Yui Rail, an exciting city monorail in Okinawa. There’s more to it than just a transportation method!

The Yui Rail travels across 17km between Naha Airport Station and Tedako-Uranishi Station in 37 minutes and lets you avoid the congestion from traffic and road construction to get to your destination on time. The two-car monorail trains will change to three-car trains starting August 10, 2023. Even with the additional car, the Yui Rail trains are very compact in comparison to monorail trains in other areas, and the charming exterior has garnered many fans! Just one look at a train coming into the station, you also might become a fan. Despite its compact size, the Yui Rail trains run along tracks that are as high as a five-story building in some parts along the route.
The Yui Rail offers a view of Naha from above, something that you wouldn’t experience with other modes of transportation like rental cars and buses. The seats right up front, just behind the operator’s seat, offer an especially great view.

Each station has unique decorations, like glass art and shisa. Some art pieces are themed after traditional Okinawan events like eisa dance and dragon boat race. Others illustrate Shuri Castle and Okinawan ocean. Yui Rail uses Okinawan folk music for eki-melo, or jingle that plays upon the arrival of a monorail. Each station plays different folk music: Tsubokawa Station plays Toshin Doi, Asato Station plays Asadoya Yunta, and Gibo Station plays Bashofu. These are all well-known music in Okinawa that will make you want to sing along.

The 800yen one-day pass lets you ride the monorail as many times as you want within 24 hours after purchase. It’s perfect for Yui Rail tour. The standard monorail fee for an adult is between 230yen and 330yen, so purchasing a one-day pass is a better deal if you know you’re going to ride it more than 3-4 times in a day. Yui Rail one-day pass might benefit you in other ways as well; at some parks you may get a free drink or an entrance fee discount if you display your Yui Rail one-day pass, so you might wanna do a little research ahead of time.

OKICA can be used on both Yui Rail and local buses. Avoid the hassle of purchasing a ticket every time and just place your OKICA against a ticket machine. The Okinawan design on the card and the fact that it’s limited to Okinawa makes it a perfect travel memorabile. To purchase, go to a ticket machine or a ticket counter at a station. They are available at some convenience stores as well.

How many did you know? If you want to know more about Yui Rail, visit the Yui Rail Exhibition Hall, located a 10-minute walk from Naha Airport Station. You can see videos and exhibits that you can't usually see.

Moving on to the list of recommended tourist stops in Naha accessed by Yui Rail!

Souvenir shops and restaurants line up on this famous tourist destination. The station located at the entrance to Kokusai Dori is Kencho-mae Station. You won’t even have to deal with finding parking spots if you used Yui Rail.

It’s a 15-minute walk from Kencho-mae Station to Naminoue Beach, where you can swim and enjoy marine activities. Walk just 3 minutes from the beach and you’ll find Naminoue Shrine, which stands tall atop a bluff and looks out over the blue ocean. The paper fortunes are very popular and available in four languages.

Why not enjoy Okinawa night life to the fullest at Kokusai Dori Yataimura? It’s only a 4-minute walk from Makishi Station and is home to close to 20 different restaurants. Naturally, you’ll find Okinawan food as well as Japanese and Western cuisine. Stay out late with a wide variety of great food.

Yachimun is the Okinawan word for fired ceramics. Walk just 12 minutes from Makishi Station and you’ll find Tsuboya Yachimun Street. The street is home to everything from traditional style to modern pieces, so you’ll definitely find something that suits your tastes. Just walking along on this atmospheric street is quite pleasant.

Makishi Public Market is an 8-minute walk from Makishi Station. For many years, it’s been revered as Naha residents’ kitchen, and these days you will find it bustling with locals and tourists alike. There are cafeterias on the second floor that will cook up the ingredients you buy at the market—very popular because you get to taste the freshest ingredients!

It’s just a 15-minute walk from Shuri Station to the popular photo spot at Shureimon Gate, the entrance to Shuri Castle. If you hop on the monorail headed towards Shuri, the castle will appear to the right of the monorail. So take a seat on the left side if you want to see the castle straight ahead.

※In October 2019, Shuri Castle Main Shrine was burned down by fire. At present, the restoration site and process of the main hall, which is scheduled to be completed in 2026, are open to the public.

There’s more to Shuri than just Shuri Castle; it’s got cobblestone paths, cafés, restaurants, and fabric dyeing activities. There are enough things to do in Shuri that you could spend all day just in that area. All of these tourist spots are within a 20-minute walk from Shuri Station, so we recommend exploring on foot.

We recommend a hotel in Naha, which is conveniently accessible from the monorail station. From photogenic hotels that are perfect for girls' trips to hotels where you can spend your time on family trips. Choose your choice according to the scene and your preference!

How was it? On October 1, 2019, the new stations were Ishimine Station, Kyozuka Station, Urasoe Maeda Station, and Tedako Uranishi Station. Yui Rail has become even more convenient. Why don't you find the scenery from the train window, the art of each station, and the charm of Yui Rail such as OKICA, and enjoy sightseeing in Naha?

Post: September 2018 (updatedated July 2023)