17 Shrines in Okinawa worth your time

A historic shrine on Minamidaito Island dedicated to Amaterasu Omikami, featuring unique sumo matches and rare endemic wildlife species.

What it is

• A Shinto shrine dedicated to the sun goddess Amaterasu Omikami.
• Founded in 1900 by Tamaki Shokai in Minamidaito Village.
• A protected habitat for several endangered and endemic animal species.
• The site serves as a cultural hub for the local island settlements.

What to see

• A colony of endangered Daito Shirodamo trees within the grounds.
• Daito fruit bats and Daito scops owls inhabiting the shrine forest.
• Gonzo Pond located in the immediate vicinity of the shrine.
• Traditional Okinawan and Edo style sumo wrestling matches.
• Portable shrines and decorative floats during the annual festival.

When to go

• The annual festival held every year on September 22nd and 23rd.
• Nighttime for observing the local fruit bats and scops owls.

Read more about Daitō Shrine

Visit Okinawa's unique cave shrine, a sacred site with ancient artifacts and natural beauty.

What it is

• Okinawa's only shrine in Ginowan City.
• One of the Ryukyu Hachisha, a group of eight important shrines.
• Enshrines Ryukyu ancient Shinto gods and Kumano Gongen.

What to see

• A 280-meter long cave.
• An inner shrine located inside the cave.
• Artifacts from 3000 years ago excavated from the cave.
• Animal fossils from 20,000 years ago found in the cave.
• The Futenma pilgrimage route, a historic site.

When to go

• Inner shrine in the cave is open 10 AM to 5 PM.

Address

沖縄県宜野湾市普天間1-27-10 Map

Official site

futenmagu.or.jp

Read more about Futenma-gū

Okinawa Gokoku Shrine honors war dead from Okinawa and mainland Japan, a significant site for reflection.

What it is

• Independent shrine, not part of religious corporations.
• Founded in 1936 as a Shokonsha.
• Became Okinawa Gokoku Shrine on July 1, 1940.
• Enshrines 178,689 deities as of October 2005.

What to see

• Enshrines war dead from Okinawa Prefecture.
• Enshrines mainland Japanese who died in Battle of Okinawa.
• Enshrines civilian victims from Okinawa Prefecture.
• Current shrine building completed in October 1965.

Getting there

• Located in Onoyama Park in Naha City.

Official site

www.okinawa-gokoku.jp

Read more about Okinawa Gokoku Shrine

Southernmost Izumo Taisha branch, this shrine is known for love and easily accessible.

What it is

• Official branch of Izumo Taisha.
• Southernmost and westernmost Izumo Taisha branch in Japan.
• The name 'bunsha' is unique to this Okinawa branch.
• Known as a shrine for love.

What to see

• Main hall is surrounded by a concrete block wall.
• Main hall cannot be seen.
• Shrine does not have a torii gate.
• Chōzuya is under a gate-like enclosure.

Getting there

• 4-minute walk from Furujima Station.
• On the Okinawa Urban Monorail Line.

Address

沖縄県那覇市古島１丁目16-13 Map

Read more about Izumo Taisha Okinawa Bunsha

Yomochi Shrine honors three historical figures, offering a glimpse into Okinawa's pre-war spiritual landscape.

What it is

• A shrine founded in 1937.
• Dedicated to three individuals: Cai Wen, Noguni Sokkan, and Gima Shinjo.
• Its name means 'supporting a prosperous and peaceful era'.
• It was Okinawa's only prefectural shrine in 1939.

What to see

• The divine body is separate from the main building.
• The divine body is within Naminoue Shrine grounds.

When to go

• Annual festival is held on November 23rd.

Address

沖縄県那覇市奥武山町 Map

Read more about Yomochi Shrine

Naminoue Shrine is a significant Okinawan shrine with a scenic hilltop location overlooking Naha Port.

What it is

• One of the eight Ryukyu Hachisha shrines.
• Dedicated to Izanami-no-mikoto and two other deities.
• Worshipped as the general guardian of Okinawa.
• Designated as a Beppyo Jinja by Shinto Shrines Association.

What to see

• Main hall and shrine office, rebuilt in 1953.
• Worship hall, rebuilt in 1961.
• Hilltop location overlooking Naha Port.
• Naminoue area, a historical and scenic cultural property.

Address

沖縄県那覇市若狭一丁目25番11号 Map

Official site

naminouegu.jp

Read more about Naminoue Shrine

Oki-no-gū is a unique Okinawan shrine with a rich history and important deities.

What it is

• An independent shrine in Naha City, Okinawa Prefecture.
• One of the Ryukyu Hachi-sha, founded at Naha Wharf.
• Dedicated to Tenjukume Ryugu Oonkami and Tenryu Oonkami.
• Also enshrines Kumano Sanjin.

What to see

• Shrine building, rebuilt after war destruction.
• Located within Onoyama Park.

Getting there

• Located in the eastern part of Onoyama Park.

Address

沖縄県那覇市奥武山町44 Map

Official site

okinogu.or.jp

Read more about Oki-no-gū

Ameku-gū is a historic Shinto shrine in Naha, rebuilt after destruction, worth visiting for its resilience.

