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Okinawa is Japan's southernmost prefecture, consisting of several islands. Its capital - Naha - is the largest city of the Okinawa Prefecture and the vital regional transportation hub to other parts of Okinawa, Japan, and Asia. Naha City consists of an urban area that serves as the cultural and economic capital of Okinawa. Although the city is small in size, it has the largest population in the prefecture of more than three hundred thousand people. Naha has long been one of the best places to visit in Japan for being home to significant world heritages and its aesthetic natural beauty. Taking tours from Naha Port to Okinawa Island is by far one of the most popular tours chosen by travelers worldwide to not only experience Naha but also discover the wonderful Okinawa Island. Particularly the Naha Okinawa Shore Excursions which promises to make your journey remarkable by offering cruises to Okinawa Island - the largest and most densely populated island in Okinawa Prefecture. Let’s join us to get to some of the most popular destinations with magnificent landscapes here.

Attractions in Naha-Okinawa Shore Excursions

International Street

International Street is Naha's main street stretching for about two kilometers through downtown Naha city. The street’s name is taken after the Ernie Pyle International Theater which was built on the road after the war. Visitors can find various shops and boutiques of all kinds such as food and snacks, hat, sunglasses, shisha, etc. Unique and interesting items can also be found here. Your shopping choices are unlimited once you get to the colorful Heiwadori, Mutsumidori and Ichiba Hondori shopping arcades around the intersection with Okieidori where are full of small booths and single shop owners. Visitors can wander all day long shopping in this bustling street or get by some bars, clubs as well as restaurants located right on the street.

Tamaudun Mausoleum

Tamaudun Mausoleum is one of the three royal mausoleums of the Ryukyu Kindom located in Shuri, Okinawa. It was built in 1501 and served as the mausoleum for the royal family of the Ryukyu Kingdom. This large stone-built mausoleum is also where the 2nd Sho dynasty is entombed and is only a few walks from the Shuri Castle. Its subtle design with three closed chambers from East to West makes it be inscribed as a National Important Cultural Property and National Historic Site. There is a small museum located in the basement of the reception building where visitors can see pictures and learn more about the history of the mausoleum.

Former Japanese Navy Underground Headquarters

Former Japanese Navy Underground Headquarters is a 450-meter tunnel complex used as an underground headquarters where 4000 men committed suicide or were killed during the Battle of Okinawa. It was established in 1944 and opened to the public in 1970. Visitors are allowed to wander through the maze of corridors, take a look at the leader's final words on the wall of his room, and observe the holes and scars in other walls from the grenade blasts that executed many of the men.

Himeyuri Monument

The Himeyuri Monument was built on April 7, 1946, in memory of a group of students and teachers from the Okinawa Daiichi Women’s Highschool who died under the American military attack in the battle of Okinawa. The monument establishment acts as a reminder of the horrible war in Okinawa. Many of the survivors helped build and continue to maintain the facilities. Visitors can see 211 names of the Himeyuri students on this monument and 16 of them are actually stored here. Every June 23rd, on which the fierce war ended, a number of people who survived from the war come here to pay a tribute to the victims.

Okinawa World

Okinawa World is located at the southern end of the main island representing traditional Okinawan culture. This is a large theme park consisting of three separate attractions which are Kingdom Village, Habu Center and Gyokusendo Cave.

Kingdom Village

Kingdom Village resembles an old Ryukyu village where various traditional Okinawan crafts such as weaving, dyeing, paper making, pottery, sugar cone are presented. Visitors can also observe interesting processes like the making of musical instruments or the newly-introduced glass blowing. Many of the workshops even offer hands-on experiences. Kingdom Village also gives tourists an opportunity to taste some of Okinawa’s delicious and distinctive cuisine.

Habu Museum Park

Habu Museum Park’s name is taken after the poisonous local snake in Okinawa. Habu Center consists of a snake museum, a small zoological garden with snakes exhibits and a snake show. Besides, visitors can gain knowledge about the ecology and history of some of Okinawa's local species of snakes and reptiles. Learning more about these animals will raise people awareness to better coexist with them. Especially, the daily Habu Encounter program is suitable for those who are brave enough to get a closer look. Visitors can also purchase some souvenirs throughout the park and dine in a specialize Okinawa cuisine restaurant.

Gyokusendo Cave

Gyokusendo Cave with an impressive length of five kilometers is the longest of the many caves in the south of Okinawa Island and the second longest cave in the entire country. But only 850 meters of the cave is open to the public. Formed around 300,000 years ago, the cave was not discovered by humans until 1967. Inside the cave, there are hundreds of thousands of spectacular stalactites and stalagmites. The route is a metal walkway with guardrails twisting and turning around leading to a cool and peaceful world. The pathway is quite narrow and slippy at some points but overall it is safe to take a look at many displays within the cave. There are also a few benches to sit on along the way, and an underground river running along the pathway.

Churaumi Aquarium

Churaumi Aquarium is one of the attractions in the Ocean Expo Park included in Okinawa shore excursions from Naha port. It used to be regarded as the largest aquarium in the world welcoming millions of visitors. Now it is still among one of the best aquariums in Japan. The aquarium consists of four floors with tanks containing various species such as deep-sea creatures, sharks, coral, and tropical fish. The impressive Kuroshio Tank is the highlight of the whole aquarium as one of the largest in the world. Visitors will have the chance to observe a wide variety of species, especially the giant whale sharks and manta rays.

Famous World Heritages In Naha

Tours from Naha Port to Okinawa Island cannot be completed without heading to visit two renowned attractions in Naha that inscribed as world heritage. This is undoubtedly a priceless experience and one of the highlights included in Naha Okinawa Shore Excursions.

Shuri Castle

For centuries, Shuri Castle served as the administrative center and residence of the Ryukyu kings until Okinawa became a Japanese prefecture in 1879. The castle was designated as the 11th UNESCO World Heritage for its unique design and historical worth. Back in the past, during the Battle of Okinawa, it went through severe damage but later re-purposed as a university campus. The buildings that visitors can see nowadays are appealing reconstructions dating from 1992. To get to the main hall or the central buildings, visitors will have to go through multiple gates which often called Shureimon Gate. On the hilltop of the castle, visitors can enjoy a panoramic view over Naha along the way.

Shikinaen Garden

Shikinaen Garden is situated on a small hill to the south of Shuri Castle in Naha, Okinawa. It was built with the aim of entertaining the envoys of the Chinese Emperors in 1799. Like other attractions in Okinawa, Shikinaen once destroyed in the Battle of Okinawa and has been restored later. Regarded as the second residence of the Ryukyu kings, Shikinaen Garden was added to the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in the year of 2000 for its beautiful wooden palace buildings with unique Okinawan style, red tile roofs, and a magnificent Japanese style landscape garden.