Koza Gate Street

The US military set up Camp Koza here in 1945, and Koza grew around the bases into a town that served American personnel through the Vietnam War. Gate Street, once called Airport Street, still caters to that crowd, so many shops sign their names in both languages. Koza was also the scene of the Koza riot of 20 December 1970.

Okinawa City has produced many of the island's musicians, and Koza Music Town gathers part of that scene in one building on the street. Its third floor holds the Ongaku Ichiba live hall, and the lower floors mix a fried-chicken-and-waffle counter, a pizza place, a kebab stand, a Mexican cantina and a whiskey bar. Okinawa City's tourism association runs guided town walks called Koza Machimaai for anyone who wants the back streets explained.