Applications are now being accepted for the 24th Naha Marathon, scheduled to be held on Dec. 7. The course extends a full 42.195 kilometers, running through Naha and four other municipalities in southern okinawa. With 260,000 finishers since it was launched in 1985, the Naha Marathon is considered one of the best in Japan. Last [...]
Sakurazaka is one of the several local neonlit night life districts on okinawa where bars, clubs and eating establishments are abundant. It is located in Naha, and a part of it fronts Kokusai-dori from the Makishi Police Box to the Kokusai Shopping Center. Once the place for drinking, it has a history of its own.
In [...]
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 [...]
Kokusai-dori, the busiest street in Naha City, is a symbol of okinawafs recovery under U.S. military Government Rule.
It was once called a gMiraculous One Mileh, because the area was covered with damp soil and grew sweet potatoes. Many graves were also sighted in this area. After the end of the battle of okinawa, people gathered [...]
About halfway between the Tomari Bridge and the Asato intersection on Matayoshi Road in Naha, stands a formidable wall of stone with five entrance gates, the only remains of a sacred temple destroyed during the battle of okinawa. Sogen-ji was a temple where the ancient monarchs of the Ryukyu Kingdom prayed. Built about the time [...]
The Ryukyu Islands lie along the invisible line where the East China Sea and the Pacific Ocean overlap.
Historically, the Ryukyu Kingdom was located along the trade route that served Korea, Japan, China, and Southeast Asia, and because of this fact, there were many explorers, traders and missionaries who passed through or spent a period of [...]
During the battle of okinawa, the Japanese Armys 32nd Division commanded by Lt. Gen. Mitsuru Ushijima had the responsibility to defend okinawa. The headquarters were first located at the foot of Shuri Castle. These headquarters facilities were made possible by students from normal schools and junior high schools and residents of Shuri, who were gathered [...]
Anationally recognized scenic spot, Shikina-en, which was the garden owned by the Sho Family, descendants of the Ryukyuan kings, was recently donated to Naha City. The garden is located in Maji, Naha and is considered one of the most beautiful in the Ryukyuan style.
Shikina-en was the site of a secondary house for the kings family. [...]
On the southern hillside behind Shuri Castle lies Kinjo-cho, historically a castle adjunct area where high class samurai families resided. In this area previously called Kanagusuku-cho (same kanji, former pronunciation) one can find the Ishi-datami-michi, paved during the time of King Sho Shin in 1852.
In Japanese, eishif means stone, edatamif(etatamif) are the straw mats which [...]
The okinawa Prefectural Museum stands by Ryutan Pond. The museum is the center for preserving Ryukyuan cultural assets. The museum is surrounded by coral stone walls which have remained since 1870. Several parts of the wall were destroyed by bombs during the battle of okinawa.
The first prefectural museum opened in 1936 at the northern hall [...]