{"id":4742,"date":"2015-06-08T16:56:02","date_gmt":"2015-06-08T15:56:02","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/insidejapanblog.com\/?p=4742"},"modified":"2016-04-19T12:15:32","modified_gmt":"2016-04-19T11:15:32","slug":"top-9-things-to-do-and-one-thing-not-to-do-in-naha","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/2015\/06\/08\/top-9-things-to-do-and-one-thing-not-to-do-in-naha\/","title":{"rendered":"Top 9 things to do (and one thing not to do) in Naha"},"content":{"rendered":"<h4>Like this post? Help us by sharing it!<\/h4><ul class=\"wpfai-list\"><li class=\"wpfai-list-item facebook\">\r\n      <a href=\"http:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidejapantours.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F4742&amp;t=\" title=\"Facebook\" class=\"wpfai-facebook wpfai-link wpfainw\">\r\n        <span class=\"fa-stack fa-lg\">\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-square fa-stack-2x\"><\/i>\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-facebook fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i>\r\n        <\/span>\r\n      <\/a>\r\n    <\/li><li class=\"wpfai-list-item twitter\">\r\n      <a href=\"http:\/\/twitter.com\/share?text=&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidejapantours.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F4742\" title=\"Twitter\" class=\"wpfai-twitter wpfai-link wpfainw\">\r\n        <span class=\"fa-stack fa-lg\">\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-square fa-stack-2x\"><\/i>\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-twitter fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i>\r\n        <\/span>\r\n      <\/a>\r\n    <\/li><li class=\"wpfai-list-item pinterest\">\r\n      <a href=\"http:\/\/pinterest.com\/pin\/create\/button\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidejapantours.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F4742&amp;description=&amp;media=\" title=\"Pinterest\" class=\"wpfai-pinterest wpfai-link wpfainw\">\r\n        <span class=\"fa-stack fa-lg\">\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-square fa-stack-2x\"><\/i>\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-pinterest fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i>\r\n        <\/span>\r\n      <\/a>\r\n    <\/li><li class=\"wpfai-list-item linkedin\">\r\n      <a href=\"http:\/\/linkedin.com\/shareArticle?mini=true&amp;url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidejapantours.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F4742&amp;title=\" title=\"Linked In\" class=\"wpfai-linkedin wpfai-link wpfainw\">\r\n        <span class=\"fa-stack fa-lg\">\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-square fa-stack-2x\"><\/i>\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-linkedin fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i>\r\n        <\/span>\r\n      <\/a>\r\n    <\/li><li class=\"wpfai-list-item envelope\">\r\n      <a href=\"mailto:?subject=&amp;body=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidejapantours.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F4742%20-%20\" title=\"E-Mail\" class=\"wpfai-envelope wpfai-link wpfainw\">\r\n        <span class=\"fa-stack fa-lg\">\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-square fa-stack-2x\"><\/i>\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-envelope fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i>\r\n        <\/span>\r\n      <\/a>\r\n    <\/li><li class=\"wpfai-list-item stumbleupon\">\r\n      <a href=\"http:\/\/www.stumbleupon.com\/submit?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidejapantours.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F4742\" title=\"Stumble Upon\" class=\"wpfai-stumbleupon wpfai-link wpfainw\">\r\n        <span class=\"fa-stack fa-lg\">\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-square fa-stack-2x\"><\/i>\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-stumbleupon fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i>\r\n        <\/span>\r\n      <\/a>\r\n    <\/li><li class=\"wpfai-list-item reddit\">\r\n      <a href=\"http:\/\/www.reddit.com\/submit?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidejapantours.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F4742\" title=\"Reddit\" class=\"wpfai-reddit wpfai-link wpfainw\">\r\n        <span class=\"fa-stack fa-lg\">\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-square fa-stack-2x\"><\/i>\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-reddit fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i>\r\n        <\/span>\r\n      <\/a>\r\n    <\/li><\/ul><p>This week it was my intention to spend a couple of days on Zamami &#8211; a reputedly paradisic island to the west of Okinawa-Honto. Arriving in Naha after work on Thursday it quickly became apparent that my plans were going to be scuppered, and that all flights and ferries out of Okinawa had been cancelled due to a typhoon. Thanks a bunch typhoon. So instead of snorkeling and sunbathing to my heart&#8217;s content, I spent a wet and windy couple of days sheltering indoors in Naha. The upside of all this is that I managed to explore a couple of areas of the city that I probably wouldn&#8217;t have visited otherwise, and to gather some recommendations from some of the locals! Hence me being able to put together the top 9 things to do (and one thing not to do) in Naha.<\/p>\n<p>So here&#8217;s my list breakdown in terms of See, Shop, Eat, Drink, Ride, and lets not forget in my experience, Don&#8217;t Visit&#8230;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">SEE<\/span><\/p>\n<p>1. Shuri Castle<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_4743\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-4743\" style=\"width: 300px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/p9240030.