Walking Naha's Kokusai Street, Makishi Market, and Tsuboya pottery street

Plan shopping, food market visits, and pottery walks in Naha while checking Sunday Transit Mile hours, market cooking services, and Tsuboya Pottery Museum renovation closures.

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  • 沖繩
  • 那霸
  • Shopping
  • Food

For shopping, a food market, and a pottery district in central Naha, divide Kokusai Street (), First Makishi Public Market (), and Tsuboya Yachimun Street () into separate themes, then adjust their order around opening and closure arrangements. Based on official information checked on 29 October 2026, this article focuses on Sunday traffic restrictions, market cooking rules, and museum closures that may affect the itinerary. For other areas, see the Okinawa travel guide.

Key points

  • Official tourism information says part of Kokusai Street has a pedestrian-priority Transit Mile every Sunday from 12:00 to 18:00. It is cancelled in rain.
  • First Makishi Public Market’s published opening hours are 8:00 to 22:00, but individual shops may have different hours.
  • The market has closure days, including the fourth Sunday, so check arrangements for the day before planning food shopping or meals.
  • Selected ingredients purchased on the first floor can be cooked for a charge on the second floor. This does not apply to every product.
  • Naha Municipal Tsuboya Pottery Museum () is scheduled to close for construction from 1 September 2026 to 31 March 2027. Distinguish walking through Tsuboya from entering the museum.

Organizing the districts: Shopping, market, and pottery separately

The following compares activity types, not restaurant rankings or a fixed walking route. Visitors can adjust the time spent at each place based on shopping and dining preferences; every stop does not need to be treated as essential.

Trip theme Location Key facts confirmed officially What to check first
Shopping street Kokusai Street Transit Mile may operate on Sunday afternoons, but is cancelled in rain Whether the visit is on Sunday and whether the arrangement is operating that day
Market ingredients and cooking First Makishi Public Market Market hours, differences between shops, and paid cooking for selected ingredients Shop hours, closure days, and which items qualify for cooking
Pottery district walk Tsuboya Yachimun Street A district for a themed walking visit Plan separately from museum admission
Pottery museum Tsuboya Pottery Museum Construction-closure period has been announced Whether the visit falls within the closure and any updated notices

One flexible way to plan is to group Kokusai Street and the market as one central-city module and treat Tsuboya Yachimun Street as another walking theme. This is an editorial route-planning suggestion, not an officially published fixed sightseeing route. Check actual walking times and the situation of shops on the day separately.

Sundays on Kokusai Street: The pedestrian-priority arrangement

Official tourism information describes a Sunday “Transit Mile” pedestrian-priority arrangement on parts of Kokusai Street. It is limited to certain hours and affected by weather; it does not mean vehicles are banned all day along the entire street.

Situation Official description Planning implications
Sunday 12:00 to 18:00 Transit Mile on specified sections If interested in pedestrian-street activities, check whether it is taking place that day
Rain on Sunday Official information says it is cancelled in rain Do not assume pedestrian priority will definitely operate
Other dates or times No identical restriction is listed here Do not apply the special Sunday arrangement

If also taking a bus or taxi, check road restrictions and boarding points at the same time. See the Okinawa transport guide for travel routes and Naha Airport to the city for arrival arrangements.

First Makishi Public Market: Hours and paid cooking service

The market’s opening times and food service rules differ from simply browsing a street. Published hours apply to the market overall, while shops may have different hours and closing days.

Item Official information checked on 29 October 2026 Points to note
Published market hours 8:00 to 22:00 Not every shop necessarily remains open until 22:00
Closure days Including the fourth Sunday Confirm the actual date of the visit
Buying ingredients and having them cooked Selected seafood or meat purchased on the first floor can be cooked for a charge on the second floor Ingredients must comply with the market’s rules; cooking is not free

To use the cooking service, check first whether your ingredients are eligible, then ask the shop about cooking methods and charges. The market’s overall opening hours do not necessarily match all times during which the cooking service accepts orders. Do not infer cooking availability from the market’s closing time after arrival. Individual restaurants’ menu prices and ratings are not listed here.

Tsuboya Yachimun Street can be explored as a pottery-themed walking area. If entering the Tsuboya Pottery Museum is part of the plan, check its notices independently.

Planned activity Information available for planning What not to confuse
Walk around Tsuboya Yachimun Street The street is itself a themed district A museum closure does not mean the street cannot be walked
Enter the museum Construction closure scheduled 1 September 2026 to 31 March 2027 Do not plan museum admission during the closure

This closure has defined start and end dates. It is not a rule that the museum closes during the same season every year. If your visit is close to the announced end of the closure, check updated museum arrangements again.

A reminder

Traffic arrangements on Kokusai Street, Makishi Market opening and closure days, and museum construction progress may change. This article is based on official information from 29 October 2026. Check information for the actual day before travelling. For markets and shopping as one theme, see Okinawa shopping and souvenirs and Introduction to Okinawan food.

Further reading

Sources