryukyu history of Shuri and the retro charm of the public market neighborhoods, to the modern cityscape of Naha Shintoshin.

Packed with restaurants and shops, it is an ideal destination for sightseeing. Thanks to its close proximity to Naha Airport, visitors can easily explore the city by day or night while enjoying Okinawa's unique blend of the old and the new.