Shopping · Okinawa · Japan
Shopping in Okinawa
Shopping streets, markets and souvenirs worth the suitcase space.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: CEphoto, Uwe Aranas, CC BY-SA 3.0
Quick answer
Okinawa shopping is about crafts and food: pottery, Ryukyu glass, bingata textiles, beni-imo sweets and awamori, alongside big malls in Naha and the middle of the island. Best souvenirs: Yachimun pottery, Ryukyu glass and Shisa figurines.
Key facts
- Shopping areas
- 4
- Markets
- 2
- Top souvenir
- Yachimun pottery
Where to shop
Kokusai-dori and the market arcades
Souvenir shops, craft stores and the covered Heiwa-dori and Ichiba-hondori arcades.
Omoromachi, Naha
A newer district with large malls and the DFS T Galleria Okinawa.
Aeon Mall Okinawa Rycom
One of the island's largest malls, in the middle of the island near Kitanakagusuku.
Yachimun no Sato, Yomitan
Potters' village with workshops and shops selling directly from the kilns.
Markets
Daiichi Makishi Public Market
Naha's fish, meat and produce market with restaurants upstairs.
Sakaemachi Market
An old neighbourhood market near Asato station that turns into a cluster of tiny bars at night.
What to buy
Yachimun pottery
Thick, colourful Okinawan stoneware from Tsuboya and Yomitan workshops.
Ryukyu glass
Bubbled, brightly coloured glassware, a craft that began with recycled post-war bottles.
Shisa figurines
Pairs of lion-dog guardians, one with open mouth and one closed, to place by the door.
Beni-imo tarts and chinsukō
Purple sweet-potato tarts and shortbread-like chinsukō biscuits.
Awamori
Bottles of the island spirit, including aged kūsu, from local distilleries.
Bingata textiles
Brightly stencil-dyed fabric, sold as scarves, coasters and bags.
Streets and markets worth a wander
Street · Naha (Kokusai-dori)
Kokusai-dori
Naha's main street runs for about 1.6 km past souvenir shops, awamori bars, Okinawan restaurants and live-music venues.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Shopping
- Food
- After dark
- Free
Market · Naha (Kokusai-dori)
Daiichi Makishi Public Market
Naha's 'kitchen' reopened in a new building in 2023.
- Time needed
- 1–1.5 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Food
- Rainy day
- Shopping
Street · Naha (Kokusai-dori)
Tsuboya Yachimun Street
Since 1682, when the royal government gathered potters here, Tsuboya has been Naha's pottery district.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Shopping
- History
- Art
- Free
Neighbourhood · Chatan
Mihama American Village
A seafront shopping and dining complex built on reclaimed land, with brightly painted buildings, diners, bars and shops, a boardwalk and Sunset Beach next door.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Shopping
- After dark
- Couples
- Free
- Food
Food and drink to take home
Edible souvenirs travel best when they are dry or sealed: consider Sea grapes, Awamori, Orion beer and Sata andagi. Izakaya and seafood restaurants, and the Makishi public market. Check your home country's rules on bringing food and drink back.
Shopping by neighbourhood
| Area | Price level | Character |
|---|---|---|
| Naha (Kokusai-dori) | $$ | City base on the monorail with Kokusai-dori, the markets and late-night izakaya |
| Chatan | $$$ | Seafront mall district with American Village, sunset beaches and a seawall promenade |
| Onna | $$$$ | The main resort coast, with beachfront hotels, Cape Manzamo and dive sites |
| Okinawa City (Koza) | $ | Former base town of live-music bars, Gate 2 Street and Eisa drumming |
Paying and bargaining
Prices are in JPY. Tipping is not expected in Okinawa, as elsewhere in Japan. Resort hotels and some restaurants add a service charge.
- Eat lunch at shokudō canteens and soba shops, where set meals cost far less than resort restaurants.
- Supermarkets sell Okinawan snacks and awamori for much less than Kokusai-dori souvenir shops.
When to shop
Shops and markets are quietest in November–February; the busiest months are July–August.
- January: Motobu Yaedake and Nago cherry blossom festivals (usually late January to early February)
- September: Okinawa Zento Eisa Festival in Okinawa City (usually late summer, after the lunar Obon)
- October: Ryukyu Kingdom Festival / Shuri Castle Festival (usually autumn)
Staying near the shops
$$ · Best for first-timers, budget, food lovers, nightlife and shopping
Naha (Kokusai-dori)
City base on the monorail with Kokusai-dori, the markets and late-night izakaya
Questions travellers ask
+What should I buy in Okinawa?
Yachimun pottery, Ryukyu glass, Shisa figurines and Beni-imo tarts and chinsukō.
+Where is the best shopping in Okinawa?
Kokusai-dori and the market arcades: Souvenir shops, craft stores and the covered Heiwa-dori and Ichiba-hondori arcades.
+What are the best markets in Okinawa?
Daiichi Makishi Public Market and Sakaemachi Market.