Catch a Ryukyu Golden Kings Game: Okinawa's Pro Basketball Team
Okinawa is basketball country, and the Ryukyu Golden Kings are its pride. Who they are, when they play, how to get tickets as a visitor, and where to eat in Koza before tip-off.
- Season
- October to May
- Playoffs
- May
- Tickets
- B.LEAGUE TICKET (account needed)
- Getting there
- Free shuttle bus (no game-day parking for general tickets)
You take your seat in Okinawa Suntory Arena, set up for a crowd of about 8,500 on basketball nights, and the court under the players lights up. This season the floor itself is an LED video screen: player introductions, timeouts and halftime shows play across it, in time with the arena's lights, sound and giant screens. The home team on that court is the Ryukyu Golden Kings (琉球ゴールデンキングス), the 2022-23 champions of Japan's B.LEAGUE. From the 2026-27 season they play in B.PREMIER, the league's new top division.
This guide covers when the Kings play, how a visitor buys tickets, how to reach the arena without a car, and where to eat in Koza before the game. You don't need to speak Japanese or know the players.
- Basketball and sports fans
- Travelers in Okinawa from October to May
- Military families and anyone looking for a big night out in central Okinawa
- 2022-23The season the Kings won the B.LEAGUE title
- About 8,500Spectators Okinawa Suntory Arena plans for at a basketball game
- 2021The year the arena opened
- Oct–MayRegular season, with the playoffs in May
As of October 2026, team official site and the sources listed at the end
When they play
If your trip falls between October and May, a home game is one of the best nights out on the island.
- Oct 2026The regular season is under way, with home games through the fall.
- Nov 4, 2026East Asia Super League (EASL) home game against Hong Kong.
- Mar 27, 2027The new SFO–Naha nonstop starts, during the last weeks of the regular season.
- May 2027Playoffs (the "Championship"). Home playoff games are the hottest ticket on the island.
As of October 2026, Ryukyu Golden Kings official site and United's announcement
In the 2026-27 season, home tip-offs on the team's schedule are 6:05 pm on weekends and 7:35 pm on weeknights, and East Asia Super League games can start at a different time (as of October 2026, official schedule). Times differ by game, so check each one on the official schedule. Some home dates this fall (upcoming games as of October 14, 2026, official schedule):
| Date (2026) | Opponent |
|---|---|
| Mon, Oct 19 | Shiga |
| Wed, Oct 21 | Altiri Chiba |
| Fri, Oct 23 | Gunma |
| Sat, Oct 31 & Sun, Nov 1 | SAN-EN |
| Wed, Nov 4 | EASL: vs. Hong Kong |
Always check the official schedule (Japanese) before you plan around a game. Flying in on the new nonstop? → SFO–Naha flight guide
How to get tickets as a visitor
Tickets are sold through B.LEAGUE TICKET, the league's official site, linked from each game on the team's website.
- Open the game on goldenkings.jp and follow the ticket link.
- Create a B.LEAGUE account. It's required. The site is mostly in Japanese, so your browser's translate function helps.
- Choose seats on the 3D seat map and pay by card.
Buy as soon as your dates are fixed, and buy only through B.LEAGUE TICKET (and its official resale, if offered).
Getting to the arena
The arena is in the Koza area of Okinawa City, in the middle of the main island. Don't plan to park there on game day: according to the team, parking at the venue is limited and can't be used by people who bought tickets through general sale. The team also asks fans not to park at nearby businesses or on the street (as of October 2026, team FAQ and ticket page).
First choice: the team's free shuttle bus
On home game days the Kings run a free shuttle bus into the arena area. The main line is the Koza route, which stops at three places:
- Koza Music Town, on the Route 330 side of the building
- BC Koza, the building with the Okinawa City Library
- Lev Okinawa Arena by Vessel Hotels, the hotel near the arena. The shuttle lets you off here, and you walk about 7 minutes to the arena.
After the game the order runs the other way: walk from the arena to the hotel stop, then the bus goes on to Koza Music Town and BC Koza. The team's 2026-27 ticket page also lists a Raikam route from AEON Mall Okinawa Rycom, a big shopping mall; on the team's access page, that route's details are given on each game's own page, so check the page for your game. You get to the mall on your own.
During the regular season, the team's access page says the shuttle starts running to the arena 2 hours 30 minutes before tip-off and keeps running until halftime, and the return buses run until one hour after the final buzzer. The team notes that routes and stops can change, and some games have had extra or cancelled routes, so look at the news on goldenkings.jp before game day (as of October 2026, team ticket and access pages).
