Shuri Castle to Tamaudun, Naha: free self-guided walking tour
Quick answer. A free self-guided walking tour from Shuri Castle to Tamaudun in Naha: 3 stops, about 0.8 km, about 10 minutes of walking plus about 18 minutes of listening. Start at Shuri Castle, for some 450 years the royal seat of the Ryukyu Kingdom and the grandest of Okinawa’s gusuku, where the Main Hall is being rebuilt after the 2019 fire. Walk out to Shureimon, the vermilion gate from King Shō Sei’s reign whose plaque calls Ryukyu a land that values courtesy; here the king met China’s envoys. Finish at Tamaudun, the stone tomb King Shō Shin built in 1501 for the Second Shō dynasty, shaped like a palace.
- Stops:
- 3
- Distance:
- about 0.8 km
- Walking:
- about 10 min
- Listening:
- about 18 min
Two ways to do this walk
Naha with Mappu
Walk Mode, in the free Mappu app
It knows where you are, tells you about everything you pass between the stops, answers your questions and keeps you on the route. Your phone stays in your pocket.
A 2-hour live walk, €4.99.
50 credits from the Starter pack. One-time purchase, no subscription.
Self-guided audio walk. No guide accompanies you. Not affiliated with the sites.
Free: the audio guides
Listen to each stop’s audio guide in your browser and find your own way between the stops.
Walking directions in Google MapsShuri Castle to Tamaudun, Naha: how long does the walk take?
About 28 minutes in all: about 10 minutes on foot over about 0.8 km, plus about 18 minutes of audio at the 3 stops. Time inside the sites is extra.
Shuri Castle to Tamaudun, Naha: in what order should you visit the stops?
Follow the stops in this order: Shuri Castle, Shureimon, and Tamaudun. The longest stretch between two stops is about 0.5 km, about 6 min on foot.
Route and map
Indicative route. While you walk, watch where you're going, mind the traffic and follow local signs and rules. The map is an aid, not a safety guide. Terms
Follow Mappu’s map: the route runs along the streets from stop to stop, and the stories keep playing as you walk.
To get to the first stop, or if you’re far from the route, Google Maps has walking directions through every stop.
Stop 1
The hilltop gusuku that was the Ryukyu kings’ palace for some 450 years, a World Heritage site where you can watch the Main Hall being rebuilt.
about 7 min of audio
Next stop: Shureimon · about 0.3 km, about 4 min on foot
Stop 2
The vermilion gate whose plaque calls Ryukyu a land that values courtesy, where the king welcomed China’s envoys; rebuilt in 1958 after the Battle of Okinawa.
about 5 min of audio
Next stop: Tamaudun · about 0.5 km, about 6 min on foot
Stop 3
The royal tomb of the Second Shō dynasty, built in 1501 by King Shō Shin, a stone copy of a wooden palace with three chambers and guardian lions.
about 6 min of audio
The stop stories are AI-generated audio guides and can contain mistakes. Check opening hours and tickets on the official sites.
Planning a trip to Naha?
Get your plan
Mappu sketches your days free in the chat, no account needed. Then take the full plan with you:
- Weekend trip, €9.99: Your day-by-day plan plus 2 live walks
- Save your trip’s free guides on your phone in the Mappu app: they play with no signal
Before you go
- Check opening hours, tickets and access on each site’s official page before you go.
- Distances and times are estimates: the walking route between stops, from OpenStreetMap, at 4.5 km/h. Your route on the street may differ.
Plan more days in Naha
These day-by-day Mappu itineraries include Naha. The day links open the days that visit stops on this walk.
Route checked by Mappu on November 3, 2026. Stop descriptions come from each place’s published Mappu audio guide. Mappu is a Fenutech product.