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-4743 size-medium\" title=\"Shuri Castle InsideJapan Tours\" src=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/p9240030-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"Shuri Castle InsideJapan Tours\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/p9240030-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/p9240030-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/p9240030-1200x900.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/p9240030-720x540.jpg 720w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/p9240030-1440x1080.jpg 1440w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/p9240030-390x293.jpg 390w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/p9240030-780x585.jpg 780w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/p9240030-900x675.jpg 900w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-4743\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Shuri Castle<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>A reconstruction of a Ryukyu palace, Shuri-jo is Okinawa&#8217;s premier tourist attraction. Whilst perhaps not as immediately impressive as some of the other castles and palaces that Japan has to offer, it&#8217;s an interesting example of traditional Ryukyu architecture and certainly worth a visit. Whilst you&#8217;re in the vicinity of the castle you should also check out the Tamaudun mausoleum, the ruins of Enkakuji Temple, and the Kinjocho stone pavement, a picturesque (and very steep) route that leads down from the castle.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_4745\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-4745\" style=\"width: 300px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/pa040423.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-4745 size-medium\" title=\"Tamaudun Mausoleum InsideJapan Tours\" src=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/pa040423-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"Tamaudun Mausoleum InsideJapan Tours\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/pa040423-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/pa040423-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/pa040423-1200x900.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/pa040423-720x540.jpg 720w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/pa040423-1440x1080.jpg 1440w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/pa040423-390x293.jpg 390w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/pa040423-780x585.jpg 780w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/pa040423-900x675.jpg 900w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-4745\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Tamaudun Mausoleum<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>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 &#8211; and that the small museum accompanying the mausoleum is not particularly informative unless you can read Japanese.<\/p>\n<p>2. Fukushu-en<\/p>\n<p>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.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_4744\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-4744\" style=\"width: 300px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/p9240114.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-4744 size-medium\" title=\"Fukushu-en InsideJapan Tours\" src=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/p9240114-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"Fukushu-en InsideJapan Tours\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/p9240114-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/p9240114-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/p9240114-1200x900.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/p9240114-720x540.jpg 720w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/p9240114-1440x1080.jpg 1440w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/p9240114-390x293.jpg 390w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/p9240114-780x585.jpg 780w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/p9240114-900x675.jpg 900w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-4744\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Fukushu-en<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">SHOP<\/span><\/p>\n<p>3. Kokusai-dori<\/p>\n<p>Lined with palm trees and vibrant with neon lighting and garish decorations, Kokusai-dori is Naha&#8217;s bustling main street and shouldn&#8217;t be missed. This is hands-down the best place in Okinawa to pick up souvenirs, and amongst the myriad shisa, goya and pig-themed trinkets you&#8217;ll find miniature pineapples, benimo (Okinawan sweet-potato) cakes and other local sweets, traditional Ryukyuan fabric and clothing, and stores where you can design your own Okinawan-themed t-shirts, and much more besides. Kokusai-dori is also home to numerous bars and restaurants, and here you&#8217;ll find performances of traditional Ryukyuan music rubbing shoulders with ice-cream stands and sailor-themed American diners.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_4747\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-4747\" style=\"width: 300px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/pa040448.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-4747 size-medium\" title=\"Kokusai-dori InsideJapan Tours\" src=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/pa040448-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"Kokusai-dori InsideJapan Tours\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/pa040448-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/pa040448-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/pa040448-1200x900.