Backup: local buses
If the shuttle doesn't fit your plans, regular buses also stop near the arena. The team names these stops:
- From Naha Bus Terminal: Okinawa-shi Undo Koen-mae or Dai-go Gate
- By express bus from the airport: Okinawa Minami IC (as of October 2026, team access page)
The route cards below show how to ride there by bus; fares and travel times appear on each card once we have checked them.
- StartAsahibashi / Naha Bus Terminal
Route 113 starts at Naha Airport and stops here on its way north. Which bay it uses at the terminal is not confirmed here; look for route 113 to Gushikawa.
- Bus 113 (Gushikawa Airport Line, toward Gushikawa Bus Terminal)Ryukyu Bus Kotsutime unconfirmed¥1,080
More about this ride
The bus runs on the expressway for part of the way. Ryukyu Bus Kotsu does not publish a timetable PDF, so the travel time and how often it runs are not confirmed here; check the operator's bus-location timetable before you go.
- Get offOkinawa-shi Undo Koen-mae (Okinawa City Sports Park)
- Change hereOkinawa-shi Undo Koen-mae
- Walkabout 5 min
More about this ride
About 5 minutes on foot, according to the Ryukyu Golden Kings access page. The team also names the Dai-go Gate stop for buses from Naha Bus Terminal; which routes stop there is not confirmed here.
- Get offOkinawa Suntory Arena
For reference only. Travel times depend on traffic, and routes and fares change. Check the operator's official site before you go (as of October 2026, official sites).
- StartDomestic Passenger Terminal stop
stop 2 (central and northern expressway buses), 1st floor; check the airport's bus stop map for its place
- Bus 111 or 117 (expressway bus)Ryukyu Bus Kotsu / Okinawa Bus / Naha Bus / Toyo Bus (joint)about 50 min¥1,200
More about this ride
About 45 to 52 minutes by the timetable. The bus goes by way of Naha Bus Terminal (Asahibashi), so if you are already in central Naha you can board it there instead (1,070 yen). Route 117 runs to the Churaumi Aquarium and 111 to Nago; either one stops at Okinawa-minami IC.
- Get offOkinawa-minami IC (expressway stop)
- Change hereOkinawa-minami IC
- Walkabout 7 min
More about this ride
About 7 minutes on foot, according to the Ryukyu Golden Kings access page.
- Get offOkinawa Suntory Arena
For reference only. Travel times depend on traffic, and routes and fares change. Check the operator's official site before you go (as of October 2026, official sites).
- StartKencho-mae (Prefectural Office) or Makishi Station
Kencho-mae Station is at the west end of Kokusai-dori and Makishi Station near the east end; use whichever is closer.
- MonorailYui Railabout 5 min¥250
More about this ride
2 minutes from Kencho-mae, 5 minutes from Makishi; 250 yen from either.
- Walktime unconfirmed
More about this ride
The bus terminal is next to Asahibashi Station; the walking time is not confirmed here.
- Get offNaha Bus Terminal
- Change hereAsahibashi / Naha Bus Terminal
Which bay route 113 uses at the terminal is not confirmed here; look for route 113 to Gushikawa.
- Bus 113 (Gushikawa Airport Line, toward Gushikawa Bus Terminal)Ryukyu Bus Kotsutime unconfirmed¥1,080
More about this ride
Ryukyu Bus Kotsu does not publish a timetable PDF, so the travel time is not confirmed here. Expressway buses 111 and 117 from the same terminal also stop at Okinawa-minami IC, about 7 minutes' walk from the arena (1,070 yen, about 35 to 42 minutes by the timetable).
- Get offOkinawa-shi Undo Koen-mae (Okinawa City Sports Park)
- Change hereOkinawa-shi Undo Koen-mae
- Walkabout 5 min
More about this ride
About 5 minutes on foot, according to the Ryukyu Golden Kings access page.
- Get offOkinawa Suntory Arena
For reference only. Travel times depend on traffic, and routes and fares change. Check the operator's official site before you go (as of October 2026, official sites).
- StartAmerican Village
Recommended from Chatan: no bus runs straight to the arena (site owner's experience, October 2026).
- Taxiabout 15 minfare unconfirmed
More about this ride
About 15 minutes by taxi (site owner's experience, October 2026); game-day traffic can add time, and the arena has no public parking (as of October 2026, official site). Fare unconfirmed. From other parts of the island, the Kings also run a free game-day shuttle from AEON Mall Okinawa Rycom (the Rycom route); the stop and times are on each game's official page, and after the game expect a wait before you can board the shuttle back (site owner's experience).
- Get offOkinawa Suntory Arena
For reference only. Travel times depend on traffic, and routes and fares change. Check the operator's official site before you go (as of October 2026, based on the site owner's own experience, not an official route).
