[Kokusai Dori Shopping Street Travel Guide] Enjoy Okinawa Food, Shopping, and Culture!

Here’s how to get to Kokusai Dori Shopping Street from Naha Airport, Okinawa’s main gateway by air.
Take the Yui Rail monorail for Approx. 15 minutes to the nearest station, Kencho-mae Station. From there, it’s a 5-minute walk to the central area of Kokusai Dori.
Local buses also take Approx. 15 minutes, but service is limited, so the Yui Rail is recommended.

A specialty shop for sata andagi, a traditional Okinawan sweet. It’s tucked away in the nostalgic Heiwa Dori Shopping Arcade, just off Kokusai Dori in Naha.
They focus on ingredients, such as their original blend of multiple flours and fresh eggs, aiming for a simple yet deep flavor. There’s also a wide variety of flavors, including plain and brown sugar, plus original options like coconut and black sesame kinako.

A specialty shop for the local favorite “POTAMA,” a must-try when visiting Okinawa.
“POTAMA” refers to a “pork tamago onigiri”, rice sandwiched with pork luncheon meat and an omelet.
The juicy pork luncheon meat and fluffy egg pair perfectly with the rice, creating an irresistible burst of savory flavor.

Shima Shabu Shabu NAKAMA, a shabu-shabu restaurant facing Kokusai Dori, lets you fully enjoy Okinawa-grown ingredients like premium meats and island vegetables.
The signature dish is shabu-shabu dipped in a golden broth made from carefully selected katsuobushi (bonito flakes). A top recommendation is the Shima Shabu Full Enjoyment Course, which includes both of Okinawa’s two iconic ingredients: Ishigaki beef and Agu pork.

A small shaved-ice specialty shop tucked behind Kokusai Dori, right in the heart of Naha sightseeing.
The ice, shaved from Kumejima deep ocean water, has an exceptionally fluffy texture with plenty of air folded in.
It’s made in four layers: rich milk syrup made with generous amounts of milk from Okinawa’s EM Tamaki Farm, thick fruit puree with lots of fruit pieces, yogurt jelly flavored with an Okinawan lactic acid drink as a secret ingredient, and a separate serving of nuchima-su (sea salt) to bring out the sweetness, making it enjoyable down to the very last drop.

A major steak chain that started with its first location opening in Naha, Okinawa in 2015, and now operates 25 stores in Okinawa and 70 nationwide.
Their specialty is thick, satisfying beef, carefully prepped at each location and grilled on lava stone from Mt. Fuji.

An izakaya where you can enjoy live island folk songs with no live music charge and no table charge.
Live performances are held three times daily at 7pm, 8pm, and 9pm, and anyone can casually join in, making it perfect for creating Okinawa memories.
The food menu also features Okinawan specialties and local favorites loved for generations. Another highlight is being able to enjoy both of Okinawa’s two major brand meats: Agu pork and Ishigaki beef.

An Okinawan ice cream maker founded in 1948. What makes Blue Seal ice cream stand out is its Okinawa-inspired flavors, including beni-imo (purple sweet potato), shikuwasa citrus, and salt chinsuko.
Of course, there are also classic and limited-time flavors, and the Kokusai Dori lineup features at least 20 varieties at all times. Its rich yet refreshing taste, crafted for Okinawa’s hot and humid climate, is also well-loved.

Shop Naha is a souvenir shop on the first floor of the cultural experience facility Tenbusu Naha.
It offers a large selection of carefully chosen souvenirs not only from Naha, but also from Okinawa’s main island and remote islands.
In addition to traditional Okinawan awamori and sweets made with beni-imo, you can also buy goods made at local workshops.
Since there’s a tourist information center next door, it’s easy to stop by while you’re there.

Free Zone is located a 2-minute walk from Makishi Station on the Yui Rail.
Along with sweets like chinsuko, a traditional Okinawan confection, it offers a wide variety of items including local liquor and health foods.
You can also buy bags and wallets made with minsa, a traditional Okinawan textile.

SuiSavon -Shuri Soap-, an Okinawa-born skincare brand, operates 27 stores nationwide, mainly in Okinawa, and the green Gallery Shop is one of them.
To help you feel Okinawa’s nature, the shop carries a variety of skincare products based on Okinawan plants and fruits.
If you buy items like soap and hand cream for daily care, using them at home will likely bring back memories of your Okinawa trip.

Okashigoten Kokusai Dori Matsuo Branch features an exterior and interior inspired by Shurijo Castle, a historic Okinawan landmark.
From their beni-imo tart made at their own factory to Okinawan sweets, Ryukyu glass, and awamori, the shop carries many classic and popular souvenirs.
You can buy sweets not only in sets but also individually, making it easy to do taste comparisons or pick up a variety as gifts.
You can also view the beni-imo tart production line inside the shop.
There’s also a cafe on the second floor where you can enjoy a wide range of Okinawan dishes and sweets.

The Kokusai Dori branch of Mango House, a specialty store for kariyushi wear with multiple locations in Okinawa’s popular tourist areas.
Kariyushi wear refers to short-sleeve shirts widely worn in Okinawa as light summer attire.
They’re known for designs inspired by Okinawan traditional culture and nature.
All kariyushi wear sold at Mango House is original.
You’ll find a wide range of designs and sizes, including shisa motifs, pineapple patterns, and Yanbaru kuina patterns.

The Naha City Tourist Information Center is located an Approx. 5-minute walk from Makishi Station on the Yui Rail.
Inside, you’ll find plenty of pamphlets, guidebooks, and event flyers for sightseeing spots in Naha and across Okinawa Prefecture.
At the information counter, travelers can get recommendations for restaurants serving Okinawan food and local cuisine, souvenir shops, accommodations, plus the latest news and seasonal event info.
Service is available in English, Chinese, and Korean, so international visitors can feel at ease.
There are also brochure racks organized by language, making it easy to collect information in multiple languages.

