Mihama American Village
美浜アメリカンビレッジ
An American-themed shopping and entertainment district in Chatan Town built on reclaimed land, featuring a Ferris wheel, colorful cabins, burger joints and a sunset beach, offering a taste of Okinawa's U.S. military base culture.
Mihama American Village is located in the Mihama area of Chatan Town in central Okinawa Main Island. It was developed in 1998 on land reclaimed from a former U.S. military base that was returned. The Kadena and Futenma bases are nearby, so the shops, restaurants and streetscapes have a strong American flavor: colorful wooden houses, street graffiti, burger and steak restaurants, retro American clothing shops, and a cluster of buildings with changing lights at night. It is popular with young people for photos and nightlife. The main commercial streets are Depot Island and Dragon Palace, and nearby Sunset Beach offers views of the sunset over the west coast, with swimming in summer. Recommended food includes taco rice (a Mexican-style dish invented in Okinawa), Blue Seal ice cream (Okinawa's beloved local ice cream) and American-style brunch. American Village is free to enter, and its large parking lot is free too. Tip: arrive around 16:00, shop, watch the sunset at Sunset Beach, then return to the district for dinner and the lights; it is liveliest from 18:00 to 21:00. Getting there: about 40 minutes' drive from Naha. Buses 20, 28 or 120 stop at 'Gunbyōin-mae' or 'Kuwae,' followed by a 5 to 10 minute walk, and many west coast hotels offer shuttles. Note: there is no large duty-free shop here. On weekend nights many U.S. military personnel are around, so be careful in the bar area.
Opening hours
Shops approx. 10:00–22:00 (hours vary by shop)
Nearby sights
- Nakagusuku Castle Ruins
- Southeast Botanical Gardens
- Yachimun no Sato (Yomitan Pottery Village)
- Shuri Castle
- Shuri Kinjo-cho Stone-paved Road
- Okinawa Prefectural Museum & Art Museum
- Shikinaen Garden
- Kokusai Street