Explore Okinawa: Naha and Chatan
Naminoue Shrine
Naminoue Shrine is a Shito Shrine located on a cliff in Naha. We have seen a variety of shrines in Japan but never on an island. The shrine has one main hall and small structures around it. Naminoue Shrine was rebuilt in the 50s, because it was destroyed during the war. Because the shrine is located near the port ,it is used for people to pray for safe journeys, fish, and harvest. As we walked up to the shrine the area was a lot smaller than I imagined, although there were still plenty of people buzzing around.
We could only walk around it for about 10 minutes before we saw everything. The shrine is overlooking the beach and the ocean, and there is a highway overpass going next to it. We were able to walk on the sidewalk on the highway to see a better view. It is really beautifully located, especially when viewed from a distance. I don’t know why they chose to build a highway in front of a beautiful temple and beach, but at least it makes the view nice.
Fukushuen Garden
Near Naminoue Shrine is Fukushuen Garden. This garden is actually a Chinese garden as Naha, Japan and Fuzhou, China are sister cities. Lots of the wood and stone in the garden came from Fuzhou. It’s a small garden that has different paths you could go through. The garden had a similar feeling to Nan Lian Garden in Hong Kong, a quiet quaint garden surrounded by the city. We went up the Chinese-style pavilion, which had a wide open view of the garden. We were able to see the bridges, greenery, and feel the breeze from above, it was very relaxing on a hot day.
As we walked down, we went to the twin pagodas that resemble the ones in Fuzhou. The garden isn’t all that big, but it was super charming. It’s very close to Naminoue Shrine, making them great to do back-to-back. The best part of the garden is the amount of shade and cool breeze, saving us from the blistering hot late summer sun. I wouldn’t regard this as a must-do attraction in Okinawa, but if you’re staying in Naha it’s easy to find and worth a visit.
rokkan COFFEE CREATORS
Rokkan COFFEE CREATORS is a specialty coffee shop and roaster in Naha. They have two stores in Naha but we went to their main branch: Coffee Creators. One of the things that make this shop so special is that they roast Okinawan beans. Since there aren’t a lot of coffee plantations on the island, a cup can be quite expensive. The shop lighting is dim which brings out the ambiance of the room and can really focus on the calming environment.
Michael ordered a pour over and I got a real lemonade. In Korea, lemonade is usually sparkling water and lemon concentrate, so I was surprised to get a drink made with lemons. Michael rated this pour over a solid A, as there technique was exquisite. This coffee shop is also pet friendly and someone’s dog greeted us with the kindest smile.
Naha Kokusai Dori Shopping Street
Naha Kokusai Dori Shopping Street is the largest shopping district of Okinawa. It is a long street that is blocked off from cars, making it very pedestrian friendly. We started at the market which has huge covering to protect from the sun and lots of airflow which made it very cool. It got to the point of the day where we were avoiding the sun if we could. The market was lined with so many souvenirs stores, and the merchandise was a bit repetitive. It really reminded us of a similar market on Jeju Island in South Korea.
We don’t buy a lot of souvenirs when we travel, but we were on the hunt for a specific thing. A SPAM SHIRT! It is very touristy to wear a Spam, Orion Beer, or Blue Seal t-shirt, and we wanted to join the trend. What are we if we aren’t tourists. We also found another Okinawan cuisine: Chinsuko (salt cookies). As I tasted the cookies, I expected for it to be saltier than sweet, but it was really balanced. We both enjoyed them a lot more than we originally thought. After purchasing our items, we went outside to see what more the street offered. It had huge shops like Don Quiote, restaurants, and more even stores. Although it’s very large, it’s definitely a place where one visit is enough.
Morning Bowls
For lunch, we went to a Hawaiian restaurant, Morning Bowls. They offer a variety of bowls like acai and poke, which are customizable. We wanted to try the Cajun bowl which had imitation crab, spices, mango, fried onions, etc. We also got the choco-milky acai bowl that had Nutella, condensed milk, acai, and chocolate chips. That bowl was my perfect acai! The acai was an icy texture which helped it melt slowly compared to others that I have had. I love the combination of chocolate and peanut butter, so to combine that with fruits that I also love, I was beyond bliss.
