4 Best Sights in Okinawa, Japan

Don't leave Okinawa without hearing the unique sound of sanshin music made from the three-stringed, snakeskin-covered instrument native to Okinawa and the Amami Islands. And you shouldn't leave Naha without taking a peek into one of the most highly regarded sanshin-maker's shops in the country. Higa-san will give you a free lesson, and several ranks of beginner-oriented sets let you choose a good arrangement if you want to take one home. (Buy one made with fake snakeskin, as real snakeskin is illegal in many countries.) Chindami Sanshinten is on the side street off Kokusai-dori.

This kiln was started by a distant forebear of the current master, Takashi Kobashikawa, himself a government-designated Master of Traditional Crafts. Mugs and tankards are around ¥5,000, cup and saucer sets from around ¥6,500, and larger bowls and platters range from affordable to astronomical. Wrapping and domestic shipping services are available. From the Heiwa-dori arcade, head 200 yards until a small incline leads you up to the red-and-black sign.

Three covered shopping arcades run perpendicular to  Kokusai Street. The arcades still have many souvenir shops, but they're mixed with food vendors and more practical local stores selling vegetables, everyday clothes, and recycled items. Sample deep-fried doughnuts, leaf-wrapped mochi, and tropical fruit drinks on your way to the Kosetsu Ichiba Market, a five-minute walk from Kokusai Street. Passing between outdoor fruit stalls into an unassuming doorway leads you to a carnival of delightful and grotesque butcher counters, fishmongers, and pickle sellers. Pig faces stare ghoulishly down from racks displaying every other part of the animal (including some you likely never thought anyone could eat). Multicolor shellfish, neon eels, and giant crustaceans are so shockingly exotic they seem like they were pinched from the Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium.

Over 300 years of ceramic tradition are celebrated in this area just a five-minute walk from Kokusai Street. More than 20 workshops produce Okinawa's distinctive pottery, ranging from affordable souvenirs to special pieces for wealthy collectors. The famous Japanese potter Shoji Hamada came here in the 1920s and left with the inspiration for his notable works. The limited space and minimalist design of Japanese homes means that buyers are more likely to invest in a single exquisite piece, and this can be shown in the pricing. Some potters specialize in creating elegant cups and teapots for Japanese tea ceremonies, while others produce more functional coffee mugs. A couple of the workshops have the option for you to try throwing your own pots, which they will fire, glaze, and ship to you. If you're looking for active wood-fired kilns, also check out the Yomitan Pottery Village (Yachimun No Sato) in Central Okinawa Main Island.