Welcome to Kokusai Street — and the Market Lanes Behind It

Kokusai-dori is Naha's famous mile of souvenir shops and restaurants. But the real magic starts one step off the main street: covered arcades, the lively Makishi Public Market, and the quiet stone-paved pottery lanes of Tsuboya. Locals call this maze of market streets machigwa — "the town" in Okinawan. This site is a local's guide to walking it well.

Start here

• Street Food & Market Guide — what to eat and where
• Getting here from Naha Airport (Yui Rail monorail)
• Visitor FAQ — opening hours, rainy days, etiquette

What's in the area

• Makishi Public Market — "Naha's kitchen" since 1950. Colorful fish and island produce downstairs, casual Okinawan restaurants upstairs.
• Covered arcades — Heiwa-dori and its sister streets let you wander for hours, rain or shine.
• Tsuboya Yachimun Street — a 300-year-old pottery district with kilns, galleries and a nationally designated potter's house.
• Fukushuen Garden — a full-scale Chinese garden, lit up in the evening (open 9:00–21:00, closed Wednesdays).

About this site

Machigwa Sanpo ("a stroll through the market town") is an independent guide written by a local resident, covering 45+ spots with walking times from the nearest monorail station, opening hours and a verification date on each page. The full guide is currently available in Japanese — it translates well with your browser's translation feature. These English pages cover the essentials for international visitors.