View on JalanSharing Okinawa’s Charm with the World: “GAJUMARU,” a new hub for promoting Okinawa’s local resources and creative industries both domestically and internationally, will open at Naha Airport on Wednesday, August 6, 2025.
A pop-up event space featuring a rotating lineup of brands—from up-and-coming Okinawan artists to popular shops—that changes weekly. It showcases the hottest items from Okinawa, the ”Island of Craftsmanship.”
The Culture Palette Okinawa General Incorporated Association (Tomigusuku City; Co-Representatives: Koichi Kanae and Daiki Kurosu) will launch “GAJUMARU,” a new hub designed to showcase the appeal of more than 300 local businesses annually and deliver Okinawan products, crafts, and original goods produced by diverse local businesses and creators to customers across Japan and overseas. To this end, the organization will officially open “GAJUMARU,” a new hub showcasing the appeal of more than 300 Okinawan businesses annually, on August 6, 2025, at the Shuri Castle Reconstruction Support Plaza on the second floor of the Naha Airport International Passenger Terminal.
Background and Purpose of the Opening
Recognizing the current lack of sales channels for small and medium-sized businesses and creators in Okinawa to deliver their outstanding locally produced goods and crafts to domestic and international tourists, the General Incorporated Association Culture Palette Okinawa will open a sales outlet tailored to the airport area, where inbound demand is on the rise. The target audience consists of foreign and out-of-prefecture tourists visiting Naha Airport, specifically those seeking souvenirs and high-value-added Okinawan products.
Located within the Naha Airport International Passenger Terminal, this store serves as a “place of culture and discovery” where visitors can experience the “essence of Okinawa” at the beginning and end of their journeys, and aims to become a new hub connecting the region with the world.
Store Features and Services
1. A New Regional Brand Hub Originating at the Airport
Located permanently within Naha Airport, this pop-up event space allows visitors to experience the charm of Okinawa at the beginning and end of their journey. It showcases high-quality local products and creative goods to domestic and international audiences, thereby promoting tourism while expanding sales channels.
2. Support for Small and Medium-Sized Businesses and Creators
We promote businesses with unique skills and stories—from local specialties and crafts that make use of regional resources to soul food and fashion items—to audiences across Japan and overseas. We support their sustained growth through a three-pronged approach combining permanent retail, special events, and online sales.
3. Stimulating Inbound Demand Through Multilingual Support
Thanks to multilingual point-of-purchase (POP) materials and staff assistance, international tourists can shop with confidence. With test marketing capabilities focused on Asian markets such as Taiwan, we are expanding sales channels that connect the region with the world.
Exhibitors (Examples: Local businesses from within the prefecture take turns exhibiting each week)
HIGA
Clothes that let you be yourself no matter where you are
HIGA is an Okinawa-based clothing design brand that caters to today’s diverse lifestyles, offering clothing that allows people to “be themselves” without being constrained by location or environment. The brand combines sophisticated design with practicality, offering items that reflect the Okinawan sensibility.
YUIMARLU OKINAWA Strage&Lab.
Discover, Connect, Create. A place where Okinawa’s “best” items come together
YUIMARLU OKINAWA Storage & Lab. is a select shop featuring “fine products” for clothing, food, and daily living—all nurtured by the climate and culture of Okinawa and the Ryukyu Islands. We offer opportunities to discover items and experiences that add a little joy to your daily life and enrich your spirit.
Asani
Fragrant in the morning, melting away at night. Massage salt that brings me back to myself.
Natural Ingredients and Okinawan Salt Guide the Rhythm of Body and Mind
Asani is an aromatherapy and salt brand that uses naturally derived ingredients in all of its products. Its flagship product is a massage salt made with “Chatan Salt,” which has gained popularity as a self-care item for everyday use. We offer products designed to complement your lifestyle—with scents that gently awaken you in the morning and softly soothe the day’s fatigue at night.
atelier sou
Handcrafted jewelry made with "heart" to complement your "everyday life"
Quietly nestled at the southernmost tip of Itoman City on the main island of Okinawa, “atelier sou” is a studio and shop that creates and sells handcrafted jewelry made from brass and silver. Its appeal lies in designs that blend seamlessly into everyday life, serving as “accessories that grow with you” and develop a deeper character over time.
