Japan (Lonely Planet, 11th Edition) - Chris Rowthorn [602]
Naha also has air connections with Kume-jima, Aka-jima, Miyako-jima Ishigaki-jima and Yoron-tō, among other Southwest Islands. See the relevant sections for details.
Ferry
Naha has regular ferry connections with ports in Honshū (Tokyo and Osaka/Kōbe) and Kyūshū (Kagoshima).
Maruei Ferry/A Line (in Naha 861-1886, in Tokyo 03-5643-6170; www.aline-ferry.com, in Japanese) operates four or five ferries a month running to/from Tokyo (¥24,500, 46 hours) and Osaka/Kobe (¥19,600, 42 hours), as well as daily ferries to/from Kagoshima (¥14,600, 25 hours).
There are three ports in Naha, and this can be confusing: Kagoshima/Amami-shotō ferries operate from Naha-kō (Naha Port); Tokyo/Osaka/Kōbe ferries operate from Naha Shin-kō; and Kume-jima and Kerama-shotō ferries operate from Tomari-kō (Tomari Port).
GETTING AROUND
The Yui-rail monorail is perfect for exploring Naha. The line runs from Naha International Airport in the south to Shuri in the north. Prices range from ¥200 to ¥290. Kenchō-mae station is at the western end of Kokusai-dōri, while Makishi station is at its eastern end.
Naha-kō is a 10-minute walk southwest from Asahibashi station, while Tomari-kō is a similar distance north from Miebashi station. Bus 101 from Naha bus terminal heads further north to Naha Shin-kō (20 minutes, hourly).
When riding on local town buses, simply dump ¥200 into the slot next to the driver as you enter. For longer trips, take a ticket showing your starting point as you board and pay the appropriate fare as you disembark. Buses run from Naha to destinations all over the island.
A rental car makes everything easier when exploring Okinawa-hontō (once you escape the traffic of Naha). There’s a rental-car counter in the arrivals hall of Naha International Airport, where staff can arrange for you to be taken to the offices of the main rental agencies. Normally, we like Toyota Rentacar, but its Naha office can be very crowded since it’s a favourite of domestic tourists. You’ll get more attentive service at Matsuda Rentacar (857-0802; 2-13-10 Akamine), which is near Akamine station and has a courtesy bus to/from the airport.
Southern Okinawa-hontō
During the closing days of the Battle of Okinawa, the southern part of Okinawa-hontō served as one of the last holdouts of the Japanese military and an evacuation point for wounded Japanese soldiers. Although southern Okinawa-hontō is now a residential area, there are some striking reminders of those terrible days. A visit to the area is highly recommended for those with an interest in the wartime history of Okinawa. The area can easily be visited as a day or half-day trip from Naha.
Okinawa’s most important war memorials are clustered in the Memorial Peace Park (dusk-dawn), located in the city of Itoman on the southern coast of the island. The centrepiece of the park is the Okinawa Prefectural Peace Memorial Museum (997-3844; admission ¥300; 9am-5pm, closed Mon), which focuses on the suffering of the Okinawan people during the invasion of the island and under the subsequent American occupation. The main exhibits are on the 2nd floor. The museum strives to present a balanced picture of the Pacific War and the history that led to the invasion, but there is plenty here to stir debate.
Outside the museum is the Cornerstone of Peace (dusk-dawn), which is inscribed with the names of everyone – foreign, Okinawan, Japanese, military and civilian – who died in the Battle of Okinawa. To reach the park, take bus 89 from Naha bus terminal to the Itoman bus terminal (¥500, one hour, every 20 minutes), then transfer to bus 82, which goes to Heiwa Kinen-kōen (¥400, 25 minutes, hourly).
An interesting stop en route to the Peace Park is the Himeyuri no Tō (Himeyuri Peace Museum; 997-2100; admission ¥300; 9am-5pm), located above a cave that served as an emergency field hospital during the closing days of the Battle of Okinawa. Here, 240 female high-school students were