Okinawa was a bit of an interesting destination for me, mostly because I realized that my fear of renting cars in foreign countries held me back from seeing some of the best sights during my visit. Don’t get me wrong, Naha proper has plenty to do, plenty to see, and more than plenty to eat. But in retrospect I believe I made an error by not securing a method by which I could easily leave the city and explore the island a bit more in-depth.
Hindsight is always 20/20, so there isn’t much I can do about that trip now. That being said, I did enjoy myself in Naha and see a few interesting sights. Here’s a selection of some of my favorite photos from the few days I spent traipsing across the city:
A view of Naha from the ramparts of Shuri Castle.
The reconstructed Shuri Castle, a seat of political and religious life during the Ryukyuan era. The original was largely destroyed during the Battle of Okinawa toward the end of World War II. It was rebuilt using photographs, historical records, and memories from locals. It was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2000.
A closer look at the front entrance of Shuri Castle.
A woman demonstrates traditional Okinawan dance.
Traditional dress is displayed by two local women.
A view of Naha city from the elevated Yui monorail tracks.
The Fukushuen Gardens are a Chinese-style urban sanctuary built to commemorate the sister city status between Naha and Fuzhou, China.
A bonus video from Okinawa - a recording of some of the traditional dances being demonstrated at a locale festival.