Seek a Seed
Jewelry that tells the story of the island—just for me
Handmade Accessories That Capture the Nature and Culture of Okinawa
SEEK A SEED is a handmade jewelry brand inspired by Okinawa’s climate, nature, and the culture rooted there. Through delicate silverwork, the brand captures fragments of nature found in everyday life—such as flowers, leaves, butterfly wings, and seeds. Each motif holds the memories and stories of the land, and a new story begins when the wearer puts it on.
citta Island Snacks
Foster a cycle of love with snacks that are gentle on the mind and body
Over 10 Years of Handcrafted Quality and Care
Based on the philosophy that “because we started making these for our own children, you can eat them with peace of mind,” these “island treats that gently comfort the heart” are baked using no eggs or dairy and only carefully selected ingredients. The gentle flavors of Okinawan ingredients and the warmth of handcrafted goodness bring smiles to the faces of parents and children alike.
Yoyo YOYO AN FACTORY
The Taste of Japan, Made in Okinawa.
Located in Kitanakagusuku Village in central Okinawa Island, “YOYO AN FACTORY” is a specialty shop for “wagashi” (traditional Japanese sweets)—a rarity in the prefecture. Established in the spring of Heisei 30, this small workshop embodies the desire to “be a gentle presence in people’s daily lives.” Freshly pounded mochi, freshly cooked red bean paste—while staying connected to Okinawa’s nature and people, the shop gently brings traditional Japanese flavors into modern lifestyles.
Information on the Opening Ceremony
We are planning to hold the opening ceremony on the date and time listed below. We would be delighted if members of the local community and the media could attend and cover the event, helping to spread the word about this regional brand initiative originating in Okinawa. Please note that a press area will be available on the day of the event; please speak to the staff at the venue reception desk.
Date and Time:Wednesday, August 6, 2025, 10:00–10:15
Location:"Shuri Castle Reconstruction Support Plaza" on the 2nd floor of the Naha Airport International Passenger Terminal
10:00 Opening Remarks and Project Overview / Daiki Kurosu, Representative Director, Culture Palette Okinawa (General Incorporated Association)
10:05 Guest Remarks / Mr. Yoshimi Teruya, President and CEO, Naha Airport Building Co., Ltd.
10:08 Jar-Placing Ceremony and Photo Session
10:15 Closing
*Please note that the program and list of speakers are subject to change. We appreciate your understanding.
*After the ceremony, we will be available for individual interviews.
Concurrent Event: “ART DISTRICT OKINAWA”
"ART DISTRICT OKINAWA" is an initiative that brings together artists and creators active in Okinawa Prefecture to promote art to a wider audience.
Launched in 2021, the event has attracted a total of 150 participating vendors to date. Held in conjunction with “GAJUMARU,” it aims to promote the development of local arts and culture and invigorate Okinawa’s art scene. This time, 15 vendors are scheduled to exhibit in the area adjacent to “GAJUMARU.”
Store Information
GAJUMARU
Wednesday, August 6, 2025, 10:15 a.m. (Opens)
Location: Naha Airport, International Passenger Terminal, 2nd Floor, Shuri Castle Reconstruction Support Plaza
Hours: 9:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. (Open year-round)
Phone: 090-9025-2909
Payment Methods: Cash (Japanese yen only), transit IC cards, various credit cards, and barcode payments
Social Media:https://www.instagram.com/gajumaru_okinawa/
WEB:https://gajumaru.okinawa.jp
Directions
It is located in the Shuri Castle Reconstruction Support Plaza in the international terminal area, past Security Checkpoint C in the domestic departures area on the 2nd floor of the airport.
It's located right in front of the gate entrance, so you can use it even if you don't have a boarding pass.
Company Name: Culture Palette Okinawa, General Incorporated Association
Headquarters Address: 110-8 Ganaha, Tomigusuku City, Okinawa Prefecture
Representative Directors: Koichi Kanee, Daiki Kurosu
Phone Number: 098-987-7666
Email: info@gajumaru.okinawa.jp
WEB:https://gajumaru.okinawa.jp
