Must-see attractions in Naha and Okinawa

Shuri · World Heritage

Shuri Castle

The palace of the Ryukyu kings in Chinese red, which burned down in October 2019. The red roof 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 carpenters rebuild the hall by hand. ¥400 today, and from that date the price rises to ¥1,000. Entry to the main hall is by advance online booking for a set half-hour slot, and sales open on the 1st of the month, two months ahead, at 13:00.

¥400 · ≈ $3MapsSource

✓ Price checked November 2026

Central Naha · Free

Kokusai-dori

1.6 km of Naha's main street, which rose from the ruins of the war and is therefore called 'the Miracle Mile': souvenirs, Okashi Goten (purple sweet potato cookies), and Blue Seal ice cream. Free. The arcades that branch off it are more local.

FreeMapsSource

✓ Price checked September 2026

Central Naha · Market

Makishi Public Market

The public market, renovated in 2023: blue fish, coconut crabs and Okinawan pork. You buy a fish downstairs (¥1,500) and the restaurants on floor 2 cook it for ¥500. Closed on Mondays and on the fourth Sunday of the month. Entry to the market is free, and ¥2,000 is an estimate of spending on a fish and having it cooked.

¥2,000 · ≈ $13MapsSource

Shuri · Garden

Shikinaen Garden

A summer garden of the Ryukyu kings from the 18th century, a World Heritage site: a pond, arched stone bridges and an Okinawan-style pavilion with a red tiled roof. ¥400. Completely quiet, 15 minutes from Shuri.

¥400 · ≈ $3MapsSource

✓ Price checked September 2026

Naha · Free

Naminoue Beach

The only beach inside the city, below a highway bridge, with a lifeguard and a jellyfish net. Free. Swimming from April to October. Not the prettiest beach on the island, but 20 minutes from Kokusai-dori.

FreeMapsSource

✓ Price checked September 2026

Naha · Free

Naminoue Shrine

A shrine on a cliff above the beach, the highest-ranking shrine in Okinawa, rebuilt after the war. Free. From the terrace you see the sea and the bridge, and it is a good spot for sunset in the city.

FreeMapsSource

✓ Price checked September 2026

Shuri · World Heritage

Tamaudun Mausoleum

The mausoleum of the Ryukyu kings from 1501, carved in limestone, a World Heritage site, next to Shuri Castle. ¥300. Three chambers and a stone courtyard, and it is the only original structure in the area that survived the war.

¥300 · ≈ $2MapsSource

✓ Price checked September 2026

Omoromachi · Free

DFS Galleria Okinawa

A duty-free store in Omoromachi, unique in Japan: you buy tax-free even without flying abroad, and collect at the airport. Free to enter. Brands, and an air-conditioned place for an hour that is too hot.

FreeMapsSource

✓ Price checked September 2026

Omoromachi · Museum

Okinawa Prefectural Museum

A museum and an art museum in Omoromachi, in a building that looks like a modern Ryukyu castle: the history of the kingdom, the war, and the American period. ¥530 for the museum. The best explanation of Okinawa.

¥530 · ≈ $3MapsSource

✓ Price checked September 2026

Tsuboya · Free

Tsuboya Pottery District

A stone-paved street of potters from 1682 with old kilns and open studios, where you buy shisa lions and cups for awamori. Free, and the pottery museum is ¥350. A quiet place a minute from Kokusai-dori.

FreeMapsSource

✓ Price checked September 2026