Okinawa Hotel

Okinawa Hotel opened in 1941, Showa 16, as the first hotel on the island built for tourists. Naval bombardment destroyed it in the war, and it kept welcoming guests through the American administration that followed. Its 59 rooms sit in quiet Daido, seven minutes from Asato Station, ten from Kokusai-dori and six from the lanes of Sakaemachi market, where the izakaya fill up after dark. Guests can book Ryukyu costume sessions, Okinawan cooking classes, samurai dress-up or a tour of cultural properties.

The hotel has no pool. In February the draw is the neighbourhood, with Sakaemachi for dinner and Shuri a short ride up the hill. The front desk lends paid rental bicycles, a handy way to reach Tsuboya and the castle without a taxi.