Discover Japan's southern-most island, its markets and old culture

Day 1

If you fly in from Tokyo, make sure to keep an eye out for Mount Fuji.

Explore Naha’s Kokusai-Dori and Heiwa-dori streets, made up of a covered maze of storefronts and markets, that is worth getting lost in. The main street stretches 2 kilometers and becomes less touristy and more authentic the further you go. You’ll find all sorts of places to eat and shop here including the Daiichi Makishi Public Market with a large fish market branch. It comes to life on Sundays when performances take place and pop up markets come out. You’ll also find Heiwadori, Mutsumidori and Ichiba Hondori which are covered shopping arcades along Kokusai-Dori.

You can also take a hike to the Hiji Waterfall located in the more forested part of Okinawa. You can take the highway buses 111 or 117 or the Yanbaru Express from Naha to get here.

Day 2

Tour Shurijo Castle, this is an iconic building which was first built in the 14th century to unify the people of the island. The castle’s name comes from the name of Okinawa’s capital city under the rule of the Ryukyu. It’s surrounded by tall walls which protect it from the outside and lies in a green area amid the city. Shurijo has been through many lives since it was first built, this includes its destruction during the Battle of Okinawa in 1945. Additionally, its main building caught fire in late 2019 and has been under the process of restoration. The building will reopen in the fall of 2026 however the rest of the area is still super interesting to visit.

Nearby, you can take a walk down the old Shrikinjocho Stone-Path Road which will take you through a small neighborhood in a historic area. The road was built in 1522 and expanded 10 km through the city. Today it is just under 300 meters after the Battle of Okinawa.

Alongside the many more cattle to explore, there are so many different sections of the city, most of which are very safe, I recommend exploring them the rest of the day. You could stop by the large mall adjacent to Shintoshin Park Mizunomichi, a long park characterized by its ability to function as an emergency landing site and its huge arch.

Day 3

Explore the different gardens which Okinawa has to offer. I recommend Fukushen Gardens, modelled after a traditional Chinese garden, or Asahigaoka park, known for its cherry blossoms and significance in the Saga Rebellion of 1874.

Spend some time nearby at the Naminoue beach where there is also plenty to eat in the area.

If you’d like to interact with the water, Okinawa has many opportunities to engage with it’s ocean through snorkeling at spots like Cape Maeda.