I’m kicking off 2020 with a fresh travel blog post. I vow to be better this year about my adventure experiences and rather than spending most of it updating the IG, want to be able to keep up with Aloha Brigitte.. Thanks for all the support since starting, so far it’s been a worldwide rough start, but here we go..
{Okinawa, Japan.. the lowdown}
Ohayogozaimas. It’s been 10 years since I’ve been to mainland Japan but I’m always in search of warm tropical weather..
It honestly felt like I had landed in a twilight zone version of Hawaii. We stayed in the most touristy area of Naha which is really easy to get around. We couldn’t rent a car because you need an international driver’s license to do so and our US ones don’t suffice.. so we opted to trek it by foot and utilize the metro that gets you around only Naha.
Pros of Naha:
-Walkable
-Easy to get around via metro
-English speakers
-Variety of food and coffee shops
-Don Quixote – all the Kit Kat
Cons of Naha:
-Small
-Expensive if you need to take a cab anywhere
-Money exchanges are not plentiful
Snapshot is that the pros outweigh the cons. Most Okinawans will initially speak Japanese to you, then follow it up with English if you need. We didn’t have any issues with restaurants and ordering food which is always a plus if you don’t speak the language. Luckily, the Airbnb we stayed at near Asahibashi was within walking distance, so getting from the Naha airport to Naha is super easy. It cost around 300 yen ($3.00) to get from the airport to downtown Naha. Each trip around the city was around 200-250 yen ($2.00 – $2.50). Adds up if you have a large family but very convenient.
If you don’t have plans to leave Naha or even if you do a day tour to the northern side of the island, a long weekend is all you need. We spent most of our time wandering the streets of Naha which felt like a mini version of Waikiki, especially with all the Japanese written everywhere and ramen shops.. Not mad about it. We headed to Shuri Castle one day (via the Shuri subway stop) and about another 10 minute walk to the castle. The cost was around $5.00 and totally worth it.
Really pretty and instagrammable. The castle has an amazing view when you reach the top. It’s been rebuilt a bunch of times due to many wars that have run through Okinawa.
{beach time in the city – sunshine and sharks?}
We spent another day tanning and taking in the sunshine at Toyosaki Beach which has serene blue waters. What was interesting was you couldn’t swim in parts where a lifeguard wasn’t present. And even then, there were roped off areas to stay protected.. Safety against sharks maybe?
Another bonus were the Ashibinaa Okinawa outlet shops within walking distance of the beach (about 10 minutes). Don’t forget your passport if you want to take advantage of the duty free tax situation. They have a Gucci outlet and I was about to make a purchase when the sales associate asked for my passport.. Do you know how hard it is to walk away from a deal on Gucci?! It’s like PTSD when I think about it now. Minor dramatics.
We stumbled upon the Fukushuen Botanical Gardens and they were lush, filled with water ponds, waterfalls, and a beautiful way to spend an afternoon. We roamed for an hour or so and got some iconic Japanese temple shots.
If we had more time, I would have stayed longer, but it was a little humid and the airflow wasn’t too air flowy..
{for the foodies.. my recommends}
Danbo Ramen – If you’re looking for authentic ramen, find Danbo. Try to avoid peak times, however, if you can’t, the line moves pretty fast. One thing I noticed about the Okinawans are that they don’t linger after eating, they’re in and out before I even finish my meal. It was the first time I had to use an order machine (cash only) by inserting yen and pushing the buttons of what you want to eat. The tickets pop out at the bottom along with your change and you give the tickets to the waitress. Fill out the paper menu how you want your soup to your liking and in like 5 minutes you have your delicious dish.
Kai Resort Café – This was at Toyosaki Beach and it’s a very unassuming restaurant on the beach. At first I thought it would just be a grab and go sandwich type of shop, it turned out to be this swanky little joint with chandeliers and beach views. The prices weren’t too bad, around $15 per lunch buffet. This included a main dish, coffee/tea, desserts.
Blue Seal Ice Cream – These ice cream shops are everywhere. We had it at least 2-3 times. Get the Okinawan Cookie flavor.. that -ish will save your life.
Farmers Kitchen – It wasn’t my favorite, but it was tastey and the closest thing we could find to a western breakfast. What was a bonus was the free admission to the Fukushen Botanical Garden after our meal. Normally you pay if you don’t eat at the restaurant.. I could seriously be lying though and assumed it was free but nobody stopped us when we walked out the back door (upstairs) to check out the gardens.
T&M Coffee – I ordered a caffe latte which didn’t disappoint. Secured a seat in their upstairs, where you must remove your shoes (I secretly love that).. feels like you are just hanging out in your living room which I can appreciate. Also instagrammable with cute little chairs and monster leafy plants.
We did eat sushi, but to be honest, I don’t remember the names of either of them.. one of the names was fully in Japanese and I couldn’t even begin to tell you what it was called, the other was the conveyor belt sushi type, but I kept ordering from the sushi chef, because I always wanted very specific dishes.. typical.. I did find the both on Yelp. BUT it was delicious and chances are if you’re in Okinawa, you’ll find several sushi restaurants that will make your tummy happy. Be sure to get sake.. because when in Japan.. and vacation for that matter.
Sushi Restaurant #1:
Sushi Restaurant #2:
Overall I enjoyed Okinawa and if I were to go again, would make a point to get to the other parts of the island and enjoy some of the less touristy areas. It was a really cute beach town and really clean and easy to get around. So many cute touches like the mini koi fish ponds that line the sidewalks. Think flower beds in normal US cities, except replace them with koi ponds that are maintained by the city and you literally just walk over them like they aren’t even there.
So crazy.. so Japanese..