We ordered the Cajun bowl to share because I can’t eat raw fish, but I promised to take Michael to another poke place later. The dish was better than we thought, as the creamy and crunchy textures came together perfectly. The store is mainly take out as they only has a small bar with 4 seats. Luckily, there was no one there so we were able to eat outside. Since we arrived later in the day, they ran out of salmon and ahi tuna, so if you are looking for fresh poke we recommend you come early.
STYLISH COFFEE ROastEry
As we were driving away from Morning Bowls, I was looking out the window and looked at the businesses outside. That’s when I spotted STYLISH COFFEE ROastEry (yes, that’s how they spell it). It’s a relatively small shop next to Bloom hair salon. It’s quite easy to be confused, as I thought the names were opposite of each other. STYLISH COFFEE ROastEry is a small shop ran by a solo barista. Michael ordered a pour over, and I got a mango juice. The beans are small batch roasted which tasted amazing, Michael said it’s easily A+. I really love the interior, as it felt like a personal workshop to craft coffee with its wooden counters and dark concrete walls.
Mihama American Village
In Asia, we have had experienced American villages and streets, but they were very small and not American feeling. We set that same expectation when we set out to explore the American Village in Okinawa. Man, we were wrong. American Village is a large shopping an entertainment complex located in Chatan. While crossing the street, it looks small but as we entered in, it was a huge maze. There are so many shops from international to local brands, restaurants, and a oceanfront.
We spent quite a long amount of time there as we haven’t seen a place like this in Asia. We were having a blast since we haven’t visited America in years, it brought back a lot of memories for us. It makes realize how it is curated, because there are so many American miliary personnel on this island. They had so many different kinds of cuisine, and we even saw a Red Lobster.
As we were walking through the shops, we encountered Christmas Land that had a Hallmark feeling with Christmas decorations. The buildings and streets in the American Village were various sizes that were splashed with so many different colors. We made it to the dock of the village where there were some restaurants, and people exercising and walking their dogs. We saw some interesting dogs that night with mohawks and music, truly an American experience. Since the pier is facing the west, it is the perfect place to watch the sunset. It was really gorgeous watching the sun disappear into the sea. The American Village really surprised us, so much so that we ended up ending the next day here as well.
Puchi Marry
Puchi Marry is a cat cafe located in the American village. This cafe host 25 cats of all different breeds from munchkin, short and long haired, to sphinx’s. They offer prices from 30 minutes to a fixed price for the day. We decided to purchase some food for the cats because we didn’t know how personable they were. This was the cleanest cat that we had ever been to! There weren’t any smells, fur wasn’t in the air, and it was so spacious. We’ve visited some great cat cafes before in Cambodia and Singapore but the cats here were very different.
Once we opened the door, we went to a table and set down our stuff. The cats sensed the food as soon as we entered and all flocked under, above, near, and on the table. We were stunned. The sphinx cats had the biggest personality, as one stayed in my lap and the other one jumped on Michael’s back and shoulders several times. This sphinx cat chased the other cats and caused a lot of mischief. I’m not sure if it was the time of day, but many of the cats were very active. There were so many sweet cats that would play with us, sit on our laps, or just want us for food. But the sphinx were the star of the show and when I had to go it did not want to get off my lap. Besides petting cats, they offer games and free refill drinks. Since we were pretty tired we only booked a 30 minute slot, but we wished we could have spent the whole day here.
A&W Makiminato Branch
A&W is an American fast food brand that has several locations around the world. In Japan, it is only located in Okinawa. As kids, Michael and I have visited in the U.S. mainly for their ice cream and root beer. As A&Ws are located around the island, we specifically wanted to go to the Makiminato branch. This branch opened in 1969, and is a drive in and vintage diner styled restaurant. There is a huge dining area inside, drive ins, outdoor seating, and a playground.
We decided to eat outside as the weather was nice and we wanted to look at the building. We got two ice cold root beers, and watched as they pull the mugs out of the freezer. Michael got the melty double burger, which had a standard western fast food taste compared to the sweet burgers in Japan. As we were guzzling the ice cold root beers down our throats, we felt a hit of nostalgia. Just the sweet summer moments of having a root beer outside. I’m not the biggest fan of A&W food, but it was worth getting a root beer and seeing a glimpse of American styled dining from the 70s.
Final Thoughts
Our quest to explore Okinawa was short but packed with small joys and unforgettable moments. Whether it was sipping locally roasted coffee, hunting for a SPAM shirt, or getting smothered by a mischievous sphynx cat, we found delight in every corner. There’s something special about a place that feels both completely new and oddly familiar.
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