Fukushu-en Garden is a beautiful Chinese-style garden in Naha, Okinawa, offering visitors a tranquil landscape filled with traditional Chinese architecture, stonework, water features, and lush plants. Stepping through its gates feels like entering another world, where the atmosphere and scenery are distinctly different from the surrounding city.
The garden was built in 1992 to commemorate the 70th anniversary of Naha’s incorporation as a city and the 10th anniversary of the friendship-city relationship between Naha and Fuzhou, China. It was created as a symbol of the long-standing cultural ties between the two cities.
Naha and Fuzhou established their friendship-city relationship in 1981. Ten years later, Fukushu-en was created in Naha as a symbol of this connection and a place where visitors could experience the culture and aesthetic traditions of Fuzhou.
Experts from Fuzhou were involved in the garden’s design and construction, helping create an authentic Chinese-style landscape in the heart of Okinawa. The garden therefore represents more than an attractive place to walk; it is also a visible expression of friendship and cultural exchange between Japan and China.
Fukushu-en incorporates elements of traditional gardens from southern China. Stone bridges, waterfalls, ponds, pavilions, bamboo groves, and carefully arranged plants are combined to create a landscape in which architecture and nature complement one another.
The garden also contains locations whose names are inspired by Chinese classical literature and poetry. These details add a deeper cultural dimension to a leisurely walk through the grounds.
At the center of the garden is a large pond that serves as one of its most distinctive features. The surface of the water reflects the surrounding buildings, bridges, rocks, and vegetation, creating constantly changing scenery as visitors move through the garden.
Near the entrance stands a traditional Chinese-style stone wall known as a shōheki. Such walls are an important element of traditional Chinese garden design and help create a sense of separation between the outside world and the peaceful landscape within.
Beyond the entrance, visitors encounter carefully arranged stonework and water features. Stone bridges cross the pond, while waterfalls introduce movement and sound to the otherwise tranquil surroundings.
Small open pavilions known as shia provide places to pause and appreciate the scenery. These structures, together with bamboo groves and other plants, create a series of different views throughout the garden.
Rather than presenting one large landscape from a single viewpoint, Fukushu-en is designed to reveal new scenery as visitors walk along its paths. A bridge, pavilion, rock formation, or glimpse of the pond may appear from each new angle.
Fukushu-en offers something different in every season. In spring, cherry and plum blossoms bring color to the garden, while the combination of flowers, traditional architecture, and water creates an especially picturesque atmosphere.
Summer brings lush greenery and the refreshing presence of the pond and waterfalls. The shaded areas and water features provide a peaceful escape from the heat of Naha.
In autumn, changing foliage adds warm colors to the garden, creating another distinctive landscape. During winter, the quieter atmosphere allows visitors to appreciate the garden’s architecture, stonework, and carefully designed spaces without the vibrant growth of the warmer months.
Fukushu-en also serves as a venue for cultural events throughout the year. Events introducing aspects of Chinese culture, as well as local traditional activities, give visitors opportunities to experience more than the garden’s physical beauty.
Special events held around important Chinese celebrations, including the Chinese New Year and Mid-Autumn Festival, are particularly meaningful as expressions of the friendship between Naha and Fuzhou.
One of Fukushu-en’s greatest advantages for travelers is its convenient location in Naha. Although it is close to the city center, the garden provides a peaceful environment where visitors can slow down and enjoy traditional landscape design.
Its combination of Chinese architecture, ponds, waterfalls, stone bridges, plants, and quiet walking paths makes it a refreshing stop for travelers exploring Naha’s historic and cultural attractions.
Okinawa is famous for its distinctive Ryukyuan culture, but its history has also been shaped by centuries of connections with neighboring regions of East Asia. Fukushu-en offers a glimpse into this international dimension of Okinawa’s cultural heritage.
Built to celebrate the friendship between Naha and Fuzhou, the garden combines authentic Chinese-inspired design with Okinawa’s subtropical environment. For visitors looking for a peaceful cultural experience away from the city’s busy streets, Fukushu-en is a beautiful place to explore.
A stroll through Fukushu-en is an opportunity to enjoy architecture, water, plants, history, and international friendship in one tranquil garden in the heart of Naha.
Lunch: 9:00-18:00
Evening hours: 18:00-21:00
Wednesdays (or the following day if Wednesday is a national holiday)
Lunch (9:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.)
Adults 200 yen
Child 100 yen
Evening (6:00pm-9:00pm)
Adults 300 yen
Child 150 yen
Admission is free for children under elementary school age.
*Adult admission fee for high school students and older.
15 minutes on foot from Naha Bus Terminal
10 min. walk from Kencho-mae Station