Okinawa Battlefields & Peace Memorial Tour, Licensed Guide

IMPORTANT NOTICE: The main buildings of Shuri Castle were destroyed by fire in the night of October 31, 2019. The city hopes to rebuild the main building by 2022, the 50th anniversary of Okinawa's reversion to Japan. A city district of Naha today, Shuri is the name of the former capital of the Ryukyu Kingdom. Shuri Castle (首里城, Shurijō) served as the administrative center and residence of the Ryukyu kings for several centuries until Okinawa became a Japanese prefecture in 1879. The castle is included as one of the UNESCO World Heritage designated Castles of the Ryukyu Kingdom sites. Shuri Castle was originally built in the late 1300s, and played an integral role in the political unification of the island. Wars and fires destroyed the castle multiple times over the centuries, most recently in the Battle of Okinawa in 1945. The current buildings are beautiful reconstructions dating from 1992. The approach to the castle's central buildings leads through multiple gates, including the well known Shureimon Gate. The castle's hilltop location allows for nice views over Naha along the way.

Naha’s International Street was known post-WW II as the miracle mile for its almost-instantaneous reconstruction. With rows of souvenirs and restaurants, it is a staple sightseeing spot for visitors to Okinawa. Popular spots to visit include the central Makishi Public Market, dining establishments and the Don Quijote, Japan’s largest discount store. If you’re going for a stroll at night, there are izakaya where you can listen to performances of traditional Okinawa folk music and shamisen players.

Near the end of World War Two, Okinawa Honto became the site of one of the war's bloodiest battles, when the US forces invaded and occupied the island. An estimated 200,000 people, including more than 100,000 civilians and 12,500 Americans were killed in the battle, which lasted from April to June 1945. The devastating effects of the war had a profound impact on the Okinawans, and there are a number of monuments and museums relating to the period throughout Okinawa Honto. The worst fighting of the battle took place in the south, and that is where some of the larger monuments have been constructed.

Near the end of World War Two, Okinawa Honto became the site of one of the war's bloodiest battles, when the US forces invaded and occupied the island. An estimated 200,000 people, including more than 100,000 civilians and 12,500 Americans were killed in the battle, which lasted from April to June 1945. The devastating effects of the war had a profound impact on the Okinawans, and there are a number of monuments and museums relating to the period throughout Okinawa Honto. The worst fighting of the battle took place in the south, and that is where some of the larger monuments have been constructed.

Sefa Utaki (斎場御嶽) is an important sacred site of the indigenous Okinawan religion, which, similar to Shinto, places emphasis on the worship of nature. The site is located on a densely forested hillside along the ocean and features several rock formations, which are connected with each other by walking trails. Sefa Utaki is included as one of Okinawa's World Heritage sites. Although regarded as a powerful spiritual site beforehand, it was in the early 16th century that Sefa Utaki came into prominence. During this period the Okinawan religion underwent reorganization and centralization under the royal government, and Sefa Utaki became one of the main locations for religious ceremonies and rituals. Reflecting the strong connection between the royal family and the religion, the sites for prayers at Sefa Utaki were named after important places in Shuri Castle.

Shikinaen (識名園) was constructed in the end of the 18th century as the second residence of the Ryukyu kings. It features beautiful, relatively simple, wooden palace buildings with Okinawan style, red tile roofs and a spacious Japanese style landscape garden with a central pond. While the garden is designed in a style seen elsewhere in Japan, the architecture and flora give Shikinaen a uniquely Okinawan flavor. Shikinaen was completely destroyed in the Battle of Okinawa of 1945, but has been neatly restored in the postwar years. In 2000, Shikinaen was among the sites added to the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites under the title Gusuku Sites and Related Properties of the Kingdom of Ryukyu.

Okinawa World (おきなわワールド) is a touristy theme park about Okinawan culture. The park's main attractions are a massive natural cave, a craft village and a snake museum. With a total length of five kilometers, Gyokusendo Cave is the longest of the many caves in the south of Okinawa Island and the second longest cave in the entire country. 850 meters of the cave are open to the public and feature spectacular stalactites and stalagmites. The inside of the cave is well maintained and the walking paths are comfortable and well lit.

Ryukyu Mura (Ryukyu Village, 琉球村) is a small theme park about traditional Okinawan culture in the form of a recreated village from the times of the Ryukyu Kingdom. The village includes a traditional residence with a red tiled roof and surrounding stone walls against typhoons, a shrine and various workshops where visitors may participate in hands-on experiences such as pottery, playing the sanshin guitar, weaving a coaster or painting a small shisa statue.

Nakamurake (中村家) is a traditional Okinawan style house, dating from the 18th century, when it served as the residence of the Nakamura family. Nakamurake has been designated a major cultural asset by the Japanese government and is open to the public. Nakamurake displays many typical characteristics of a wealthy Okinawan farmer's residence, such as a red tiled roof with statues of shisa, lion like creatures that ward off evil spirits and are omnipresent in Okinawa, and a stone wall and high trees for protection against the frequent typhoons. It is recommended to combine a visit to Nakamurake with a visit to the nearby Nakagusuku Castle Ruins.

The Okinawa Prefectural Museum and Art Museum, designed to look like Okinawan castle ruins, is located in the part of Naha known as Naha Shintoshin. Here you can view exhibits on Okinawa’s subtropical nature, its culture and history during the Ryukyu dynasty, as well as when it was under control by the United States. You can also learn about Okinawan folklore and archaeology.

A couple of things to be aware of are that this area is currently undergoing renovations so there is a bit of building work still going on at Shuri-jo and Enkakuji – and that the small museum accompanying the mausoleum is not particularly informative unless you can read Japanese.

The Ryukyu kingdom was strongly influenced by Chinese culture, and this ornamental garden was built in 1992 to celebrate links between Okinawa and China. Entrance is free, and it provides a picturesque corner to get away from the city. Naha also boasts the larger Shikina-en Royal gardens, and whilst these are also worth a visit, they are somewhat inconveniently located 2.5km from Shuri monorail station. Fukushu-en on the other hand is easily reached on foot from the centre of Naha.

A short walk from Naha’s central Kokusai-dori street is the Tsuboya Pottery District, which takes you away from the bustle of the city and into some really lovely, leafy backstreets. The atmosphere here is much more peaceful, and you can stop to have a coffee in a pottery shop or pick up traditional Ryukyu ceramics and (of course) more Okinawan shisa.

Okinawa's kitchen, the Makishi Public Market, is a very famous tourist destination. The Makishi Public Market, established in 1972, is a very busy and popular market known as the kitchen of the people of Naha in Okinawa. There are more than 150 stores that sell Okinawan products like seafood, vegetables, fruits, meat, processed food, condiments, and souvenirs. Many people visit this place, including both locals and tourists, as the market is close to Kokusai Street in the center of Naha. The 1st floor is mainly for shopping, and Okinawan cuisine can be enjoyed on the 2nd floor.

This park is located south-west of Naha City in the Tomigusuku uplands and offers a view on the East China Sea, the southern metropolitan area all the way to Shuri Castle. During the time of the Shuri Dynasty period, it was a place where there was located “Hibanmui”, a beacon fire that would announce the arrival of ships from China and Satsuma. During the last stage of World War II, the Japanese Navy Underground Headquarters was established there, thus it became an extreme battleground site. Today, it has been remodeled as a former battlefield park that sends messages of peace to the world from Okinawa, a place for exchanges and relaxation that is widely appreciated by tourists and citizens alike.