What it is

• A Shinto shrine in Naha City, Okinawa Prefecture.
• One of the Ryukyu Hachisha, government-recognized shrines.
• Founded between 1465 and 1487.
• Dedicated to Kumano Gongen and other deities.

What to see

• The current shrine building, constructed in 1972.

When to go

• A Houchinsai festival was held in 1972.

Address

沖縄県那覇市泊3丁目19-3 Map

Read more about Ameku-gū

Ishika Shrine is a small, historic Okinawan village shrine with unique concrete structures.

What it is

• A small forested area on Sesoko Island.
• Also known as Utaki Takisan, a place of worship.
• Built by villagers on July 28, 1928.

What to see

• A concrete shrine building.
• A torii gate at the western entrance.
• Nedokoro, a concrete structure with a gable roof.
• Kami-Asagi, with concrete pillars and a cement tile roof.

Address

沖縄県国頭郡本部町瀬底2261 Map

Read more about Ishika Shrine

Visit this historic Okinawan shrine, rebuilt after war, to see unique Ryukyuan religious heritage.

What it is

• One of the Eight Shrines of Ryukyu.
• The only Hachimangu among the Ryukyu Hachisha.
• Founded between 1457 and 1464.
• Dedicated to Emperor Ojin, Empress Jingu, and Tamayori-hime no Mikoto.

What to see

• The current shrine building, rebuilt in 1993.
• Shrine grounds, returned after Okinawa's 1972 reversion to Japan.

Read more about Asato Hachimangū

Sueyoshi-gū is a historic Ryukyuan shrine, worth visiting for its cultural significance and unique stone path.

What it is

• One of the Eight Shrines of Ryukyu.
• Founded during the Keitai era (1450-1457).
• Dedicated to Izanami-no-mikoto and other deities.
• Located in Sueyoshi Park, Naha City.

What to see

• The current main hall, restored in 1972.
• The historic stone path (Tōdō).
• The shrine site is a designated historic site.

Address

沖縄県那覇市首里末吉町1-8 Map

Read more about Sueyoshi-gū

Daitōgū is a Shinto shrine on Kitadaitōjima island, founded in 1903 and dedicated to Amaterasu Ōmikami.

What it is

• A Shinto shrine on Kitadaitōjima island.
• Dedicated to the deity Amaterasu Ōmikami.
• Founded in 1903 by Tamaki Shōkai.

When to go

• Annual festival on September 23rd.
• Festival features Okinawan and Edo sumo.
• Festival blends Hachijōjima and Okinawa cultures.

Address

沖縄県島尻郡北大東村字中野 Map

Read more about Daitōgū

Okinawa Shrine honors Ryukyuan kings and is built on the historic Shuri Castle site.

What it is

• Founded in 1925 on the site of Shuri Castle.
• Dedicated to Minamoto no Tametomo and Ryukyuan kings.
• Managed by Naminoue Shrine.
• Acquired religious corporation status in 1973.

What to see

• The main shrine building.
• Site of the former Shuri Castle main hall.

Address

沖縄県那覇市首里鳥堀町5 Map

Read more about Okinawa Shrine

Kin-gū Shrine is an ancient Okinawan shrine with a sacred cave, part of the Ryukyu Hachisha.

What it is

• One of the Eight Shrines of Ryukyu (Ryukyu Hachisha).
• Dedicated to Kumano Gongen and other deities.
• Established between 1527 and 1555.
• Built by Hisshu Shonin.

What to see

• A sacred cave on the shrine grounds.
• The original structure was small and ceramic.

Address

沖縄県国頭郡金武町金武222 Map

Read more about Kin-gū Shrine

Senkaku Shrine protects the Senkaku Islands and ships, a unique symbol of national resolve.

What it is

• Founded in 2000 to protect the Senkaku Islands.
• Prays for safety of ships in the East China Sea.
• Enshrines Amaterasu Omikami and Yamato Takeru no Mikoto.
• Relocated to Ishigaki Island in 2019.

What to see

• The repaired wooden祠 is housed in the Okumiya.

Address

沖縄県石垣市桴海大田273-170[1] Map

Official site

www.senkakujinja.jp

Read more about Senkaku Shrine

Japan's southernmost shrine, dedicated to local deities, rebuilt with unique materials.

What it is

• Japan's southernmost shrine.
• Dedicated to Kumano Sanjin.
• Dedicated to Toyomiyasanshin, three former Miyako rulers.
• Founded in 1925 as a town shrine.

What to see

• Main hall with a red tile roof.
• Main hall built with thousand-year-old wood from Laos.

Address

沖縄県宮古島市平良字西里5-1 Map

Official site

www.miyako-jinja.com

Read more about Miyako Shrine

Shikina-gū is a Shinto shrine in Naha, rebuilt after WWII, enshrining Kumano Gongen and other deities.

What it is

• A Shinto shrine in Naha City, Okinawa Prefecture.
• One of the Ryukyu Hachisha.
• Enshrines Kumano Gongen and other deities.
• Destroyed in the Battle of Okinawa, rebuilt in 1968.

What to see

• The shrine buildings.
• Statues of enshrined deities.

Address

沖縄県那覇市繁多川4-1-43[1] Map

Official site

sikinagu.com

Read more about Shikina-gū