Naha city walk, you can't finish walking even if you break your legs
The best way to understand the charm of a city is to measure it with your steps and slowly feel the breath of the city.
Confident in our own physical and walking strength, we put this into practice, but in the end, we still took the bus back to the hotel.
I thought that the small Okinawa Naha would be easy to conquer, but because it was too good to stroll around, the route was too long and we ended up exhausted.
✅ Itinerary:
Kokusai Dori — Makishi Public Market — Tsuboya Pottery Street
✅ Introduction to 【Kokusai Dori】
⭕️ It should be the busiest place in Naha, very close to Naha Airport and the port, shopping and transportation are very convenient.
⭕️ Whether it's Okinawan specialties, various foods, or cosmetics, there's everything you need, and if you don't know what to buy for souvenirs, just look around here.
⭕️ There are many shops selling ceramics and glassware on the street, with relatively uniform styles. If you really want to buy, you can go to the pottery street later.
⭕️ Many shops have glass boxes at the entrance with a coconut crab inside, if you want to eat, you can go to Makishi Public Market later.
⭕️ The purple sweet potato tarts here are quite famous, so we bought a pack to try, they are dry, just taste a little, not recommended.
⭕️ Miyako Island's snow salt ice cream, their ice cream can be sweet or salty, full of milk flavor, those who like the taste of sea salt must not miss it.
✅ Introduction to 【Makishi Public Market】
⭕️ Makishi Public Market is right next to Kokusai Dori, the overall environment is much cleaner and tidier, more like a large fresh supermarket.
⭕️ In terms of price, Tomari Port is more favorable, but Makishi Public Market has many other categories besides seafood, such as beef, pickles, etc.
⭕️ Both markets have seafood stalls that can be processed, and the stalls have Chinese-speaking staff, so don't worry about language barriers.
⭕️ The market is divided into two floors, with sales downstairs and processing upstairs. The processing fee is additional, 500 yen/person, 3 styles, and the delicious seafood porridge only accepts cash💰.
⭕️ In Japan, noctiluca and giant clams are edible, and in the market, you can also see porcupine fish and coconut crabs, just like visiting an aquarium.
⭕️ At Makishi office, we ordered a lobster, a geoduck, and a scallop for a total of 15,900 yen, about 750 RMB, which would cost at least double in China.
⭕️ The lobster was half sashimi and half boiled in soup, the geoduck was sashimi, and the scallop was with garlic. Because they were all fresh, all the cooking methods were extremely delicious.
⭕️ The giant clam, which is often seated in China, has a special stench, and we didn't try it in the end. If you're interested, you can give it a try.
✅ Introduction to 【Tsuboya Pottery Street】
⭕️ Passing through the Makishi office market, you can reach the pottery street.
⭕️ The pottery shops here are not big, small enough to accommodate 7 or 8 people.
⭕️ Each shop has its own characteristics, and I really like the time spent shuttling between these shops.
⭕️ There are several well-known small shops, such as Yacchi & moon, which have their own designed and produced pottery, as well as some mass-produced ones. In short, the pottery here has more design sense.
⭕️ It is said that most of Okinawa's pottery comes from this pottery street. If you pick carefully, there is always one that suits you.
⚠️ Notes:
⭕️ Because the route is quite long, it is recommended to rent a bicycle.
⭕️ Naha has shared bicycles, 1800 yen/day, but there may be no space when returning the bike. Also, there is a shop in Kokusai Dori that rents formal bicycles, but they must be returned before 7 pm, not highly recommended.
⭕️ Okinawa's Wagyu is very famous, you can find a place near Kokusai Dori to try Wagyu, but don't order too much, I'm afraid you'll be overwhelmed by the oil.