# Shikina-en Garden, Okinawa > Shikina-en is the Ryukyu kings' country residence in Naha, with a late-18th-century stroll garden and UNESCO status. Around the pond are stone arch bridges, a hexagonal pavilion and a red-tiled villa. Entry is about ¥400. It's closed on Wednesdays and opens roughly 9:00–17:30, until 18:00 in summer. It's 10 minutes by taxi from Kokusai-dori. Web page: https://yesgo.io/japan/okinawa/shikinaen - City: [Okinawa](https://yesgo.io/japan/okinawa), Japan - YesGo score: 35/100 (Yes, if nearby) - Time on site: 45 min - With kids: Fine with kids - Entry: About ¥400; children about ¥200 - Hours: Roughly 9:00–17:30, to 18:00 in summer - Closed: Wednesday (Thursday if a holiday) - Highlights: Pond, arch bridges, villa, pavilion - Time needed: 45 minutes to an hour - Getting there: Taxi 10 minutes from Kokusai-dori, or bus to Shikinaen-mae - Coordinates: 26.20417, 127.71528 - Facts checked: 09.11.2026 ## Key facts - **1799** — the year the garden was laid out (source: en.wikipedia) - **Ryukyu** — the royal family's country residence (source: en.wikipedia) - **2000** — the year it joined the UNESCO site (source: en.wikipedia) - **Chinese envoys** — were received at the villa (source: en.wikipedia) - **Rokkakudo** — a hexagonal pavilion on an islet (source: en.wikipedia) - **Stone bridges** — in Chinese style across the pond (source: en.wikipedia) - **≈ ¥400** — adult entry (source: travel guides) - **Wednesday** — closing day (source: travel guides) ## What is Shikina-en Garden? **Shikina-en** is the country residence of the **Ryukyu** royal family in southern Naha. The garden was laid out in the late 18th century, around **1799**, and the kings came here to relax and received **envoys of the Chinese emperor** at the villa. In 2000 Shikina-en became part of a UNESCO site together with Shuri Castle. It's a **stroll garden** around a pond that blends Japanese and Chinese styles: the path loops round, revealing a new view at every turn. **Stone arch bridges** in Chinese style cross the pond, the hexagonal **Rokkakudo** pavilion stands on an islet, and a spacious **villa** under red tiles sits on the shore. > **Go inside the villa** You can walk through the wooden villa — take your shoes off at the entrance. Its rooms frame the garden's main view: the pond, bridges and pavilion as the kings and their guests saw them. It also shows how an Okinawan house was built for the heat: wide verandas, sliding walls and through-breezes. ## Tickets and hours According to guides, entry is **about ¥400** for adults and about ¥200 for children. The garden closes on **Wednesdays** (or the next day if Wednesday is a holiday). It opens roughly **9:00 to 18:00** from April to September and until **17:30** from October to March; last entry is 30 minutes before closing. We couldn't find an official 2026 schedule, and closing times differ by half an hour between sources, so check before you go. ## What to see - **The royal villa** under red tiles. - **Stone arch bridges** across the pond. - **The Rokkakudo pavilion** on its islet. - **The Ikutoku-sen spring** by the pond. - **The path round the pond** and its views. - **Tropical trees** and flowers in the garden. ## How to get to Shikina-en 1. **Taxi** — about 10 minutes from Kokusai-dori, 3 km. 2. **Bus** — routes 2, 3 or 5 to the Shikinaen-mae stop. 3. **From Shuri Castle** — about 10 minutes by taxi. 4. **From the airport** — about 20 minutes by taxi. 5. **On foot** — about 40 minutes uphill from central Naha. ## Shikina-en or Shukkei-en in Hiroshima | | Shikina-en | Shukkei-en | | --- | --- | --- | | Style | Ryukyu-Chinese | Japanese stroll garden | | Highlights | The villa and stone bridges | The pond and Koko-kyo bridge | | Entry | ≈ ¥400 | ¥350 | | Closed | Wednesday | Only late December | ## How long do you need? **45 minutes to an hour** is enough: walk round the pond, go into the villa, sit by the pavilion. It pairs easily with **Shuri Castle**, 10 minutes away by taxi, ending the day on Kokusai-dori. The garden is quiet and uncrowded — tour buses rarely come here, unlike