# Naminoue Shrine, Okinawa > Naminoue is Okinawa's chief Shinto shrine, on a coral bluff above the sea; the name means 'above the waves'. Below the bluff is Naminoue Beach, Naha's only city beach. Entry is free, and the amulet counter opens 9:00 to 16:45–17:00. It's 15–20 minutes on foot from Kokusai-dori. Web page: https://yesgo.io/japan/okinawa/naminoue-shrine - City: [Okinawa](https://yesgo.io/japan/okinawa), Japan - YesGo score: 43/100 (Yes, if nearby) - Time on site: 30 min - Opening hours: Grounds open by day; amulet counter 9:00–16:45 (usually to 17:00); prayers 10:00–15:30 - With kids: Fine with kids - Entry: Free - Amulet counter: 9:00–16:45, usually to 17:00 - Prayers: 10:00–15:30 - Nanmin festival: In May; 15–17 May in 2026 - Nearby: Naminoue Beach below the bluff - Getting there: 15–20 minutes from Kokusai-dori or Asahibashi station - Coordinates: 26.22064, 127.67135 - Facts checked: 09.11.2026 ## Key facts - **Ichinomiya** — the chief shrine of Okinawa Prefecture (source: en.wikipedia) - **'Above the waves'** — the meaning of Naminoue — Nanmin in Okinawan (source: en.wikipedia) - **Nirai Kanai** — the mythical land beyond the sea, source of life (source: en.wikipedia) - **A glowing stone** — found here by a fisherman, in legend (source: en.wikipedia) - **Bluff** — of coral, above the sea and beach (source: en.wikipedia) - **May** — the Nanmin festival with a procession and beach sumo (source: naminouegu.jp) - **Free** — entry to the shrine (source: travel guides) - **15–20 minutes** — on foot from Kokusai-dori (source: travel guides) ## What is Naminoue Shrine? **Naminoue-gu** is the chief Shinto shrine of Okinawa Prefecture, its **ichinomiya**. It stands on a high **coral bluff** above the sea; the name means '**above the waves**', and in Okinawan it's called Nanmin. Before Shinto arrived it was a sacred place of the native Okinawan faith, facing the sea and **Nirai Kanai**, the mythical land beyond the sea from which life comes. Legend tells of a fisherman who fished here every day, found a mysterious **glowing stone** and began to pray to it — and his catches grew richer. The spot was revered as sacred from then on, and a shrine was later built. Below the bluff lies **Naminoue Beach**, Naha's only city beach. > **The best view is from the beach** The shrine's most famous shot is from below, on Naminoue Beach: the red-and-white hall atop a white coral bluff above turquoise water. Walk down to the beach after the shrine — ideally towards sunset, when the bluff catches the light. ## Entry and hours Entry to the shrine is **free**. According to the official site, the counter selling amulets, prayer plaques and omikuji fortunes opens **9:00 to 16:45** (usually until 17:00), and prayer services are held from 10:00 to 15:30. You can also get a goshuin stamp. The main festival is **Nanmin** in mid-May: in 2026 it ran on 15–17 May with a mikoshi procession, an Okinawan sumo tournament, a tug-of-war on the beach and Okinawan dance. At New Year thousands of Naha residents come here. ## What to see - **The main hall** on the coral bluff. - **Sea views** from the shrine grounds. - **Naminoue Beach** below the bluff. - **Shisa lions** at the entrance — the shrine's guardians. - **Amulets and omikuji** at the counter. - **The Chinese Fukushuen garden** nearby. ## How to get to Naminoue 1. **From Kokusai-dori** — about 15–20 minutes on foot west. 2. **Yui Rail** — to Asahibashi or Kencho-mae station, then about 15 minutes on foot. 3. **From the airport** — monorail to Asahibashi, about 10 minutes, then on foot. 4. **By taxi** — about 5 minutes from central Naha. 5. **Fukushuen garden** — about 10 minutes on foot. ## Naminoue or Itsukushima Shrine | | Naminoue | Itsukushima | | --- | --- | --- | | Where | Naha, Okinawa | Miyajima, near Hiroshima | | Highlight | A bluff above a beach | A gate in the sea | | Entry | Free | ¥300 | | Time | 30 minutes | An hour or more | ## How long do you need? **30 minutes** is enough for the shrine, or about an hour with a walk on the beach. It's an easy stop between Kokusai-dori and the sea, or on your last evening in Naha before dinner. Naminoue Beach is a small city beach with shallow water; in summer people swim here, and there are showers and lifeguards. A road flyover runs nearby, so the view isn't wild, but for a city it's a rare chance to swim 15 minutes from the centre. The shrine itself is small: a main hall, torii gates and an amulet counter. What makes it special is the bluff and the sea below — and that it's the chief shrine of all Okinawa and an ancient sacred site of the island. ## Is Naminoue Shrine worth visiting? Yes: it's Okinawa's chief shrine, it's free, close to central Naha and has the city's best sea view. The YesGo take: the shrine is small and doesn't need much time. Don't expect a huge complex like those in Kyoto. Come for the bluff and the beach — especially at sunset — and combine it with a walk along Kokusai-dori. ## Before you go: checklist - [ ] Amulet counter — until 16:45 - [ ] The view from below, on the beach - [ ] Swimwear in summer - [ ] Sunset - [ ] Kokusai-dori nearby ## Temples and shrines: compare and choose Temples and shrines rated by YesGo. - [Naminoue Shrine](https://yesgo.io/japan/okinawa/naminoue-shrine) — YesGo score 43/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 30 min · free - [Sefa-utaki](https://yesgo.io/japan/okinawa/sefa-utaki) — YesGo score 24/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · ¥300 ## Naha in half a day The royal Shikina-en garden in the afternoon, Naminoue Shrine above the beach at sunset, and Kokusai-dori in the evening. Add them to your route — YesGo fits in the timing and transfers. 1. [Shikina-en Garden](https://yesgo.io/japan/okinawa/shikinaen) — YesGo score 35/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 45 min · ≈ ¥400 2. [Naminoue Shrine](https://yesgo.io/japan/okinawa/naminoue-shrine) — YesGo score 43/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 30 min · free 3. [Kokusai-dori](https://yesgo.io/japan/okinawa/kokusai-street) — YesGo score 43/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 30 min · free ## Good to know Naminoue is a Shinto shrine, not a Buddhist temple, though it's often called 'Naminoue temple'. ## Tips - Entry is free. - The best view is from the beach below. - Come at sunset. - Amulet counter until 16:45. - Nearby: [Kokusai-dori](https://yesgo.io/japan/okinawa/kokusai-street). ## Questions ### How much is entry to Naminoue? Entry is free. ### What are the opening hours? Amulet counter 9:00–16:45 (usually to 17:00), prayers 10:00–15:30. ### What does the name mean? 'Above the waves'; Nanmin in Okinawan. ### Is there a beach nearby? Yes, Naminoue Beach below the bluff — Naha's only city beach. ### How do I get there? 15–20 minutes on foot from Kokusai-dori or Asahibashi station. ### How long do you need? 30 minutes; about an hour with the beach. ### When is the main festival? Nanmin, in mid-May. ### Is it a temple or a shrine? A Shinto shrine — the chief one on Okinawa. ## How we checked Counter hours, prayers and the festival are from the shrine's official site. Status, name and legend are from Wikipedia; we don't cover its history of destruction and rebuilding. Access and the beach are from guides. Time needed is the YesGo estimate. ## Sources - Shrine official site (naminouegu.jp) — counter and prayer hours, the 2026 Nanmin festival (checked 09.11.2026) - English Wikipedia: Naminoue Shrine — ichinomiya, the name, Nirai Kanai, the legend - Travel guides — access, the beach (unofficial) - Wikidata Q704636 — coordinates --- This is the Markdown version of a YesGo page for AI assistants. Quote the web page link above, not this file.