This time,
we are sharing our experience exploring Kokusai Street in Naha, Okinawa.
Kokusai Street is not by the beach,
but it is packed with souvenir shops,
local food,
and restaurants you may not find elsewhere.
We think it is well worth visiting at least once, including for travelers in their 60s and beyond.
Original Soki Soba at Gabusoka Shokudo Genjiya
Right next to Hotel Palm Royal,
where we stayed,
we found Gabusoka Shokudo Genjiya.
We ordered their original soki soba.
The restaurant was fairly busy when we arrived,
but luckily we were able to get a seat.
It is a small restaurant,
so the seating area is fairly compact.
This was the original soki soba.
The pork was large,
juicy,
and absolutely delicious.
After trying it,
I realized that with soki soba,
the quality of the meat really makes a big difference.
Look at how thick the pork was!
I would happily eat here again.
It can get crowded around lunchtime,
so visiting a little earlier or later may be more comfortable.
| Restaurant | Gabusoka Shokudo Genjiya |
|---|---|
| Phone | 090-3792-3093 |
| Address | 3-9-43 Makishi, Naha, Okinawa 900-0013 |
| Hours | 11:00–21:30 (Last order 21:00) |
| Closed | Open year-round, with occasional substitute holidays |
Tropical Gelato on Kokusai Street at Fontana Gelato
After our soki soba lunch,
we stopped at nearby Fontana Gelato
for dessert.
This gelato shop was selected as a finalist in the Gelato World Tour Japan FINAL,
a competition featuring Italian-style gelato in Japan.
There were 18 regular flavors,
plus seasonal flavors.
We tried several,
including banana milk,
pineapple,
coconut,
mango,
dragon fruit, passion fruit and mango,
and guava milk.
The tropical Okinawan flavors immediately put us in a vacation mood.
Guava milk was especially unusual
and fun to try.
It is a popular shop
that has also been visited by many Japanese celebrities.
The storefront is very photogenic too,
so if you enjoy taking travel photos,
this is a fun place to stop.
| Shop | Fontana Gelato |
|---|---|
| Phone | 098-866-7819 |
| Address | 1F, 2-5-36 Makishi, Naha, Okinawa |
| Hours | 10:30–21:30 |
| Closed | Generally open daily. Hours and closing days may change, so check with the shop before visiting. |
Kokusai Street Has Plenty of Okinawan Souvenirs
After gelato,
we crossed the street to buy souvenirs at Churasanpi.
Kokusai Street is full of souvenir stores,
so choosing what to buy can take some time.
Many shops belong to the same chain,
and you may see several branches along the street
selling similar items at similar prices.
You can find all kinds of Okinawan souvenirs,
including shisa lion figures,
Ryukyu glass,
snacks,
T-shirts,
and accessories.
It is convenient both for personal souvenirs
and gifts for friends or coworkers.
One thing caught our attention.
Several shops displayed signs saying
“Beniimo Karikari — exclusive to this shop!”
but we saw the same product at multiple stores.
So in our experience,
it was not actually exclusive to only one shop.
We bought some and tried it.
It was tasty,
but the pieces were thin and quite hard.
Older travelers or anyone with sensitive teeth or jaw problems may want to be careful with this souvenir.
If you like Japanese sweet potato snacks such as imo kenpi,
however,
you may really enjoy it.
Affordable Steak Dinner at Sam's Anchor Inn
For dinner,
we visited Sam's Anchor Inn Kokusai Street
for steak.
Dinner at Sam's was included in the VELTRA optional tour
we had used earlier to visit Umikaji Terrace.
The exact tour that included dinner at Sam's has since ended,
but similar sightseeing tours to Umikaji Terrace may still be available.
▶ Check current Okinawa tours on VELTRA
The chef cooked everything right in front of us.
Many of the staff members were from overseas.
The restaurant has plenty of seating,
and each group gets to enjoy the experience of watching their meal being prepared on the teppan grill.
It made dinner much more entertaining.
Our meal came with steak,
rice,
salad,
and soup.
The portion was satisfying
even for older travelers.
If you want to enjoy steak in Okinawa
without spending too much,
this is one option worth considering.
We visited as part of an optional tour,
but you can also make an individual reservation.
| Restaurant | Sam's Anchor Inn Kokusai Street |
|---|---|
| Reservations | 098-862-9090 |
| Address | 3-3-18 Kumoji, Naha, Okinawa |
| Hours | 17:00–23:00 (Last order 22:00) |
| Closed | Open daily |