Located on the 5th floor of Don Quijote Kokusai Dori, Kokusai Dori Luggage Storage T membership LOUNGE can store not only shopping bags and backpacks, but also large items like suitcases and carry-on bags. It costs 500 yen per item per day.
You can store not only items purchased at Don Quijote Kokusai Dori, but also items bought at other shops.
Another plus is that you can call to check availability.
The facility also has Wi-Fi and spaces where you can charge your smartphone, so you can use it as a break spot as well.

A luxury hotel located an Approx. 8-minute walk from Makishi Station on the Yui Rail, a bit away from Kokusai Dori Shopping Street.
All 294 guest rooms are divided across two floors and eight types, so you can choose what suits your needs.
Another great point is that all rooms come with internet access, a coffee machine, and various amenities. Large windows offer panoramic views of Naha’s cityscape, and the view is excellent.
The hotel also has a lounge, bar, and restaurants. On the top floor, you can enjoy chef-crafted dishes and drinks while taking in the night view.

Hotel Gracery Naha is located an Approx. 5-minute walk from Kencho-mae Station on the Yui Rail.
A variety of room types are available, all featuring a clean, white-based interior design.
Rooms on the Comfort Floor come with upgraded beds and showerheads, offering an even more comfortable stay.
A concept room projects visuals inspired by Okinawa’s ocean on the wall, with underwater sounds and diver breathing synced to the video. It’s a great choice for staying with children or for a special occasion.
At the restaurant on the second floor, you can enjoy Okinawan dishes for breakfast in buffet style.

A city resort hotel in a prime location right in the middle of Kokusai Dori, Okinawa’s downtown area.
Within walking distance, you can reach various sightseeing spots, such as Makishi Public Market, known as Okinawa’s kitchen where Okinawan ingredients come together, and Tsuboya Yachimun Street, lined with pottery studios along a stone-paved road.
On-site facilities are also well-equipped, including the only above-ground pool on Kokusai Dori.

One of Okinawa’s largest Eisa festivals, “10,000 Eisa Dancers,” is held on Kokusai Dori Shopping Street on the first Sunday of August every year.
Eisa is one of Okinawa’s traditional performing arts, a dance that sends ancestors off to the afterlife.
Groups from across the prefecture gather to perform not only traditional Eisa, but also new styles of Eisa expressed with free creativity, as well as Eisa performed by children.
If your timing works out, be sure to join this event where you can see Okinawan traditional performing arts.

A citizen-participation traditional event held every October in central Naha City.
Its origins are said to date back to around 1450, and today it’s held as a two-part event: a flag procession on Kokusai Dori, and the Great Tug-of-War at the Kumoji intersection on National Route 58.
In the Great Tug-of-War that starts in the evening, the world’s largest straw rope, certified by Guinness World Records, appears.
The massive rope is newly handmade each year and weighs Approx. 40 tons in total, and teams split into east and west to pull against each other.
Visitors can also join on the day as pullers, and the sight of a huge crowd pulling in unison is breathtaking.

Yachimun is Okinawa’s unique pottery with a history of over 300 years dating back to the Ryukyu Kingdom era.
The history of Tsuboya, its famous production area, began in 1682, when the Ryukyu government consolidated pottery kilns scattered across the region into this area.
Along an Approx. 400 m street paved with Ryukyu limestone, you’ll find yachimun studios, shops, and galleries. As you stroll the old-town streetscape, you can experience the culture of Okinawan crafts.

Known as the kitchen of Uchinaanchu (Okinawan people), this market is filled with Okinawa-only ingredients, including colorful fish, island vegetables bursting with the energy of the earth, and many cuts of pork.
With ingredients you won’t usually find in everyday shopping, chatting with vendors can make Okinawa feel much closer.
Another highlight is a service called “mochiage,” where you can have the fish or meat you bought cooked at the second-floor dining area (cooking fee not included).

A yatai (food stall) village that opened on Kokusai Dori in 2015, now a must-stop for Okinawa sightseeing. With a collection of spots serving Okinawan dishes and creative cuisine made with local ingredients, it’s a popular place bustling day and night.
There are over 20 stalls. In addition to Okinawan food-focused stalls, many shops serve dishes made with locally sourced ingredients, such as sushi using fish like gurukun and irabucha, Agu pork gyoza, and Ishigaki beef steak.

An arcade shopping street that continues from beside Don Quijote Kokusai Dori on Kokusai Dori Shopping Street.
Approx. 60 shops line the street, and because there are many shops selling sweets and mochi used for special occasions, it was once also called “Sweets Street.”
Another feature is the mix of long-established shops loved by locals and souvenir shops for tourists.
There are also many specialty stores selling foods and goods you can only buy on Ichiba Hondori.
If you enter from Kokusai Dori, the street leads directly to Makishi Public Market at the other end, making it easy to include in your sightseeing plan.

Okinawa Heiwa Dori Shopping Street is an arcade street located one block off Okinawa’s main street, Kokusai Dori Shopping Street.
Its name comes from people’s wishes for peace and a movie theater called Heiwakan that once stood near the entrance.
The nostalgic street is lined with clothing stores, souvenir shops, and restaurants, and it’s lively with both locals and tourists.
Highlights include enjoying Okinawan food at long-established diners and browsing old-school variety shops, giving you a feel for local daily life.
It’s a spot where you can enjoy a more local side of Okinawa, different from Kokusai Dori Shopping Street.