Naha: Shuri Castle, Kokusai Street, Makishi Market, the potters' district and a beach in the city

Okinawa is not Japan, it is the Ryukyu Kingdom: a red castle that burned down in 2019 and is being rebuilt before your eyes, a market with blue fish, potters' alleys, Orion beer, and a beach within walking distance of the center.

A day in Naha, the capital of the Ryukyu Kingdom. You start in the morning at Shuri Castle on the hill, walk down the Kinjo-cho stone road, and eat lunch at Makishi Market. In the afternoon you walk through the potters' district, along Kokusai Street and down to the beach in the city, eat steak, and finish in the bar alleys of Sakaemachi. This day has two or three Yui Rail rides, ¥250 to ¥320 each, so the day pass, ¥1,000 for 24 hours, does not pay off.

Verified online, September 20268 stops · 09:00 to 21:00¥9,900 · ≈ $63 per personWalking between stops: 73 min · Transport: ¥250OkinawaGood with kidsFood

The day on a map

8 stops, in order

Stops: 8
Walking minutes: 60

Stop number on the timelineWalkingTrain, metro or busBase map: © OpenStreetMap

Open this day in Google Maps

The same stops with the same numbers, and the way from stop to stop. On a phone it opens in the app, and that is what you navigate with in Japan. Pin names on the map are in Hebrew.

Getting there: You start at Shuri Castle. Yui Rail to Shuri Station: from Makishi 11 minutes, ¥290, from Kencho-mae 14 minutes, ¥320, and from the airport 27 minutes, ¥360. From the station it is 15 minutes on foot to the castle, or bus 7 or 8, 5 minutes. From the airport to the city, to Kencho-mae, 13 minutes, ¥290. The Yui Rail day pass is ¥1,000 for 24 hours from the moment of purchase, and ¥1,800 for 48 hours. A car is only needed outside Naha (the Churaumi Aquarium, 2 hours north).

