Owais Crawford
Naha Airport is located in Okinawa, Japan. It is a modern and clean airport that is easy to navigate, with the typical shops and amenities located on the fourth floor and the check-in area on the third floor. The second floor is where you'll find security, which is reportedly less strict than in the US. The airport also has a monorail station, which is the cheapest, quickest, and easiest way to get into Naha city. In the city itself, there are many things to do, including visiting Naminoue Beach, exploring Kokusai Street, and trying traditional Okinawan cuisine in one of the city's izakaya bars or ryotei bistros.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Location | Okinawa, Japan |
| Transport to Naha City | Yui Rail Monorail trains, taxi, or walk |
| Facilities | Shops, restaurants, ATMs, charging outlets |
| Attractions Nearby | Kokusai Street, Palette Kumoji, Naminoue Beach, Naminoue Shrine, Makishi Public Market, Shurijo Castle |
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What You'll Learn
Take the Yui Rail Monorail into Naha city
The Yui Rail Monorail is the cheapest, quickest, and easiest way to get into Naha city from the airport. It is also the only public rail system in Okinawa Prefecture. The monorail runs from Naha Airport in the west to Tedako-Uranishi in the east, with an average distance of 0.93 km (0.58 mi) between its 19 stations. It takes 37 minutes to traverse its 17 km (11 mi) length, costing ¥370.
The Yui Rail is a great way to get from the airport to your hotel or to a department store. It is also a convenient way to get to Shuri Castle, the main sight in the city. The monorail also offers beautiful views of the countryside.
The monorail is easy to access from the airport, with the station located at the domestic terminal, just a 10-15 minute walk from the international terminal. The trains are made up of two or three cars, with a total capacity of 165 people. They run on an elevated track between 8 and 20 meters (26 and 66 ft) above the ground, with a top speed of 65 km/h (40 mph).
You can purchase a one-day pass ticket from a machine at the station. The line supports payment via paper tickets or OKICA, the local contactless smart card. As of 2020, high school students in the prefecture can ride the Yui Rail for free.
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Explore Kokusai Street's shops, bars and restaurants
Naha Airport is a great gateway to Okinawa, Japan. The airport is modern, clean, and easy to navigate, with the typical shops and facilities you would expect. Once you're ready to leave the airport, the city of Naha and its attractions are just a short distance away.
Explore Kokusai Streets Shops, Bars, and Restaurants
Kokusai Street, also known as Kokusai-dori or "International Road", is a bustling street in downtown Naha, stretching for about two kilometers. It is easily accessible by monorail from the airport, and it is a great place to start your exploration of the city.
The street is lined with a variety of shops, restaurants, cafes, bars, and boutiques, offering a mix of familiar brands and unique local businesses. You can find traditional Okinawan clothing, jewelry, handicrafts, and souvenirs to take back as memories of your trip.
For food lovers, Kokusai Street provides a plethora of options. Sample the local cuisine at the restaurants and street vendors, and don't miss the chance to taste Okinawa's specialty liquor, awamori, which is distilled from rice. If you're feeling adventurous, try habushu, which contains a habu snake, an Okinawan viper.
In addition to shopping and dining, Kokusai Street also offers entertainment. Street performers, including fire-eaters, folk dancers, and musicians, showcase their talents, especially on Saturday nights and Sundays when the street is closed to traffic.
Branching off from Kokusai Street are covered shopping arcades, such as Heiwadori, Mutsumidori, and Ichiba Hondori, where you'll find smaller shops and stalls selling traditional goods like pottery, meat, fish, and shisa statues. Shisa statues are mythical creatures, half-dog, and half-lion, that hold cultural significance in Okinawa.
Further down, you'll discover Daiichi Makishi Public Market, known as the "kitchen of Naha," offering a variety of fresh produce, meat, seafood, and inexpensive dry goods.
With its mix of shopping, dining, and cultural experiences, Kokusai Street and its surrounding areas provide a vibrant and immersive exploration of Naha's local culture and traditions.
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Visit Naminoue Beach and Shrine
If you're looking for a quick dip after arriving at Naha Airport, head to Naminoue Beach, the only beach in the main city of Okinawa where you can swim. It is located in Naha, the prefecture's largest city, and is a popular spot with both locals and foreign visitors. While the beach has a distinctive feature of a highway running across the sea directly in front of it, this doesn't detract from its appeal. The sand and sea are clean, and the shallow, sheltered waters are suitable for swimmers of all ages and abilities. You might even spot people snorkelling!
Naminoue Beach is a great place to cool off when the heat hits hard. It is not a large beach, but it offers a nice view of the beach within the city. To get there, walk north for about 30 minutes from Kencho-mae Station on the Yui Rail, which is close to Kokusai Dori, considered the centre of Naha. Alternatively, you can take a taxi or the monorail from the airport to get into Naha city quickly and easily.
