Tsuboya Yachimun Street 340 Years of Okinawan Pottery.

Just Behind Kokusai Street, a Whole Different World.

Tsuboya Yachimun Street is a 400-meter stone-paved lane in the Tsuboya district of Naha. "Yachimun" means pottery in the Okinawan language. Walk about 10 minutes from the busy Kokusai Street and the atmosphere shifts completely. The souvenir shops give way to quiet workshops and galleries where potters are still making ceramics by hand. Most of our guests say the same thing: "I had no idea this was here."

The street dates back to 1682, when the Ryukyu Kingdom consolidated scattered pottery kilns into Tsuboya. It has been the center of Okinawan ceramics ever since. There are two main types of Tsuboya ware: Arayachi, unglazed stoneware traditionally used for awamori storage jars, and Joyachi, glazed and decorated pottery with fish and arabesque patterns that Okinawan families still use at their dinner tables. If you want to bring home one piece, a Joyachi bowl is a good choice.

The Minamigama (South Kiln) in Tsuboya. The only surviving Arayachi climbing kiln on the Okinawa main island, designated as a Naha City cultural property.

The Climbing Kiln and Museum What to See in Tsuboya

One of the highlights along the street is the Minamigama (South Kiln), the only remaining Arayachi climbing kiln on Okinawa's main island. It is a designated cultural property of Naha City. Built into a hillside, the kiln structure is right there in the open for you to see up close. It is no longer in use, but it tells the story of Tsuboya better than anything else in the area.

Near the entrance of the street, the Naha City Tsuboya Pottery Museum is worth a quick visit before you start walking. The exhibits cover the difference between Arayachi and Joyachi, and how trade with Southeast Asia and China shaped Okinawan ceramics over centuries. Admission is 350 yen. After seeing the museum, you will start noticing the differences between each workshop's style as you walk through the street.

The 400-meter stone-paved street lined with pottery workshops and galleries.

Buy handcrafted shisa and tableware directly from artisan workshops.

Tsuboya Walking Course with SUI TAXI

From Naha Airport to Tsuboya Yachimun Street, it is about 15 to 20 minutes by SUI TAXI. The street is walkable from Kokusai Street, but the narrow alleys around Tsuboya make driving and parking difficult. SUI TAXI drops you off right at the entrance and picks you up when you are done exploring.

A popular option is to combine Tsuboya with Kokusai Street, Naminoue Shrine, and Kinjo-cho Stone-Paved Road in a Naha City Course (3 to 4 hours). Any pottery or shisa you buy can be safely loaded into the Alphard's spacious cargo area. We keep packing materials in the car, so fragile items are well taken care of.

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