What's Cool in Naha—Why the Okinawan Capital Should be on Your Radar

Courtesy of NÜCHI by WPÜ

At first glance, Naha, Okinawa, might appear a little ramshackle with its sprawling alleyways and arcades, but this is a part of the Okinawan capital’s charm—it’s a place where you can still feel the vibrancy of the local culture and people.

Recently, changes have seen Naha transforming. Trendy openings and redevelopments are modernizing culinary, entertainment, and accommodation options, elevating local Ryukyu culture, and sometimes mixing in a little elegance and just a touch of edginess. It all comes as the city gears up for a significant heritage event: restoration work on the iconic Shuri Castle—tragically destroyed in a fire in 2019—is finally set to be completed in fall 2026.

If you’re planning a trip to Okinawa this year, check out these Naha openings shaking up the cityscape.

Makishi Carnival | Courtesy of Phoebe Amoroso

Okinawa Blue | Courtesy of Phoebe Amoroso

Okinawa Blue rice whisky | Courtesy of Phoebe Amoroso

Part of a massive redevelopment project, Makishi Public Markets in central Naha has been renovated and reborn. The fresh-food market reopened in 2023 in a more modern and accessible building that feels far more spacious. The first floor remains dedicated to a vast array of fresh fish, which you can mochiage—buy and take upstairs to be cooked by restaurants on the second floor.

Just two minutes’ walk away, the building that formerly housed a clothing market now boasts an 18-tenant food complex. Makishi Carnival, which opened in October 2025, is designed for bar-hopping as a slightly more upmarket version of Naha’s senbero drinking culture—“getting drunk for 1,000 yen.” Sample classic Okinawan dishes like sesame tofu and goya chanpuru (bitter melon stir-fry), or tuck into grilled skewers, local burgers, and more. Round off with a drink at Okinawa Blue, a unique rice-whisky brand that ages traditional Okinawan liquor awamori in bourbon barrels. And, if you still want some of the city’s classic grunginess, the complex connects to alleyways filled with tiny watering holes for further exploration into the night.

Vinyl and Vibes: NÜCHI by WPÜ

Courtesy of NÜCHI by WPÜ

Just a couple of doors down from Makishi Carnival and part of the same redevelopment wave is NÜCHI by WPÜ. A stylish lounge and record bar, the atmosphere, drinks and service are simply pitch-perfect. The word “nuchi” means “life” in the Okinawan dialect, and everything from the spatial design (by the award-winning Shuntaro Yamaguchi Architects) to the menu is a tribute to its Okinawan setting. Cocktails are crafted from local ingredients like mugwort and brown sugar, and even the mocktails are thoughtfully designed—Nüchigusui (“life’s medicine”) combines mango, jasmine tea, and bitter melon to refreshing effect. A range of creative small plates also draws on local ingredients, including Okinawan pineapple pork, shikuwasa citrus, and texturally intriguing sea grapes. All of this is sonically seasoned with vinyl records played from the DJ booth over high-quality Tannoy speakers.

New Upscale Stay: Royal Park Hotel Iconic Naha

All-day dining | Courtesy of Royal Park Hotel Iconic Naha

Deluxe Twin room | Courtesy of Royal Park Hotel Iconic Naha

Iconic Suite | Courtesy of Royal Park Hotel Iconic Naha

The hotel terrace | Courtesy of Royal Park Hotel Iconic Naha

One of the latest additions in a wave of new Okinawa hotels, the Royal Park Hotel Iconic Naha opened its doors in January 2026, offering guests views over the city and the sea from its prime central location. The hotel positions itself as an urban oasis of calm, a place where you can relax yet easily walk to the bustling Kokusai-dori Street. Its seventh-floor outdoor terrace includes a pool and jet bath, and welcomes guests with a local gajumaru (banyan tree) that symbolizes an intention to plant roots on the island.

Design details at the entrance to the restaurants | Courtesy of The Royal Park Iconic Hotel Naha

This theme is evident throughout the hotel, which thoughtfully interweaves Okinawan craft and design. The building takes inspiration from local architectural techniques, and the rooms are furnished with creative flourishes by local artisans, from Yomitan ceramics to lampshades made of bashō, banana plant fiber paper. The Royal Park Iconic Hotel even received special permission to use fragments of kawara (roof tiles) from the rubble of Shuri Castle, which are subtly repurposed as a rust-red coating on a wall behind the reception desk.

Caffeinate Creatively: Rokkan Coffee

Rokkan Coffee Shuri | Phoebe Amorosa

Energizing the Okinawan coffee scene, Rokkan Coffee has opened three branches in Naha in the past few years. The team carefully sources beans from global producers and—unusually—from coffee farms in Okinawa, all of whom are defying the odds to cultivate the crop in an ill-suited climate and soil. The beans are then roasted in-house using unique recipes calibrated specifically to their qualities.

Rokkan’s Shuri Castle branch particularly emphasizes Ryukyu culture and crafts, incorporating local limestone in its walls and tatami-mat benches. Most striking is the espresso machine, decorated with a colorful dragon motif inspired by bingata, the traditional Okinawan stencil-dyeing technique—a custom design handpainted by bingata artist Yukinobu Chibana, who brings street and pop culture elements into his work.

Drinks, both espresso-based and drip, are served in cups by local ceramists. Expect creative options too, like “Foam Black,” a Ryukyu blend espresso with notes of tea, brown sugar, and caramel, expertly shaken with water to create a smooth mouthfeel. Best of all, you can leave the city with a taste of Okinawa fresh on the palate, with a new Rokkan airport outpost ready to caffeinate you pre-flight.

Courtesy of NÜCHI by WPÜ

Note:
The information in this article is accurate as of the date of publication.

We may earn an affiliate commission when you shop through links on our site.

Written By

Phoebe Amoroso

Phoebe is a food-obsessed multimedia journalist based in ..Read MoreTokyo. Her work ranges from destination guides to business podcasts, and has appeared in outlets including The Japan Times, Nikkei Asia, the South China Morning Post, Lonely Planet and the BBC. She can often be found drinking sake or running in the mountains, though usually not at the same time.

Read Less