09:0011:00
Stop 1CastleMust
Shuri Castle: the red palace of the Ryukyu Kingdom, under reconstruction
You start at the palace of the Ryukyu kings, an independent kingdom until 1879, in Chinese red. It burned down in October 2019. The red roof of the main hall is already standing, and the interior opens to the public on 23 November 2026. The park is closed all day on 22 November and on the morning of 23 November. Until then you enter the work area and watch the carpenters (¥400, ¥320 with the Yui Rail day pass). From 23 November entry is ¥1,000, and the main hall is entered by advance booking for a set half-hour slot. The castle opens at 08:30. The gates, the walls and the view over Naha are free.
¥400 · ≈ $3Open in Maps
Down the stone road
- Walk · 10 minFrom the south side of the castle, walk down to the top of the stone road and continue down it. About 800 meters.
11:0011:45
Stop 2StreetRecommended
Kinjo-cho Stone Paved Road: 500 years of paving
A stone-paved road from 1522 that runs down from the castle between stone walls and banyan trees, the remains of the royal road. Free and steep. At the end there is an old wooden house turned community center, with free tea and a place to rest.
FreeOpen in Maps
Down to the city, to the market
- Bus · 15 minFrom the bus stops at the bottom of the road, Ishidatami-mae (石畳前), Naha Bus buses run down into the city, toward Makishi. Check the route number at the stop.
- or: Train · 40 min · ¥290On foot back up the hill to Shuri Station, about 20 minutes, and the Yui Rail 6 stations, 11 minutes, to Makishi. From there about 9 minutes on foot to the market.
12:0013:15
Stop 3LunchMust
Lunch break at Makishi Market
The public market was renovated in 2023, and it is closed on the fourth Sunday of the month, except in December. The restaurants on floor 2 take last orders at 20:00. It has blue parrotfish, coconut crabs, and Okinawan pork in every cut. The options:
- A fish from the market, cooked on floor 2About ¥2,000
  Buy a fish on floor 1, about ¥1,500, and on floor 2 the restaurants cook it to order, ¥500 for the cooking.
- Okinawa soba or goya champuruSoba ¥700
  If you do not eat fish, at the same restaurants: Okinawa soba, wheat noodles in pork broth, or goya champuru, a stir-fry with bitter melon and tofu.
- Kosher or vegan? Every kosher and vegan place in this city
¥2,000 · ≈ $13Open in Maps
On to the potters' district
- Walk · 5 minEast from the market, through the arcades, to the stone street of Tsuboya. About 450 meters.
13:3014:15
Stop 4DistrictRecommended
Tsuboya Yachimun Street: the potters' street and the shisa lions
A stone street of potters from 1682, with ancient kilns, studios and shisa lions, the guardians on Okinawan roofs, in every shape. Buy a cup for awamori, the local liquor, or a small shisa. The pottery museum (¥350) is closed for renovation from 1 September 2026 to 31 March 2027.
¥1,500 · ≈ $10Open in Maps
14:1515:15
Break
A rest at the hotel, if you are staying on Kokusai Street or near Makishi, Kencho-mae and Asahibashi stations
This day starts at 09:00 and ends at 21:00, and most hotels in Naha sit along Kokusai Street, which is close to Tsuboya. If you are staying on the street or near Makishi Station, it is a walk of up to 10 minutes to the hotel. If you are staying near Kencho-mae or Asahibashi, ride the Yui Rail from Makishi, 3 or 5 minutes, ¥250, and after the break walk Kokusai Street from its western end, which is closer to the beach. If you do not go back, stay another hour in Tsuboya and in the arcades next to the market.
Up to Kokusai Street
- Walk · 10 minNorth from Tsuboya to Kokusai Street. About 800 meters.
15:1516:00
Stop 5StreetRecommended
Kokusai Dori: the 'Miracle Mile' and Okashi Goten
1.6 km of the main street, which rose from the ruins of the war: souvenir shops, Okashi Goten (purple sweet potato tarts, the souvenir), Blue Seal (American-Okinawan ice cream, in sweet potato flavor) and sata andagi (doughnuts). Completely touristy, and still. The arcades branching off it, like Heiwa Dori, are more local.
¥1,000 · ≈ $6Open in Maps
Walk to the beach
- Walk · 20 minWest along Kokusai, and from there northwest through the streets to the beach and the shrine on the cliff. About 1.7 km.
16:1517:45
Stop 6Beach and shrineRecommended
Naminoue Beach and the shrine on the cliff
The only beach inside the city, small, under an expressway bridge, with Naminoue Shrine on the cliff above it. Swimming from April to October, with a lifeguard and a jellyfish net. It is not the island's beautiful beach (those are in the north and on the outer islands), but it is 20 minutes from Kokusai Dori and enough for sunset.
FreeOpen in Maps
Walk to dinner
- Walk · 15 minSouth from the beach, through the streets of Matsuyama, to the Nishi district. About 1.1 km.
18:0019:30
Stop 7DinnerMust
Dinner in Nishi and Matsuyama
Okinawa loves steak, because of the influence of the American base. The options:
- Jackie'sAbout ¥3,000 for the tenderloin
  A diner from 1953, with a tenderloin steak. No reservations, and there is a line. Open from 11:00, last entry 22:00, closed on Wednesdays.
- An izakaya with sanshin
  Live music on the sanshin, the local instrument, and awamori. Dishes of umibudo (sea grapes), rafute (braised pork belly) and peanut tofu.
- Kosher or vegan? Every kosher and vegan place in this city
¥3,500 · ≈ $22A line at Jackie's, no reservationsOpen in Maps
Ride to Sakaemachi
- Train · 20 min · ¥250About 5 minutes on foot to Asahibashi Station, and the Yui Rail 4 stations, 7 minutes, to Asato. The arcade is 3 minutes from the station.
- or: Walk · 35 minEast along Kokusai Street, to its end at Asato Station. About 2.8 km.
19:4521:00
Stop 8NightIf there is time
Sakaemachi Arcade: Naha's alleys of tiny bars
You finish in an old market near Asato Station that turns at night into a district of tiny bars, between shuttered vegetable stalls: awamori, Orion beer and locals. This is the real side of Naha, 10 minutes from Kokusai Street. From there, ride the Yui Rail back from Asato. Tomorrow: a car to the north or a ferry to the islands.
¥1,500 · ≈ $10Open in Maps

Naha: Shuri Castle, Kokusai Street, Makishi Market, the potters' district and a beach in the city

8 stops, in order

Shuri Castle: the red palace of the Ryukyu Kingdom, under reconstruction

Kinjo-cho Stone Paved Road: 500 years of paving

Lunch break at Makishi Market

Tsuboya Yachimun Street: the potters' street and the shisa lions

A rest at the hotel, if you are staying on Kokusai Street or near Makishi, Kencho-mae and Asahibashi stations

Kokusai Dori: the 'Miracle Mile' and Okashi Goten

Naminoue Beach and the shrine on the cliff

Dinner in Nishi and Matsuyama

Sakaemachi Arcade: Naha's alleys of tiny bars

Fukuoka: Dazaifu Shrine, the National Museum, tonkotsu ramen and the yatai stalls at night

Nagasaki: Peace Park, Glover Garden, Dejima, champon in Chinatown and the night view from Inasa

Beppu: the seven hells, a sand bath, food steamed in volcanic vapor and onsen on every corner