After enjoying the beach, take a short walk to the nearby Naminoue Shrine, located "above the waves". This Shinto shrine overlooks the beach and is protected by Shisa statues, a traditional cross between a lion and a dog, which are said to ward off evil spirits and keep good spirits in. The shrine is built on a raised coral cliff, with a beautiful white sand beach stretching out from there.
Whether you're looking to swim, explore, or simply relax, a visit to Naminoue Beach and Shrine is a perfect way to spend a day in Naha, Okinawa, especially if you want to refresh yourself after a long day of sightseeing.
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Sample traditional Okinawan cuisine in an izakaya bar
Naha, Okinawa, is a great place to experience the vibrant Okinawan nightlife and sample traditional Okinawan cuisine. The multicultural downtown area of Naha is a great place to start. Here are some recommended spots to try:
Izakaya Bars
Izakaya bars are a fantastic way to sample Okinawan food and drink. These bars serve traditional Okinawan dishes, often with live Okinawan folk music. The typical Okinawan izakaya will offer a variety of small dishes to share, with a wide range of drinks.
Okinawan Specialities
Okinawan dishes are widely available at restaurants throughout the prefecture. Some specialities to look out for include goya champuru, a stir fry of the bitter goya vegetable with tofu, eggs, and pork or spam. Other variations include fu (wheat gluten) champuru, tofu champuru, and papaya champuru. Another popular dish is Okinawa Soba. For a real treat, try the premium Okinawan Agu pork, a scarce breed of pig, highly valued for its unique flavour.
Seafood
Okinawa is known for its seafood, with many izakaya bars offering fresh catches from nearby waters. One recommended dish is the thickly-cut and seared Agu bacon, made from Agu pork, with a uniquely sweet fat. Another speciality is the charcoal-grilled A4-A5 Aitch Bone Cut of Okinawan Wagyu, a premium cut of beef grilled over charcoal.
Drinks
To accompany your meal, try some Okinawan specialties like awamori, an Okinawan distilled spirit, or local sake, known as ji-zake.
Getting There
The monorail is the cheapest, quickest, and easiest way to get into Naha city from the airport.
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Dive in the Blue Cave
If you're looking for an adventure, the Blue Cave in Okinawa offers a unique diving experience. The Blue Cave is a limestone cave with crystal clear waters and an abundance of tropical fish. Here's a step-by-step guide on how to get there from Naha Airport and make the most of your dive:
Getting to the Blue Cave from Naha Airport
Take the monorail from Naha Airport to the city centre, which is the cheapest and quickest option. From there, you have a few choices to reach the Blue Cave, which is located at Cape Maeda in Onna Village, about 1.5 hours away from Naha Airport.
By Bus
Take the "System 120 to Nago Bus Terminal" bus from Naha Airport. The one-way bus fare is 1,160 yen, and the journey takes around 1.5 hours. From the Ryukyu-Mura Bus Terminal, you can take a taxi to Cape Maeda, which is a 6-minute drive. Alternatively, you can walk, but it will take more than 30 minutes, and it is not recommended, especially during the summer.
By Car
If you prefer to drive, you can either take the freeway or normal roads from Naha. If it's not rush hour, the travel time will be similar by either way. To take the freeway, drive north from "Nakachi IC" for 30-40 minutes and exit at "Ishikawa IC". After exiting, turn right at the first traffic light onto Prefectural Route 73.
Diving at the Blue Cave
Once you arrive at the Blue Cave, you can choose from various diving and snorkelling options. The Blue Cave is one of the most famous diving spots in Okinawa, and you can even combine your dive with other activities like a marine walk. The water is clear, and you'll have the chance to swim with tropical fish. English and Chinese guides are available, and feeding and photo opportunities are included.
Practical Considerations
When planning your trip, allow ample time for potential delays due to weather or traffic conditions. Additionally, if you're driving, keep in mind that parking instructions at Naha Airport are mostly in Japanese, so you may find it challenging to navigate.
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Frequently asked questions
The monorail is the cheapest, quickest and easiest way to get into Naha city. You can buy a one-day pass ticket from the machine.
Naha is Okinawa's largest and most populous city, with a unique charm of its own. You can try mouth-watering food, shop on Kokusai Street, explore Okinawa's history, and enjoy the nightlife.
Naha has many wining and dining options to suit all tastes and budgets. You can try traditional Okinawan cuisine in one of the city's cheerful izakaya bars or ryotei bistros. Steak and yakiniku barbecue restaurants are abundant, along with izakaya bars offering traditional cuisine such as goya champuru (stir-fried tofu, canned pork, and bitter melon).
You can visit Naminoue Beach, the only swimming beach in the city. Naminoue Shrine rests on a cliff just above the beach. You can also visit the World Heritage Site Shurijo Castle, the former seat of power of the Ryukyu Kingdom.
