Story Naha City
Exploring the best of Okinawa's Kokusai Street in Naha Published in 2021

Naha City

Exploring the best of Okinawa's Kokusai Street in Naha

 

9:00     Pork Tamago Onigiri Makishi Market

 

 

Savour the delicious Pork Tamago Onigiri which looks like a compacted-rice sandwich that's wrapped around a slice of SPAM and a tamagoyaki omelette. Pork Tamago Onigiri has gained popularity in recent years for its trendy Okinawan reinterpretation of a beloved Hawaiian-Japanese snack called Spam Musubi , which is sushi topped with a slice of SPAM.

 

 ↓ Walk, 1 min
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10:00     Makishi Public Market and Kokusaidori Street

 

 

Kokusai street is Naha's main street which is lined with all sorts of shops, restaurants, services, and even hotels. Venture off the street into various shopping arcades, including the Makishi Public Market for a local experience. The market is the city's main provider of fresh meat, fish, and produce, and the surrounding alleys feature stand-up shops where you can sample local delicacies such as the Goya Champuru.

 

 ↓ Taxi, 20 mins
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13:00     AJITOYA, Okinawa Brown Sugar Curry

 

 

Stop for lunch at AJITOYA, known for its Okinawan Brown Sugar Curry. Their bestseller is the Grilled Chicken curry which is the best combination of a silky spicy flourless roux and crispy, juicy and flavorful chicken. The curry is made with local ingredients such as Okinawan turmeric and brown sugar, making it a healthy yet richly flavoured dish. Alternatively, they also have stewed pork or chicken versions of the curry.

 

 ↓ Walk, 10 mins
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14:00     Shurijo Site

 

 

The UNESCO World Heritage Site-listed Shurijo Site is the emblem of Okinawa, as it represents a castle of the Ryukyu Kingdom which was a separate country until it became part of Japan in 1879. The date of its founding is unknown, but it is believed that the castle existed around the 1300s. It boasts a spacious courtyard and defensive walls, as well as an elaborately-decorated main hall, influenced by both Chinese and Japanese architecture. It is now in progress of getting rebuilt since the 2019 fire incident.

 

 ↓ Walk, 5 mins
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15:00     Zuisen Distillery

 

 

Okinawa has its own distinctive distilled spirit known as awamori, which is made from rice and contains about 30-40% alcohol. Awamori is typically served with water and ice. Founded over 130 years ago, Zuisen is a revered brand that specialises in kusu, a type of awamori that has been aged for at least 3 years, resulting in a smooth flavour and mellow sweetness. You can sample this special awamori at their distillery, where tours are also conducted.

 

 ↓ Taxi, 20 mins
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18:00     Waryu Sally

 

 

Try a new style of Okinawan cuisine in a restaurant that incorporates Western cooking methods using the best of local flavours. Their unique and ever-changing omakase menu draws out the full potential of Okinawan ingredients to create novel and delicate new dishes that you can fully enjoy when paired with sake. Waryu Sally offers both private seats as well as counter seats so you can see the creative process from the start till the end.

 

 

Published in 2021