[Winter Vacation] Exploring Naha City - Day 01/02 in Okinawa

Haisai Okinawa, Japan! We arrived after 2-hours of flight from Fukuoka and we were greeted by a cooling weather of 12-16C. It was a totally different experience from Mainland Japan. We were all set for our trip! 

We stayed at the MB Gallery Chatan by The Terrace Hotels, and the location was splendid! It was within walking distance of American Village. 

This lovely cosy place was my 'home' for the next 5 days in Okinawa. The neighbourhood in Mihama is safe and the hotel Wi-Fi was pretty stable too.

We reached our hotel in the late afternoon, and upon being checked in, the hotel staff ushered us to the Club Lounge - '7th Moon Club' which is located on the 7th level to have our evening canapés and some alcoholic beverages. The view was splendid!

We went up to the rooftop area which is located next to the club lounge to catch the fireworks at 8pm, which we were told about by the reception! 

After that, we headed down to Shimauta and Ryukyu Cuisine Chatan Dining, which is walking distance away from American Village. This eatery offers a wide range of Okinawan Specialties! 

Goya Champuru is also another local specialty. Goya actually refers to bittergourd and it is said to boast many health benefits after consumption. Champuru refers to a stir-fry dish, so Goya Champuru is bittergourd served in a stir fry, usually with bean sprouts, tofu, luncheon meat and etc. We were glad to try this dish at this fantastic Izakaya!

While having our meal, we got to enjoy live island music and folk performances on stage!

The atmosphere was warm and inviting, and we indulged ourselves in the authentic atmosphere. If you’re looking for a place that serves genuine Ryukyu food, this is definitely worth a visit! 

After our meal, we walked around American Village before heading back to our hotel. 

We had a great time here, and it was also great way to end our first day in Okinawa!  

Good morning, Okinawa! Our room stay was inclusive of breakfast, and we headed down to the club lounge to enjoy our breakfast. There was a choice of traditional Japanese breakfast set or American egg-styled breakfast. 

Baby got himself the Traditional Japanese Breakfast Set while I opted for the Sunny side up eggs with Sausage. 

After our brekkie, we headed down to Okinawa Kokusai Street, which is a major shopping and entertainment street in Naha City, Okinawa Prefecture, Japan. It was about an hour's ride away from our accommodation. 

The bustling heart of Naha is lined by palm trees on both sides, so it does help to give the street a certain island atmosphere!

We did our souvenir shopping at Kokusai Dori, and this place is filled with souvenirs, restaurants, as well as cafes. It is the largest shopping district in Okinawa that stretches 1.6 kilometres through the city centre.

We tried local cuisine - Okinawan Soba while in Naha.

We enjoyed the light broth and chewy noodles. The most characteristic thing for this soba is that it wass topped off with marbled slices of pork. 

We love the Umibudo (Sea Grapes) - Okinawan Seaweed which resembles fish roe and is consumed as a snack. They are an Okinawan specialty. We had it daily during our entire trip in Okinawa! 

It is impossible to miss Blue Seal, an ice cream chain which is everywhere on Okinawa. Their motto of - ‘Born in the USA, raised in Okinawa’, signifies its ties to the US as well as Japan!  As mentioned, they are everywhere!! Not just on Kokusai Dori, not just in Naha, but across the entire island!

Both Baby and I love it to the max, and we promised each other to eat it again and again before leaving the island. So don’t miss Blue Seal, you will not regret trying it!

After our shopping, we headed back to American Village, Mihama again to take photos of the Pokémon murals. 

We settled our dinner at a local chain restaurant called Yappari Steak, and the outlet we went to was located at Chatan Mihama. It offers delicious steaks and rice for a reasonable price!

They have a wide range of meat selections including Lean Red Meat, Sirloin, Filet, and Hamburg Steaks. Rice, Salad, and Soups are available at all-you-can-eat. So it was worth the price paid! 

This famous Japanese steakhouse chain was founded in 2015 and is renowned for its Lava Stone Steaks grilled on Lava Stone Plates from the tallest mountain in Japan. Yes, the iconic Mt. Fuji.

The steaks at Yappari Steak are served on sizzling hot lava stone plates which makes the meats juicy and delicious. Any excess grease is absorbed by the lava rock. The steak is filling, yet easy to digest.

We had a delightful dinner, and before ending my day, we went to try our luck with the claw machines again. Yay! We were lucky to catch a large Kuromi, a medium-sized-ish Hangyodon and a Cinnamoroll Sling Bag (which I gave it to KaeGirl). Thanks for coming home with me!

This concluded my travel experience for the second day in Okinawa, Japan!! Stay tuned, for the next post!