Naha (pop 300,000) is the bustling capital and transportation hub for Okinawa prefecture. It has a busy airport with flights from mainland Japan and Asia, plus is the ferry base for the region.

It’s easy to get around thanks to Yui Rail, an overhead monorail that links the airport, downtown Naha and Shuri.

There’s a very different vibe here compared with mainland cities. Many locals wear kariyushi (the Okinawan version of the Aloha shirt), things feel far more relaxed, there’s ever-present Okinawan island music, and there are lots of holiday-makers - including American military personnel taking time off-base.

Kokusai-dori, literally ‘International Street’, is the lively main drag, dotted with hotels, bars, restaurants and souvenir shops. Don’t miss the colourful off-shoot covered shopping arcades and definitely drop in to Okinawa’s Kitchen, the Makishi Public Market.