Naha Trip Overview
This value-packed trip with a nationally/state licensed and experienced multilingual tour guide is a fantastic and efficient way to explore Naha area of Okinawa!
Okinawa offers a unique experience of your stay in Japan due to its relatively distant location from the main island of Honshu and the consequential subtropical to tropical climate. Your private guide can fill you in on the details and much more on this half-day walking tour of Okinawa, the capital city of Naha in particular.
Start your day with a morning pickup at your hotel, let us know what you would like to experience and we will customize a four-hour tour that’s best for you!
Note*1: Please select your must-see spots from a list in the tour information to create your customized itinerary.
Note*2: Nationally and State Licensed Tour Guide-Interpreter certification is issued by the Japanese government requires a good knowledge and understanding of Japanese culture and history.
Additional Info
Duration: 4 hours
Starts: Naha, Japan
Trip Category: Cultural & Theme Tours >> Historical & Heritage Tours
Explore Naha Promoted Experiences
What to Expect When Visiting Naha, Okinawa Prefecture, Japan
This value-packed trip with a nationally/state licensed and experienced multilingual tour guide is a fantastic and efficient way to explore Naha area of Okinawa!
Okinawa offers a unique experience of your stay in Japan due to its relatively distant location from the main island of Honshu and the consequential subtropical to tropical climate. Your private guide can fill you in on the details and much more on this half-day walking tour of Okinawa, the capital city of Naha in particular.
Start your day with a morning pickup at your hotel, let us know what you would like to experience and we will customize a four-hour tour that’s best for you!
Note*1: Please select your must-see spots from a list in the tour information to create your customized itinerary.
Note*2: Nationally and State Licensed Tour Guide-Interpreter certification is issued by the Japanese government requires a good knowledge and understanding of Japanese culture and history.
Itinerary
This is a typical itinerary for this product
Stop At: Shurijo Castle, 1 Chome-2 Shurikinjocho, Naha, Okinawa 903-0815, Japan
IMPORTANT NOTICE:
The main buildings of Shuri Castle were destroyed by fire in the night of October 31, 2019. The city hopes to rebuild the main building by 2022, the 50th anniversary of Okinawa’s reversion to Japan.
A city district of Naha today, Shuri is the name of the former capital of the Ryukyu Kingdom. Shuri Castle (首里城, Shurijō) served as the administrative center and residence of the Ryukyu kings for several centuries until Okinawa became a Japanese prefecture in 1879. The castle is included as one of the UNESCO World Heritage designated Castles of the Ryukyu Kingdom sites.
Shuri Castle was originally built in the late 1300s, and played an integral role in the political unification of the island. Wars and fires destroyed the castle multiple times over the centuries, most recently in the Battle of Okinawa in 1945. The current buildings are beautiful reconstructions dating from 1992. The approach to the castle’s central buildings leads through multiple gates, including the well known Shureimon Gate. The castle’s hilltop location allows for nice views over Naha along the way.
Duration: 30 minutes
Stop At: Kokusaidori, Matsuo Around Makishi, Naha 900-0014 Okinawa Prefecture
Naha’s International Street was known post-WW II as the miracle mile for its almost-instantaneous reconstruction. With rows of souvenirs and restaurants, it is a staple sightseeing spot for visitors to Okinawa.
Popular spots to visit include the central Makishi Public Market, dining establishments and the Don Quijote, Japan’s largest discount store.
If you’re going for a stroll at night, there are izakaya where you can listen to performances of traditional Okinawa folk music and shamisen players.
Duration: 30 minutes
Stop At: Himeyuri Peace Museum, 671-1 Ihara, Itoman 901-0344 Okinawa Prefecture
Near the end of World War Two, Okinawa Honto became the site of one of the war’s bloodiest battles, when the US forces invaded and occupied the island. An estimated 200,000 people, including more than 100,000 civilians and 12,500 Americans were killed in the battle, which lasted from April to June 1945.
The devastating effects of the war had a profound impact on the Okinawans, and there are a number of monuments and museums relating to the period throughout Okinawa Honto. The worst fighting of the battle took place in the south, and that is where some of the larger monuments have been constructed.
Duration: 30 minutes
Stop At: Peace Memorial Park, 444 Mabuni, Itoman, Okinawa 901-0333, Japan
Near the end of World War Two, Okinawa Honto became the site of one of the war’s bloodiest battles, when the US forces invaded and occupied the island. An estimated 200,000 people, including more than 100,000 civilians and 12,500 Americans were killed in the battle, which lasted from April to June 1945.
The devastating effects of the war had a profound impact on the Okinawans, and there are a number of monuments and museums relating to the period throughout Okinawa Honto. The worst fighting of the battle took place in the south, and that is where some of the larger monuments have been constructed.
Duration: 30 minutes
Stop At: Sefa-Utaki, Chinenguteken, Nanjo 901-1511 Okinawa Prefecture
Sefa Utaki (斎場御嶽) is an important sacred site of the indigenous Okinawan religion, which, similar to Shinto, places emphasis on the worship of nature. The site is located on a densely forested hillside along the ocean and features several rock formations, which are connected with each other by walking trails. Sefa Utaki is included as one of Okinawa’s World Heritage sites.
Although regarded as a powerful spiritual site beforehand, it was in the early 16th century that Sefa Utaki came into prominence. During this period the Okinawan religion underwent reorganization and centralization under the royal government, and Sefa Utaki became one of the main locations for religious ceremonies and rituals. Reflecting the strong connection between the royal family and the religion, the sites for prayers at Sefa Utaki were named after important places in Shuri Castle.
Duration: 30 minutes
Stop At: Hiji Waterfall, 781-1 Hiji, Kunigami-son, Kunigami-gun 905-1413 Okinawa Prefecture
Hiji Waterfall (比地大滝, Hiji Ōtaki) is located in the Yambaru area of northern Okinawa Honto, where the population density is low and the majority of land is covered by natural forests. The waterfall can be accessed in an attractive and easy hike along a nature trail through the forest.
The trailhead is about two kilometers inland from the main road along the island’s western coast. At the trailhead there is a gate where an entrance fee must be paid. From there, the distance to the waterfall is about 1.5 kilometers, and the hike takes about 40 minutes one way. The trail is well maintained, and there are quite a few steep sections with stairs along the way. One of the highlights of the walk is crossing a suspension bridge that spans a valley 17 meters below.
Duration: 30 minutes
Stop At: Okinawa Memorial Park Ocean Expo Park, 424 Ishikawa, Motobu-cho, Kunigami-gun 905-0206 Okinawa Prefecture
The Ocean Expo Park (海洋博公園, Kaiyōhakukōen) is a large park on the tip of the Motobu Peninsula in northern Okinawa Honto, which was built in 1976 to commemorate the Okinawa International Ocean Expo held there a year earlier. The park’s main attraction is the Churaumi Aquarium, Japan’s best aquarium.
The park stretches about three kilometers along the coast and is so extensive that small shuttle buses operate between the park’s attractions at least twice per hour and for 200 yen for a 1-day pass or 100 yen for a one way journey. The various sites and facilities are also connected by attractive walking paths.
Duration: 30 minutes
Stop At: Cape Hedo, Hedo, Kunigami-son, Kunigami-gun 905-1421 Okinawa Prefecture
North of Nago, Okinawa Honto is only scarcely populated and mainly covered by forests and hills. Cape Hedo (辺戸岬, Hedo Misaki) is the island’s northernmost tip, offering spectacular views of the cliffy coast.
The main approach to Hedo Misaki leads along the western coast, where, halfway between Nago and the cape, there is a hiking trail to the Hiji Waterfall and a JAL resort hotel around Okuma Beach.
Duration: 30 minutes
Stop At: Nakagusuku Castle Ruins, 503 Ogusuku, Nakagusuku-son, Nakagami-gun 901-2314 Okinawa Prefecture
Nakagusuku Castle (中城) is one of several castles, which were built across Okinawa during the era of the Ryukyu Kingdom, which had been in existence for several centuries before Okinawa became a Japanese prefecture in 1879. Only ruins remain of the castle today, but these are well preserved, and the castle’s division into multiple citadels can still clearly be recognized. There are also nice views of the surrounding area and Nakagusuku Bay from the castle ruins.
Nakagusuku Castle is among the Gusuku Sites and Related Properties of the Kingdom of Ryukyu, which were added to the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in the year 2000. It is recommended to combine a visit to Nakagusuku Castle with a visit to nearby Nakamurake, a beautiful, traditional Okinawan style residence from the 18th century.
Duration: 30 minutes
Stop At: Shikinaen Garden, 421-7 Maaji, Naha 902-0072 Okinawa Prefecture
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.
Duration: 30 minutes
Stop At: Okinawa World Culture Kingdom Gyokusendo, 1336 Tamagusuku Maekawa, Nanjo 901-0616 Okinawa Prefecture
Okinawa World (おきなわワールド) is a touristy theme park about Okinawan culture. The park’s main attractions are a massive natural cave, a craft village and a snake museum.
With a total length of five kilometers, Gyokusendo Cave is the longest of the many caves in the south of Okinawa Island and the second longest cave in the entire country. 850 meters of the cave are open to the public and feature spectacular stalactites and stalagmites. The inside of the cave is well maintained and the walking paths are comfortable and well lit.