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/pa040448-720x540.jpg 720w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/pa040448-1440x1080.jpg 1440w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/pa040448-390x293.jpg 390w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/pa040448-780x585.jpg 780w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/pa040448-900x675.jpg 900w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-4747\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Kokusai-dori<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"attachment_4749\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-4749\" style=\"width: 225px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/pa030402.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-4749 size-medium\" title=\"A typical souvenir shop on Kokusai-dori InsideJapan Tours\" src=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/pa030402-225x300.jpg\" alt=\"A typical souvenir shop on Kokusai-dori InsideJapan Tours\" width=\"225\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/pa030402-225x300.jpg 225w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/pa030402-768x1024.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/pa030402-1200x1600.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/pa030402-720x960.jpg 720w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/pa030402-1440x1920.jpg 1440w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/pa030402-390x520.jpg 390w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/pa030402-780x1040.jpg 780w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/pa030402-900x1200.jpg 900w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 225px) 100vw, 225px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-4749\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">A typical souvenir shop on Kokusai-dori<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>4. Tsuboya Pottery District<\/p>\n<p>A short walk from Naha&#8217;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.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_4748\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-4748\" style=\"width: 225px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/p9240092.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-4748 size-medium\" title=\"Tsuboya Pottery District InsideJapan Tours\" src=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/p9240092-225x300.jpg\" alt=\"Tsuboya Pottery District InsideJapan Tours\" width=\"225\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/p9240092-225x300.jpg 225w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/p9240092-768x1024.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/p9240092-1200x1600.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/p9240092-720x960.jpg 720w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/p9240092-1440x1920.jpg 1440w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/p9240092-390x520.jpg 390w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/p9240092-780x1040.jpg 780w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/p9240092-900x1200.jpg 900w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 225px) 100vw, 225px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-4748\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Tsuboya Pottery District<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">EAT<\/span><\/p>\n<p>5. Masara<\/p>\n<p>This Izakaya (a type of Japanese drinking establishment that also serves food) close to Miebashi station was recommended to me by a local as the best place to eat in Naha, and it did not disappoint. At very reasonable prices (A garlic steak or a plate of assorted sashimi were each 1000 yen; and a side of vegetables or tofu was 500) the food was absolutely delicious and the portions were very generous. There is no English menu here, but the owner speaks English and is happy to translate and provide recommendations.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_4750\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-4750\" style=\"width: 225px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/pa040454.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-4750 size-medium\" title=\"Masara Izakaya InsideJapan Tours\" src=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/pa040454-225x300.jpg\" alt=\"Masara Izakaya InsideJapan Tours\" width=\"225\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/pa040454-225x300.jpg 225w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/pa040454-768x1024.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/pa040454-1200x1600.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/pa040454-720x960.jpg 720w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/pa040454-1440x1920.jpg 1440w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/pa040454-390x520.jpg 390w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/pa040454-780x1040.jpg 780w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/pa040454-900x1200.jpg 900w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 225px) 100vw, 225px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-4750\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Masara Izakaya<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>6. Makishi public market<\/p>\n<p>Unfortunately the Makishi public market was hamstrung by the typhoon weather whilst I was in Naha, so I&#8217;m hardly qualified to give advice in this instance. Nevertheless, I have it on good authority that it&#8217;s not to be missed if you&#8217;re after fresh seafood snacks, so I felt it&#8217;d be wrong not give it a mention!<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">DRINK<\/span><\/p>\n<p>7. Borrachos<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_4752\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-4752\" style=\"width: 300px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/pa040459.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-4752 size-medium\" title=\" Borrachos InsideJapan Tours\" src=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/pa040459-300x225.jpg\" alt=\" Borrachos InsideJapan Tours\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/pa040459-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/pa040459-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/pa040459-1200x900.