Shuri Castle. It's hot in summer, but the trees give plenty of shade, and it's pleasant to sit by the pond. Compare Shikina-en with Japanese gardens: there are no austere dry compositions or Zen rocks here, but plenty of water, tropical trees and Chinese details — bridges, a pavilion, carved gates. This was the taste of the Ryukyu court, which was close to both China and Japan. ## Is Shikina-en worth visiting? Yes, if you're interested in Ryukyu culture: it's the kings' best-preserved garden and a calm break after busy Shuri Castle. The YesGo take: the garden is small, and without an interest in history it can seem like an ordinary park. A special trip is worth it only if you have more than one day in Naha. Don't come on a Wednesday — it's closed. ## Before you go: checklist - [ ] Not a Wednesday - [ ] About ¥400 for entry - [ ] Socks — the villa is shoes-off - [ ] Taxi from Kokusai-dori - [ ] Shuri Castle nearby ## Gardens and parks: compare and choose Gardens and natural sights rated by YesGo. - [Shikina-en Garden](https://yesgo.io/japan/okinawa/shikinaen) — YesGo score 35/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 45 min · ≈ ¥400 - [Kouri Island](https://yesgo.io/japan/okinawa/kouri-island) — YesGo score 26/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 2 h · free; tower ≈ ¥1,000 - [Cape Manzamo](https://yesgo.io/japan/okinawa/cape-manzamo) — YesGo score 25/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 30 min · ≈ ¥100 - [Sefa-utaki](https://yesgo.io/japan/okinawa/sefa-utaki) — YesGo score 24/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · ¥300 - [Okinawa World](https://yesgo.io/japan/okinawa/okinawa-world) — YesGo score 22/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 2 h 30 min · ¥2,000 - [Churaumi Aquarium](https://yesgo.io/japan/okinawa/churaumi-aquarium) — YesGo score 20/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 2 h 30 min · ¥2,180 ## Naha in a day Shuri Castle and the Ukejo rite in the morning, the royal Shikina-en garden at midday, and Kokusai-dori and Makishi Market in the evening. Add them to your route — YesGo fits in the timing and transfers. 1. [Shuri Castle](https://yesgo.io/japan/okinawa/shuri-castle) — YesGo score 42/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 2 h · ¥400; from 23.11.2026 ¥1,000 2. [Shikina-en Garden](https://yesgo.io/japan/okinawa/shikinaen) — YesGo score 35/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 45 min · ≈ ¥400 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 Shikina-en is the royal garden in Naha, not Shuri Castle: they're separate UNESCO components 10 minutes apart. It's also written Shikinaen. ## Tips - Closed on Wednesdays. - Go inside the royal villa. - The garden is quiet — few groups. - Taxi from Kokusai-dori — 10 minutes. - In the morning: [Shuri Castle](https://yesgo.io/japan/okinawa/shuri-castle). ## Questions ### How much is entry to Shikina-en? About ¥400 for adults and about ¥200 for children, according to guides. ### What are the opening hours? Roughly 9:00–17:30, until 18:00 from April to September. ### When is it closed? On Wednesdays (or the next day if a holiday). ### What is it? The Ryukyu kings' country residence and garden, a UNESCO site. ### How do I get there? About 10 minutes by taxi from Kokusai-dori, or a bus to Shikinaen-mae. ### How long do you need? 45 minutes to an hour. ### Can I go into the villa? Yes, with shoes off. ### What's nearby? Shuri Castle, 10 minutes by taxi. ## How we checked History, status and layout are from Wikipedia; we don't cover its destruction and restoration. Price, hours, closing day and access are from guides and marked 'being checked': sources disagree on closing time. Time needed is the YesGo estimate. ## Sources - English Wikipedia: Shikina-en — 1799, Ryukyu royal residence, UNESCO, Chinese envoys, pavilion and bridges - Travel guides — price, hours, closing day, access (unofficial; no official page found) - Wikidata Q3133545 — coordinates --- This is the Markdown version of a YesGo page for AI assistants. Quote the web page link above, not this file.