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Okinawa · Capital · Core city

Naha

那覇市なはしNaha-shi

Port town and royal capital of the Ryukyu Kingdom

Naha is the capital and largest city of Okinawa Prefecture, a port city on the south-west coast of Okinawa Island that includes Shuri, the royal capital of the Ryukyu Kingdom, with its World Heritage castle and royal tombs.

Overview

Naha grew from two historic centres: the port of Naha, through which the Ryukyu Kingdom traded with China, Japan and South-East Asia, and the hilltop royal city of Shuri a few kilometres inland. Today they form one dense city that is the political, commercial and transport centre of Okinawa, and the point of arrival for most visitors to the prefecture.

Shuri holds the kingdom's most important monuments: Shuri Castle, the royal residence and seat of government for some 450 years; the royal mausoleum Tamaudun; the stone gate of Sonohyan-utaki; and the royal garden Shikinaen. All are components of the Gusuku World Heritage site. Down by the harbour, Kokusai-dōri, the Makishi public market and the pottery lanes of Tsuboya show the livelier, modern side of the city.

Naha was almost completely destroyed in 1944–1945, including Shuri Castle, which was reconstructed from 1992 and burned again in 2019. Rebuilt around the post-war shopping street Kokusai-dōri and the new Omoromachi district on former US military land, Naha is a city of concrete houses with shīsā on the roofs, lined with subtropical trees, and linked to the airport by the Yui Rail monorail.

Landmarks

  • Shuri Castle

    首里城Shuri-jō

    Royal palace of the Ryukyu Kingdom with curving limestone walls and gates; the site is World Heritage, and the main hall destroyed by fire in 2019 is reconstructed to the design of the 1712 building.

  • Tamaudun

    玉陵Tamaudun

    Stone royal mausoleum of the Second Shō dynasty, built in 1501, and a National Treasure.

  • Shikinaen

    識名園Shikina-en

    Royal villa garden with a pond, stone bridges and a Chinese-style pavilion, where Chinese envoys were received.

  • Sonohyan-utaki Stone Gate

    園比屋武御嶽石門Sonohyan-utaki ishimon

    Stone gate of 1519 to a sacred grove beside Shuri Castle, where the king prayed before journeys.

  • Kinjō-chō stone-paved road

    金城町石畳道Kinjō-chō Ishidatami-michi

    Steep old road of limestone paving that survived the war, running down from Shuri past walled gardens.

  • Naminoue Shrine

    波上宮Naminoue-gū

    The leading shrine of the Ryukyu Kingdom's eight official shrines, on a cliff above a city beach.

  • Makishi Public Market

    第一牧志公設市場Dai-ichi Makishi Kōsetsu Ichiba

    Covered market of fish, pork and island produce off Kokusai-dōri; purchases can be cooked in the eateries upstairs.

  • Okinawa Prefectural Museum and Art Museum

    沖縄県立博物館・美術館Okinawa Kenritsu Hakubutsukan・Bijutsukan

    The main museum of Okinawan history, nature and art, in Omoromachi.

Districts

  • Kokusai-dōri

    国際通りKokusai-dōri

    Mile-long main street rebuilt after the war, lined with shops, restaurants and covered side arcades.

  • Shuri

    首里Shuri

    The hilltop royal city with the castle, royal tombs, old stone lanes and awamori distilleries.

  • Tsuboya

    壺屋Tsuboya

    Pottery quarter with workshops, old climbing kilns and the Tsuboya Pottery Museum.

  • Kume

    久米Kume

    Former Chinese community of Kumemura, with the Confucian temple Shiseibyō and the Fukushūen garden.

  • Omoromachi

    おもろまちOmoromachi

    New town centre built on land returned by the US military, with the prefectural museum and shopping centres.

History

Naha was a small island harbour until the fourteenth century, when trade under the Chinese tribute system made it the kingdom's port. Chinese immigrants from Fujian settled at Kume (Kumemura) and served the kingdom as interpreters, navigators and scholars. Shuri, on the hills above, became the capital of a unified Ryukyu under Shō Hashi in the early fifteenth century and remained so until 1879.

After annexation, Naha became the seat of Okinawa Prefecture. In the air raid of 10 October 1944 about nine-tenths of the city burned, and the Battle of Okinawa in 1945 destroyed Shuri, where the Japanese army had its headquarters beneath the castle. Under US administration Naha was the seat of the Government of the Ryukyu Islands, and Shuri and other neighbouring municipalities were merged into the city in the 1950s.

  1. early 15th century

    Shuri becomes the royal capital of the unified Ryukyu Kingdom.

  2. 1392

    Traditional date for the settlement of Chinese immigrants from Fujian at Kume.

  3. 1501

    The royal mausoleum Tamaudun is built by King Shō Shin.

  4. 1682

    The kingdom gathers pottery kilns in Tsuboya.

  5. 1799

    The royal garden Shikinaen is laid out.

  6. 1879

    The last king leaves Shuri Castle; Naha becomes the seat of Okinawa Prefecture.

  7. 1921

    Naha and Shuri are each incorporated as cities.

