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Naha
Capital city of Okinawa Prefecture, Japan

Naha

Naha is the capital city of Okinawa Prefecture, the southernmost prefecture of Japan.

Plan a trip to Naha→From Kagoshima

As of 1 June 2019, the city has an estimated population of 317,405 and a population density of 7,939 people per km2. The total area is 39.98 km2 (15.44 sq mi).

Get in

Getting to Naha

  1. 01
    Naha Airport

    The largest airport in the Okinawa area and the main hub for international and inter-island flights.

See

Worth seeing

  1. 01
    Shuri Castle
  2. 02
    Sonohyan-Utaki

    Although it is in Shuri Castle Park, this sacred grove of trees and plants (utaki) is independently famous as one of Okinawa's World Heritage listings.

  3. 03
    Tamaudun Mausoleum

    A Ryukyuan mausoleum that entombs kings of the Second Sho Dynasty.

  4. 04
    Naha City Museum of History

    A museum housing artifacts from the city.

  5. 05
    Tsuboya Pottery Museum

    Naha's Tsuboya District has been renowned for its pottery for hundreds of years and there are many craftsman still there.

  6. 06
    Shikinaen Garden

    Like many of the mainland gardens, Shikinaen was built by Okinawa's royal family as a detached residence and to entertain guests.

Do

Things to do

Kiteboarding is possible year round with the winter months being the best.

  1. 01
    Kite Club Okinawa

    270-102 Gibo, Tomigusuku-shi (Across from the Tomigusuku Central Hospital Family Mart), +81 90-6779-9990 (mobile).

  2. 02
    Blue Zone

    Their very friendly staff offer scuba diving courses and diving trips to the Kerama Islands.

  3. 03
    Naminoue Beach
Eat

Where to eat

  1. 01
    Afro Nest

    A reggae themed basement-restaurant with surprisingly good food.

  2. 02
    Takuyoshi
How locals move

Getting around Naha the local way

  • Get inFerry services to Okinawa have been cut drastically, with Arimura Sangyo filing for bankruptcy and RKK Line stopping passenger services entirely.
  • Get inAs of 2014, the only survivors are A-Line Ferry, aka Maru-A (マルエー), which runs twice a week from Kagoshima (25 hours, ¥16,000 2nd class one-way) and once a week from both Osaka/Kobe and Tokyo (44 hours, ¥28,000) to Naha, and Marix Line, which runs between Kagoshima and Naha only.
  • Get inAll ferries call at various minor islands including Yoron and Amami Oshima along the way.
  • Go nextSouthern Okinawa - Many WW2 historical sites Central Okinawa - US military bases, pottery villages, castle ruins Northern Okinawa - The wildest and remotest part of Okinawa Island Kerama Islands - Regular ferry connections are available between Naha harbor and this nearby group of islands.
  • Go nextGreat for a day trip or a few days to experience a more isolated tropical experience.
  • Go nextAkajima - the smallest of the Kerama Islands and makes a great snorkeling day trip.

From Wikivoyage: Naha, CC BY-SA. Not yet checked by us. Last edited 2026-09.

Text adapted from Wikipedia and Wikivoyage, CC BY-SA 4.0. Photograph: Balon Greyjoy (CC0), Wikimedia Commons.