If you want to experience a lively side of the kinawan lifestyle, a good way to do it is to walk along Heiwa-dori (Peace Street). About one kilometer long, Heiwa-dori starts in front of the Mitsukoshi Department Store on Kokusai-dori and extends to Kainan-dori.

Its pedestrian traffic makes Heiwa-dori the busiest thoroughfare in okinawa Prefecture. Along the walkways are several public markets owned by Naha City where you can buy fresh and inexpensive food items for lunch or dinner. You can also buy clothes, toys, books, electronic goods and cosmetics. If you get tired, you can always stop at one of the many soba(noodle) shops and try a bowl of this delicious native food.

During the New Year and Obon (Lantern Festival) seasons, the street becomes even busier and noisier. At these times people come from all over okinawa, even from as far away as the outer islands of Miyako and Yaeyama, to sell their goods and wares which include meat, fish, vegetables and the sacred rice straw rope. These temporary merchants expect to make money quickly during these seasons.

Some people started their careers here as street merchants and later went on to become rich businessmen. Since the time immediately following the battle of okinawa, many hopeful men and women conducted business just by laying their goods on the street and sitting in a chair beside them.

This area used to be known as black market alley after the war, similar to those markets currently found in Southeast Asia. Now Heiwa-dori has developed into a market with a more modern atmosphere which never fails to attract visitors from mainland Japan and foreign countries.