  8. 1944–1945

    The 10 October air raid and the Battle of Okinawa destroy the city and Shuri Castle.

  9. 1954

    Shuri and Oroku are merged into Naha.

  10. 1992

    Shuri Castle's main hall is reconstructed and the castle park opens.

  11. 2003

    The Yui Rail monorail opens.

  12. 2019

    Fire destroys the main hall and other buildings of Shuri Castle on 31 October.

Culture

Naha is where the court culture of Shuri and the commercial energy of the port meet. Classical Ryukyuan music and dance and kumi odori are performed at the National Theatre Okinawa in Urasoe and in venues around the city; sanshin shops, bingata studios and potteries keep the crafts alive. Shīsā guard almost every roof, and the city's calendar is marked by the great October tug-of-war and dragon-boat races in the harbour.

Festivals

  • Naha Ōtsunahiki

    那覇大綱挽Naha Ōtsunahiki

    Giant tug-of-war on National Route 58 on a Sunday in October, with thousands pulling a straw rope of many tonnes.

  • Naha Hārī

    那覇ハーリーNaha Hārī

    Dragon-boat races at the harbour in early May, a custom dating to the kingdom.

  • Shuri Castle Festival

    首里城祭Shurijō-sai

    Autumn festival reviving Ryukyu court rituals and a royal procession through Shuri.

Food

  • Okinawa soba

    沖縄そばOkinawa soba

    Wheat noodles in pork-and-bonito broth, served in countless small shops.

  • Awamori from Shuri

    泡盛awamori

    Under the kingdom, awamori could be distilled only in three licensed quarters of Shuri; several distilleries still operate there.

  • Chinsukō

    ちんすこうchinsukō

    Lard-and-flour biscuits originally made for the royal court, now the classic Okinawan souvenir.

  • Tebichi

    てびちtebichi

    Pig's trotters simmered until soft, eaten in soup or with Okinawa soba.

  • Market seafood

    Colourful reef fish such as irabuchā (parrotfish) and gurukun, bought at Makishi and cooked to order.

Getting around

  • Naha Airport lies on the south-western edge of the city; the Yui Rail monorail runs from the airport through the centre, Kokusai-dōri and Omoromachi to Shuri and on to Urasoe.
  • City and prefectural buses fan out from central Naha to all parts of Okinawa Island; highway buses and rental cars serve the north.
  • Ferries to the Kerama Islands, Kumejima and other islands leave from Tomari Port; long-distance ferries to Kagoshima use Naha Port.

Day trips

  • Kerama Islands

    慶良間諸島Kerama-shotō

    Clear-water islands for snorkelling and whale watching in winter, under an hour by fast boat.

  • Zamami-jima

    座間味島Zamami-jima

    One of the Kerama Islands, with beaches and viewpoints.

  • Sēfa-utaki

    斎場御嶽Sēfa-utaki

    The most sacred site of the Ryukyu Kingdom, in Nanjō; a Gusuku World Heritage component.

  • Okinawa Peace Memorial Park

    沖縄平和祈念公園Okinawa Heiwa Kinen Kōen

    At Mabuni in Itoman, with the Cornerstone of Peace listing the names of the war dead of all nations and the prefectural peace museum.

  • Former Japanese Navy Underground Headquarters

    旧海軍司令部壕Kyū Kaigun Shireibu-gō

    Tunnels in Tomigusuku where the navy command held out in 1945.

  • Nakagusuku Castle

    中城城跡Nakagusuku-jō ato

    Well-preserved gusuku with fine stone walls above the east coast; a World Heritage component.

Other cities in the prefecture

CityIshigakiIshigaki-shiCoral seas and the hub of the Yaeyama IslandsCityMiyakojimaMiyakojima-shiFlat coral islands in a sea of improbable blueCityNagoNago-shiWhere the north of Okinawa Island begins

Frequently asked questions

Can Shuri Castle be visited after the 2019 fire?

Yes. The castle park, walls, gates and many buildings remain open, and the reconstruction of the main hall was organised so that visitors could watch the work; the Shurijō Park website gives the current state.

How do I get from Naha Airport to the city centre?

By the Yui Rail monorail, which reaches Kokusai-dōri in about a quarter of an hour, or by taxi or bus.

What is Kokusai-dōri?

Naha's main street, about 1.6 kilometres long, rebuilt quickly after the war; it is lined with shops and restaurants and leads to the Makishi market arcades.

Is Naha a good base for exploring Okinawa?

Yes for the south, Shuri and the Kerama Islands; for the north of the island, a stay in Nago or on the Motobu Peninsula saves long drives.

Related

Sources

  1. 1.令和2年国勢調査 (opens in a new tab) — 沖縄県企画部統計課
  2. 2.那覇市公式ホームページ (opens in a new tab) — 那覇市
  3. 3.Gusuku Sites and Related Properties of the Kingdom of Ryukyu (opens in a new tab) — UNESCO World Heritage Centre
  4. 4.Okinawa (opens in a new tab) — Japan National Tourism Organization

Editorial team · Published: