Naha, the capital of Okinawa with over 300,000 people is the largest city in the entire prefecture. I spent several days in Naha and enjoyed tracking around and I was a little bit amazed. Modern buildings had packed of history and culture waiting to be discovered.
For example, kids playing on the park with old ruins in the outfield. Canals divided the city and provide a place to live for some friendly fish.
If you want to escape the never ending action of Naha, there are several quiet places hidden amongst the chaos like this park or this rooftop. This coastal city sits on the shadows of Shuri Castle which was home to the rulers of the Ryūkyū Kingdom until the 1870s. These renovated ruins are an important stock for learning about the history of the island.
Naha was flattened in World War II but has been rebuilt into an energetic city thus the cultural center of Southern Japan. To experience this energy, you should first had the Kokusai-dōri, the city’s main thero-fair, there are lots of places to eat, sleep, and have fun and that is a great starting point to see many of the city’s attractions.
While I'm there, I am each year. Just after Kokusai-dōri is Heiwa-dōri, a covered Shopping Arcade with an Asian flare and a fascinating fish market. If you can navigate the confusing mezzo shops at the Heiwa-dōri, you might find the two layer pottery village where art designs work on and sell the island’s traditional crafts.
The Monorail is opened in 2003 and this is a good way to get around Naha. It is a nice clean system and is easy to navigate with 15 stations along a single eight-mile line. There are several important historical sites that you should visit in Naha. Located high above the city, Shikinaen is a peaceful retreat. This garden was once used by the royals of W.Q. Family as a place to relax. Tamaudun is a 16th Century Mausoleum built to burry kings, queens and other royals of the day. Historically, the Ryūkyū Kingdom had closer ties to China than Japan. This relationship is celebrated at the—garden, a Chinese style garden with a pond that was built with materials and architectural styles from China.
After a long day of adventure, you can head to—beach to wind down. There’s a nice park to hang out in with this beach has one unique distinction. It lets you swim beneath the highway. Is this urban paradise a metaphor for life and a busy capital of Okinawa?
We’ll be discussing several of Naha’s destinations and more detailed future episodes. Until then, check out straightcompass.com, a travel adventure website for more videos about Okinawa and beyond. I'm James Nad. Thanks for watching. Goodbye!
Transcription by:
Scribe4you Transcription Services