Duration: 30 minutes
Stop At: Ryukyu Mura, 1130 Yamada, Onna-son, Kunigami-gun 904-0416 Okinawa Prefecture
Ryukyu Mura (Ryukyu Village, 琉球村) is a small theme park about traditional Okinawan culture in the form of a recreated village from the times of the Ryukyu Kingdom.
The village includes a traditional residence with a red tiled roof and surrounding stone walls against typhoons, a shrine and various workshops where visitors may participate in hands-on experiences such as pottery, playing the sanshin guitar, weaving a coaster or painting a small shisa statue.
Duration: 30 minutes
Stop At: Nakamura Residence, 106 Ōgusuku, Kitanakagusuku, Nakagami District, Okinawa 901-2314, Japan
Nakamurake (中村家) is a traditional Okinawan style house, dating from the 18th century, when it served as the residence of the Nakamura family. Nakamurake has been designated a major cultural asset by the Japanese government and is open to the public.
Nakamurake displays many typical characteristics of a wealthy Okinawan farmer’s residence, such as a red tiled roof with statues of shisa, lion like creatures that ward off evil spirits and are omnipresent in Okinawa, and a stone wall and high trees for protection against the frequent typhoons. It is recommended to combine a visit to Nakamurake with a visit to the nearby Nakagusuku Castle Ruins.
Duration: 30 minutes
Stop At: Okinawa Prefectural Museum and Art Museum, 3-1-1 Omoromachi, Naha 900-0006 Okinawa Prefecture
The Okinawa Prefectural Museum and Art Museum, designed to look like Okinawan castle ruins, is located in the part of Naha known as Naha Shintoshin.
Here you can view exhibits on Okinawa’s subtropical nature, its culture and history during the Ryukyu dynasty, as well as when it was under control by the United States. You can also learn about Okinawan folklore and archaeology.
Duration: 30 minutes
Stop At: Tamaudun, Shurikinjocho, Naha 903-0815 Okinawa Prefecture
A couple of things to be aware of are that this area is currently undergoing renovations so there is a bit of building work still going on at Shuri-jo and Enkakuji – and that the small museum accompanying the mausoleum is not particularly informative unless you can read Japanese.
Duration: 30 minutes
Stop At: Fukushu-en Garden, 2-29-19 Kume, Naha 900-0033 Okinawa Prefecture
The Ryukyu kingdom was strongly influenced by Chinese culture, and this ornamental garden was built in 1992 to celebrate links between Okinawa and China. Entrance is free, and it provides a picturesque corner to get away from the city. Naha also boasts the larger Shikina-en Royal gardens, and whilst these are also worth a visit, they are somewhat inconveniently located 2.5km from Shuri monorail station. Fukushu-en on the other hand is easily reached on foot from the centre of Naha.
Duration: 30 minutes
Stop At: Tsuboya Pottery Museum, 1-9-32 Tsuboya, Naha 902-0065 Okinawa Prefecture
A short walk from Naha’s central Kokusai-dori street is the Tsuboya Pottery District, which takes you away from the bustle of the city and into some really lovely, leafy backstreets. The atmosphere here is much more peaceful, and you can stop to have a coffee in a pottery shop or pick up traditional Ryukyu ceramics and (of course) more Okinawan shisa.
Duration: 30 minutes
Stop At: Makishi Public Market, 2-7-10 Matsuo, Naha 900-0014 Okinawa Prefecture
Okinawa’s kitchen, the Makishi Public Market, is a very famous tourist destination. The Makishi Public Market, established in 1972, is a very busy and popular market known as the kitchen of the people of Naha in Okinawa. There are more than 150 stores that sell Okinawan products like seafood, vegetables, fruits, meat, processed food, condiments, and souvenirs. Many people visit this place, including both locals and tourists, as the market is close to Kokusai Street in the center of Naha. The 1st floor is mainly for shopping, and Okinawan cuisine can be enjoyed on the 2nd floor.
Duration: 30 minutes
Stop At: Former Japanese Navy Underground Headquarters, 236 Tomigusuku, Tomigusuku 901-0241 Okinawa Prefecture
This park is located south-west of Naha City in the Tomigusuku uplands and offers a view on the East China Sea, the southern metropolitan area all the way to Shuri Castle. During the time of the Shuri Dynasty period, it was a place where there was located “Hibanmui”, a beacon fire that would announce the arrival of ships from China and Satsuma.
During the last stage of World War II, the Japanese Navy Underground Headquarters was established there, thus it became an extreme battleground site. Today, it has been remodeled as a former battlefield park that sends messages of peace to the world from Okinawa, a place for exchanges and relaxation that is widely appreciated by tourists and citizens alike.
Duration: 30 minutes
Stop At: Makishi Public Market, 2-7-10 Matsuo, Naha 900-0014 Okinawa Prefecture
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.
Duration: 30 minutes
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