Naha (那覇市) Naha, located on the southern part of the main island of Okinawa, is the capital city of Okinawa Prefecture. Naha has long been an important city in Okinawa. It was the capital of the Ryukyu Kingdom, an independent kingdom which ruled most of the Ryukyu Islands from the 14th century to the 19th century. Some of the most interesting areas of Naha date back to the Ryukyu Kingdom. Naha also has Okinawa's only train sytem, the Yui Rail (ゆいレール). This monorail system was opened in 2003 and provides a cost-efficient and reliable way to get around the city. The train system was built as a monorail because of crowding in the city - it is easier to build above than to try to redirect roads or relocate buildings. Due to such restrictions, it should be noted that some points of interest are a bit of a walk from the station. Shurijō (首里城)One of the most interesting places in Naha is Shurijō (首里城), the palace of the former Ryukyu Kingdom. The palace was almost completely destroyed during the war. The main gate, Shureimon (守礼門), and the current buildings were reconstructed on the original site. Shurijō, along with other gusuku and related sites, was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2000. Shurijō and the surrounding grounds (including a nice park with a pond) are part of the Shuri Castle Park. The area provides a very nice way to spend a good part of the day. There is also a visitors' center with a cafeteria if you would like to take a break. Shuri Castle Park is about a 15 minute walk from Shuri (首里) station on the Yui Rail. Gusuku (城)Gusuku is the Okinawan word for "castle" or "fortress." There are quite a few gusuku remains from the Ryukyu Kingdom scattered around the main island of Okinawa. Many of these gusuku were designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2000. Kokusai Dōri (国際通り)Kokusai Dōri, the main entertainment strip in Naha, has many restaurants as well as shopping centers and gift shops. There are also a lot of hotels located on or near Kokusai Dōri. © 2006-2011 Eli. All rights reserved. |