Craft Beer Tourism in Japan- Ukishima Brewing, Naha City, Okinawa Prefecture

Kokusai Street, often considered the heart of Naha, is lined with souvenir shops, restaurants, and all kinds of businesses that attract a steady stream of visitors. As one of the city’s long-established entertainment districts, its mix of old and new buildings gives the area a sense of constant renewal.

About 500 meters from Makishi Station on the Yui Rail, you’ll find the entrance to Ichiba Hondori, a charming covered arcade just past the Mutsumibashi intersection on the left. This roofed shopping street is now filled with shops catering mainly to tourists, but combined with the nearby public market, it’s easy to imagine that this area once served as the city’s kitchen. Walk about 300 meters through the arcade, and just before the roofline ends, you’ll see a staircase on the left. Head up to the third floor, and you’ll arrive at Ukishima Brewing.

Ukishima Brewing
Address: 3-3-1 Makishi, Naha City, Okinawa
Mizukami Shopping District Building No. 2, 3rd Floor

As the name “Mizukami” (literally “over the water”) suggests, a river once flowed beneath this area. The arcade is lined with long, narrow buildings that show their age, most of them built with second floors. From street level, however, only up to the second floor is visible beneath the roof. On the second floor of the building that houses Ukishima Brewing, there was (as of May 2025) a photo studio where you could dress up in traditional Okinawan attire. Pass through, climb one more flight of stairs, and you’ll reach the brewery on the third floor.

Step through the ochre-colored door marked with Ukishima’s logo, and you’re instantly transported—not to tropical Okinawa, but to something that feels more like Brooklyn, New York. The interior is styled with an industrial design, and it’s hard not to get excited as you walk in. A spacious foyer greets you first, with a refrigerator selling craft beer to-go. Beyond another set of doors lies the dining area, with a counter bar taking center stage.

Since it was still early in the evening, only one other customer was inside. I grabbed a seat at the counter, where industrial-style beer taps ran across the bar like factory piping, with a neon sign glowing against the exposed brick wall behind them.

My choice for the evening: Ukishima IPA.

While the décor leans toward urban chic, the food menu highlights Okinawan ingredients. I ordered a platter of freshly caught sashimi, which made the perfect pairing with the beer.

Ukishima Brewing – A Starting Point for Craft Beer Tourism in Naha

Back on Kokusai Street, just behind the Royal Palm Hotel, Heavy Sasori Brewing had not yet begun operations as of May 2025 due to licensing procedures, but preparations seemed to be steadily moving forward.

Just a few minutes’ walk from there, at the entrance to Sakurazaka, you’ll find Sakurazaka Brewery along with a taproom where you can enjoy craft beer brewed on-site.