Getting back after a night game
Tip-off times differ from game to game, so check your game on the official schedule. Based on our own experience, a weeknight game that starts at 7:35 pm can end after 10:00 pm. Before you go, check two things for your date: when the last return shuttle leaves (the team says about one hour after the game ends) and when the last bus back to your hotel leaves, on the bus company's official timetable. If the last bus leaves before the game is likely to end, plan another way back before you buy tickets.
- StartOkinawa Suntory Arena
- Walktime unconfirmed
More about this ride
The Ryukyu Golden Kings access page gives about 5 minutes on foot from this stop for the trip in. Where the stop for buses back toward Naha stands (it may be across the road) and how long the walk to it takes are not confirmed here.
- Get offOkinawa-shi Undo Koen-mae (stop for buses toward Naha)
- Change hereOkinawa-shi Undo Koen-mae
Take route 113 heading toward Naha Airport, not toward Gushikawa.
- Bus 113 (Gushikawa Airport Line, toward Naha Airport)Ryukyu Bus Kotsutime unconfirmed¥1,080
More about this ride
Game start times differ from game to game, and based on our own experience a night game (for example one starting at 7:35 pm) can end after 10:00 pm. Ryukyu Bus Kotsu does not publish a timetable PDF, so the travel time and the last bus are not confirmed here: check the last bus on the operator's official bus-location timetable for your game day before you go. Route 113 continues to Naha Airport. The expressway buses 111 and 117 from Okinawa-minami IC stop running toward Naha in the evening, before a night game ends (by the May 2026 timetable).
- Get offAsahibashi / Naha Bus Terminal
For reference only. Travel times depend on traffic, and routes and fares change. Check the operator's official site before you go (as of October 2026, official sites).
Game day
- LunchEat in Koza. TESIO is open 11:00–17:00 and closes before the game.
- AfternoonFind your shuttle pickup point on the official site.
- Before tip-offGet in early for warm-ups, entrance shows and the dance team.
- Around 6:05 pmUsual weekend tip-off (7:35 pm on weeknights).
As of October 2026, TESIO official site, team FAQ and official schedule
Before the game: eat in Koza
Koza grew up next to Kadena Air Base, and the mix of Okinawan and American culture shows in the food.
- TESIO (Chuo 1-chome, Okinawa City): a sausage and ham specialist known for its hot dogs and house-made sausages. Hours are 11:00–17:00, closed Mondays. It closes before an evening tip-off, so make it lunch on a game day (as of October 2026, official site).
Our full Koza guide is coming soon.
Tips for first-timers
- Wear gold. You'll blend right in.
- Arrive early for warm-ups, entrance shows and the dance team.
- Cheer along with the home crowd.
Who are the Golden Kings?
- League: B.PREMIER (West district), the new top division of Japan's B.LEAGUE from the 2026-27 season.
- Champions: won the B.LEAGUE title in the 2022-23 season and reached the finals again in 2023-24.
- Asia: the club also plays in the East Asia Super League (EASL) against teams from across the region.
- Home: Okinawa Suntory Arena in Okinawa City. It opened in 2021 and hosted FIBA Basketball World Cup games in 2023. The arena plans for about 8,500 spectators in its basketball layout, and about 10,000 in its largest layout, a center-stage concert (as of October 2026, official site).
The arena is a big part of the fun, with its big video screens and a loud, gold-clad crowd.
A court that lights up
From the 2026-27 season, the Kings play on a "VISION FLOOR": a FIBA-certified LED video floor, so the whole surface works as a video screen. The team says it is the first time in Asia a pro team has used an LED court at its home games through a whole season. You don't need to follow basketball to enjoy it. A Kings game is an easy, high-energy night out that fits into an evening of a beach vacation.
Sources
- Ryukyu Golden Kings official site (Japanese)
- Okinawa Arena — seating guide and planned capacity by layout (Japanese)
- Ryukyu Golden Kings FAQ (Japanese)
- Ryukyu Golden Kings — VISION FLOOR announcement, June 16, 2026 (Japanese)
- Okinawa Suntory naming rights for Okinawa Arena (Japanese)
- Ryukyu Golden Kings tickets (Japanese)
- Ryukyu Golden Kings — access to the arena (Japanese)
- Okinawa Arena — Koza Web
- TESIO official site (Japanese)
- B.LEAGUE — 2023-24 champion announcement, May 28, 2024 (Japanese)
- United Airlines — United Adds 10 International Cities for 2027 (Aug 25, 2026)
Corrections and updates
- 2026-10-22 — Changed the arena size from "about 10,000 seats" to the arena's official planned capacity: about 8,500 for basketball, about 10,000 for a center-stage concert
