Naha City, Okinawa
Naha is the capital city of Okinawa Prefecture and the cultural, political, and commercial heart of the Ryukyu Islands. Located on the southwestern coast of the Okinawa Main Island, it is home to approximately 320,000 people and serves as the primary gateway for visitors arriving by air or sea to the island chain.
The city carries a history that is distinctly its own, shaped by centuries as the capital of the independent Ryukyu Kingdom, a seafaring nation that maintained its own language, culture, and diplomatic relationships with both China and Japan long before being formally annexed by Japan in 1879. That independent heritage remains deeply embedded in the identity and atmosphere of Naha today.
The undisputed centerpiece of Naha is Shuri Castle (Shurijo), the former royal palace of the Ryukyu Kingdom and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The castle sits on an elevated hill overlooking the city and is distinguished by its vivid vermilion walls and distinctive Ryukyuan architectural style, which blends Chinese, Japanese, and Southeast Asian influences into something unique.
Shuri Castle was largely destroyed during the Battle of Okinawa in 1945 and painstakingly reconstructed beginning in the 1990s. In 2019, a devastating fire destroyed the main Seiden hall and several surrounding structures, and reconstruction efforts are once again underway.
Despite the ongoing restoration, the castle grounds and surrounding areas remain open and deeply moving to visit.
The most famous street in Naha is Kokusai-dori, a lively 1.6-kilometer boulevard running through the center of the city. Known as the "Miracle Mile" for its rapid post-war commercial recovery, the street is lined with souvenir shops, restaurants, cafes, hotels, and entertainment venues and serves as the main tourist artery of the city.
Running perpendicular to Kokusai-dori is the Makishi Public Market area, home to Naha's most atmospheric traditional market. The ground-floor vendors sell fresh Okinawan seafood, tropical fruits, local vegetables, and the island's distinctive cuts of pork. Upper-floor restaurants will cook freshly purchased market ingredients for a small fee, one of the most enjoyable dining customs in the city.
Okinawan cuisine is one of the most distinctive regional food cultures in Japan, shaped by the island's unique history, subtropical climate, and American influences. Signature dishes include goya champuru (bitter melon stir-fry), rafute (slow-braised pork belly), soki soba (Okinawan noodle soup with pork ribs), and taco rice, a local invention that has become an island staple.
The Tsuboya Pottery District is a historic neighborhood within Naha dedicated to the production of Yachimun, traditional Okinawan ceramics. The area contains active kilns, pottery studios, and shops selling hand-crafted bowls, plates, and decorative pieces in the distinctive earthy and boldly patterned style unique to Okinawan craft traditions. The district has been a center of pottery production since the 17th century.
Naminoue Shrine and Naminoue Beach sit on a dramatic clifftop at the northwestern edge of the city, offering one of the most scenic coastal views in Naha. The shrine, perched directly above the sea, is one of the most important and historically significant shrines in Okinawa Prefecture.
The Okinawa Prefectural Museum and Art Museum sits near Shuri Castle and houses comprehensive collections covering the natural history, archaeology, and cultural heritage of the Ryukyu Islands. It is one of the finest regional museums in Japan and provides essential context for understanding the depth and distinctiveness of Okinawan history and culture.
The Yui Rail monorail system, officially known as the Okinawa Urban Monorail, is the only rail transit system in all of Okinawa Prefecture and runs from Naha Airport through the city center to Tedako-Uranishi Station in the north.