Make Your Okinawa Sightseeing Even More Fun! How to Race Through the Island on a Street Kart
The moment I stepped off the plane at Naha Airport, that humid tropical air clung to my skin. I pulled out my phone and opened Instagram—my friends’ stories showed the familiar Taipei night skyline. But at that point, I had no idea the Okinawa trip ahead would be completely different from any sightseeing I’d done before.
Okinawa is so close to Taiwan that tons of people have been there, right? Churaumi Aquarium, Shuri Castle, Kokusai Street. The ultimate classics. But honestly, visiting the same places over and over starts feeling like “been there, done that.” That’s when I discovered the Street Kart experience. Riding through public roads in a tiny kart is, no exaggeration, incredibly exciting.
From Kokusai Street to Senagajima: The Rush of Racing Through the Wind
Street Kart Okinawa is located in Higashimachi, Naha City, easily accessible from Kokusai Street. The routes starting from here that take you around Okinawa’s classic tourist spots are seriously worth checking out. The moment you start the engine and your heart starts pounding—that feeling is something a regular rental car just can’t give you.
There’s a route that runs alongside the airport runway, and when a plane passes overhead, you can’t help but shout. I sent a video to my Taiwanese friends and got an instant reply: “Where is this?!” From the lively atmosphere of Kokusai Street, the scenery completely changes as you head toward Senagajima—the ocean breeze caresses your cheeks, and it’s pure paradise. By the way, Street Kart has no affiliation with Nintendo or the Mario Kart series, so don’t get confused there. They don’t provide any Mario Kart-related costumes.
Why Street Kart Stands Out
Why should you choose street karting for sightseeing in Okinawa? Let’s be real—you can visit the same spots by rental car or bus tour. But Street Kart offers something unique.
First, they have guides trained specifically for international tourists, which is a huge plus. Even if you’re worried about communicating in English, the staff provide solid support. Street Kart is the first karting operator in the industry to deploy guides trained for foreign drivers, having conducted over 150,000 tours with more than 1.34 million customers. Their average customer rating is 4.9/5.0, and the Okinawa location alone has over 6,360 reviews.
Booking is super easy too. You can choose from phone, WhatsApp, email, or contact form, and the booking team is available from 10 AM to 10 PM. You can check details at the reference site, but booking through the official site is smoothest. For driver’s license requirements, check the official Driver’s License page.
Also, the low vantage point is perfect for photography. The scenery seen from a position closer to the ground than regular cars is guaranteed to look amazing on Instagram. No wonder it gets shared so much on Xiaohongshu.
The Golden Route: Shuri Castle Area and Seaside Drive
For first-time Okinawa visitors, I recommend the route from the Shuri Castle area along the coast. The stone-paved streets of Shuri have a historical atmosphere that evokes the Ryukyu Kingdom era. The excitement of navigating narrow streets in a kart is something bus tours just can’t offer.
From there, head south past Onoyama Park toward Senagajima. Senagajima Umikaji Terrace has rows of white buildings with a Greek-island vibe—a type of location you won’t find in Taiwan. Going in the evening treats you to an amazing sunset, and if you want silhouette photos, timing it for dusk is the trick.
Quick Photography Tips
When taking photos of street karts, shooting from a low angle adds impact. Bump up the contrast a bit in VSCO and keep the saturation low for an incredibly stylish finish. Use hashtags like “#沖縄カート,” “#街道卡丁車,” and “#오키나와고카트” to reach audiences in Japanese, Chinese, and Korean-speaking communities.
Ready to Transform Your Okinawa Experience with Street Kart?
Even classic spots become completely different experiences just by changing how you travel. There’s a huge difference in how memories are imprinted—driving in an air-conditioned rental car versus racing in a kart while feeling the ocean breeze. For tourists from Asia, Okinawa is close and easy to visit, which is exactly why you want to find new ways to enjoy it each time.
Street Kart Okinawa is at 7-1 Higashimachi, Naha City, and you can reach them at +81-90-3322-3311. It’s definitely one of those must-try activities when visiting Japan, especially if you love sharing on social media or want to capture memories through photos and videos.
Booking is easy at kart.st. Weekends fill up fast, so aim for weekdays or check availability early. Two hours of feeling Okinawa’s blue skies, ocean, and island breeze with your whole body. Now I totally get why this gets shared so much on Xiaohongshu. Ready to enjoy your next Okinawa trip from a slightly different perspective?
Costume Notice
We do not offer rental of Nintendo or Mario Kart-related costumes. We only provide costumes that respect intellectual property rights.