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/pa040459-720x540.jpg 720w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/pa040459-1440x1080.jpg 1440w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/pa040459-390x293.jpg 390w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/pa040459-780x585.jpg 780w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/pa040459-900x675.jpg 900w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-4752\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Borrachos<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>This Mexican-themed bar is located in a side-street not far from Kokusai-dori, and serves awesome frozen Margaritas in giant, cactus-themed glasses. The decorations were fabulous, the staff very friendly, and although I didn&#8217;t have a chance to try the food it looked delicious. Cocktail prices ranged from around 450-700 yen each.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_4751\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-4751\" style=\"width: 300px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/pa040457.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-4751 size-medium\" title=\"Inside Borrachos InsideJapan Tours\" src=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/pa040457-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"Inside Borrachos InsideJapan Tours\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/pa040457-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/pa040457-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/pa040457-1200x900.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/pa040457-720x540.jpg 720w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/pa040457-1440x1080.jpg 1440w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/pa040457-390x293.jpg 390w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/pa040457-780x585.jpg 780w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/pa040457-900x675.jpg 900w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-4751\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Inside Borrachos<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>8. Dojo Bar<\/p>\n<p>Okinawa is the birthplace of Karate, and practitioners from far and wide come to the islands to seek tuition from the local masters. Many of these pilgrims also flock to Naha&#8217;s only Karate-themed bar, which was recommended to me by a co-worker here in Okinawa. The owner is an Englishman whose wife runs a traditional Okinawan sweet shop, and if you happen to drop by I can recommend the cheese crackers with candied melon &#8211; an unusual but delicious bar snack.<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">RIDE<\/span><\/p>\n<p>9. Yui Monorail<\/p>\n<p>Perhaps my favourite attraction in Naha was the Yui monorail, which operates just one line that runs from Naha airport to Shuri. Tickets are relatively expensive if you&#8217;re only travelling a short distance, but the price is worth it for the views of Naha each journey provides!<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_4754\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-4754\" style=\"width: 300px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/p9240010.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-4754 size-medium\" title=\"Yui Monorail InsideJapan Tours\" src=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/p9240010-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"Yui Monorail InsideJapan Tours\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/p9240010-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/p9240010-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/p9240010-1200x900.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/p9240010-720x540.jpg 720w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/p9240010-1440x1080.jpg 1440w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/p9240010-390x293.jpg 390w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/p9240010-780x585.jpg 780w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/p9240010-900x675.jpg 900w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-4754\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Yui Monorail InsideJapan Tours<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">DON&#8217;T VISIT<\/span><\/p>\n<p>10. Naha Beach<\/p>\n<p>Finally, I&#8217;ll leave you with one thing NOT to do in Naha: and that is visit Naha beach. Leafing through an Okinawa tourism booklet in my hostel, the beach looked beautiful and inviting. In real life, it is a very small stretch of sand with an ugly overpass obscuring any possible view out to sea. On an island famed for its beautiful beaches, I urge you not to waste your time on this one!<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_4753\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-4753\" style=\"width: 300px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/p9240116.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-4753 size-medium\" title=\"Naha Beach InsideJapan Tours\" src=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/p9240116.jpg?w=300\" alt=\"Naha Beach InsideJapan Tours\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/p9240116.jpg 2400w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/p9240116-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/p9240116-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/p9240116-1200x900.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/p9240116-720x540.jpg 720w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/p9240116-1440x1080.jpg 1440w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/p9240116-390x293.jpg 390w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/p9240116-780x585.jpg 780w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/p9240116-900x675.jpg 900w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-4753\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Naha Beach InsideJapan Tours<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h4>Like this post? Help us by sharing it!<\/h4><ul class=\"wpfai-list\"><li class=\"wpfai-list-item facebook\">\r\n      <a href=\"http:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidejapantours.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F4742&amp;t=\" title=\"Facebook\" class=\"wpfai-facebook wpfai-link wpfainw\">\r\n        <span class=\"fa-stack fa-lg\">\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-square fa-stack-2x\"><\/i>\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-facebook fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i>\r\n        <\/span>\r\n      <\/a>\r\n    <\/li><li class=\"wpfai-list-item twitter\">\r\n      <a href=\"http:\/\/twitter.com\/share?text=&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidejapantours.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F4742\" title=\"Twitter\" class=\"wpfai-twitter wpfai-link wpfainw\">\r\n        <span class=\"fa-stack fa-lg\">\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-square fa-stack-2x\"><\/i>\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-twitter fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i>\r\n        <\/span>\r\n      <\/a>\r\n    <\/li><li class=\"wpfai-list-item pinterest\">\r\n      <a href=\"http:\/\/pinterest.com\/pin\/create\/button\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidejapantours.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F4742&amp;description=&amp;media=\" title=\"Pinterest\" class=\"wpfai-pinterest wpfai-link wpfainw\">\r\n        <span class=\"fa-stack fa-lg\">\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-square fa-stack-2x\"><\/i>\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-pinterest fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i>\r\n        <\/span>\r\n      <\/a>\r\n    <\/li><li class=\"wpfai-list-item linkedin\">\r\n      <a href=\"http:\/\/linkedin.com\/shareArticle?mini=true&amp;url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidejapantours.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F4742&amp;title=\" title=\"Linked In\" class=\"wpfai-linkedin wpfai-link wpfainw\">\r\n        <span class=\"fa-stack fa-lg\">\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-square fa-stack-2x\"><\/i>\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-linkedin fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i>\r\n        <\/span>\r\n      <\/a>\r\n    <\/li><li class=\"wpfai-list-item envelope\">\r\n      <a href=\"mailto:?subject=&amp;body=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidejapantours.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F4742%20-%20\" title=\"E-Mail\" class=\"wpfai-envelope wpfai-link wpfainw\">\r\n        <span class=\"fa-stack fa-lg\">\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-square fa-stack-2x\"><\/i>\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-envelope fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i>\r\n        <\/span>\r\n      <\/a>\r\n    <\/li><li class=\"wpfai-list-item stumbleupon\">\r\n      <a href=\"http:\/\/www.stumbleupon.com\/submit?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidejapantours.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F4742\" title=\"Stumble Upon\" class=\"wpfai-stumbleupon wpfai-link wpfainw\">\r\n        <span class=\"fa-stack fa-lg\">\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-square fa-stack-2x\"><\/i>\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-stumbleupon fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i>\r\n        <\/span>\r\n      <\/a>\r\n    <\/li><li class=\"wpfai-list-item reddit\">\r\n      <a href=\"http:\/\/www.reddit.com\/submit?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidejapantours.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F4742\" title=\"Reddit\" class=\"wpfai-reddit wpfai-link wpfainw\">\r\n        <span class=\"fa-stack fa-lg\">\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-square fa-stack-2x\"><\/i>\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-reddit fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i>\r\n        <\/span>\r\n      <\/a>\r\n    <\/li><\/ul>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Like this post? Help us by sharing it! This week it was my intention to spend a couple of days on Zamami &#8211; a reputedly paradisic island to the west of Okinawa-Honto. Arriving in Naha after work on Thursday it quickly became apparent that my plans were going to be scuppered, and that all flights [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":54,"featured_media":8881,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_sitemap_exclude":false,"_sitemap_priority":"","_sitemap_frequency":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[2362],"tags":[1913,1957,2041,2440,2458,2459,2719],"class_list":["post-4742","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-places-and-where-to-stay-in-japan","tag-naha","tag-okinawa","tag-ryukyu","tag-shuri-castle","tag-dojo-bar","tag-birthplace-of-karate","tag-top-9-things-to-do"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4742","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/54"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4742"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4742\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":11402,"href":"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4742\/revisions\/11402"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/8881"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4742"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4742"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4742"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}