Central Naha (那覇) is where most people will access Okinawa. The history of the islands and its main city are rather different from the rest of Japan’s, so Naha is a good place to check out something a little different.
Budget travel tips
- Fly here rather than taking a ferry. Check our Naha Airport page for the cheapest airlines.
- Pick up a Monorail pass for the local YUI Monorail track. All day passes are 600 yen for adults, 300 yen for children. You can buy passes at any station on the monorail.
Things to do
Kokusai Street (国際踊り)
Naha’s main street and shopping area. Full of souvenir shops, cheap restaurant chains and many more kinds of stores.
Makishi Markets (第一牧志公設市場)
An interesting place to stroll around and takes some pictures, this market contains Okinawa glassworks, clothes and plaster models. Some restaurants on the second floor can cook the food you buy on the first floor for a little fee. It’s a 10 minute walk from Miebashi Monorail station, near the Mitsukoshi department store.
Open: 10:00-20:00 (fresh fish market 2nd, 4th and 5th Sunday)
Closed: 4th Sunday of the month, new years and Chinese new years
Fukushu-en Garden (福州園)
Chinese garden where all the buildings are made of wood. Each gate to the garden has a different style from China. A 10 minute walk from Kencho-mae Monorail station.
Open: 9:00-18:00 (closed Wednesday, or Tuesday when this is a holiday)
Price: Free
Tsuboya Pottery Museum
Displays on Okinawa’s rich history of ceramics. A 10 minute walk from Makishi Monorail station.
Open: 10:00-18:00 (closed Monday, or Tuesday when this is a holiday, Dec 28-Jan 4)
Price: 315 yen
Okinawa Prefectural Museum
Enjoy Okinawa’s district history, nature and culture at this huge museum. There is also an art museum in the complex. It’s a 10 minute walk from Omoromachi Monorail station.
Open: 9:00-18:00 (-20:00 Friday and Saturday)
Price: 400 yen for museum, 300 yen for art museum
How to get there
Check out our Naha Airport page for info.
Super Cheap Japan 
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