Naha Makishi Public Market: Immersing in Okinawa's Vibrant Food Culture

Located in the center of Naha, the Daiichi Makishi Public Market is a lively market also called the kitchen of Okinawa. Colorful tropical fish, island vegetables, awamori, and processed pork products are packed side by side, letting you experience Okinawa food culture with all five senses. The lively exchanges with the vendors are part of the joy of exploring the market. In March 2023, a new building completing its reconstruction opened, making it even more comfortable to enjoy.

Highlights of the Market

The new market has fresh food (meat, fish, produce) on the first floor and an eatery district on the second floor. Its specialty is the mochiage (carry-up cooking) system, where you take fresh seafood bought on the first floor to a second-floor diner to have it cooked. It is a way to enjoy freshly caught fish seasoned to your taste, unique to this place.

Island Vegetables and Pork Culture

Okinawan pork is used from head to toe, so much so that people say everything but the squeal is eaten. Distinctive cuts rarely seen on the mainland, such as chiragaa (face skin), mimigaa (ears), and tebichi (trotters), are on display, telling of the depth of Okinawa cuisine.

Kokusai Street

The main street of Naha, adjacent to the market. A tourism hub gathering souvenir shops, eateries, and hotels, it is called the Miracle Mile as a symbol of postwar recovery.

The Surrounding Backstreets

Around the market spread arcade shopping streets such as Ichiba Hondori and Heiwadori, densely packed with old-time diners and general stores. One street over, Nouren Plaza sells ingredients for locals, letting you experience a deeper side of Naha.

Making the Most of the Mochiage System

The mochiage system unique to this market becomes far easier to use once you know how it works. The steps are simple: first choose and buy your ingredients at a butcher or fishmonger on the first floor, then carry them up to a second-floor eatery to have them cooked, and enjoy the finished dish right there.

The point to keep in mind is how payment works. You pay for the ingredients at the shop where you bought them, and the cooking fee separately at the second-floor eatery. The cooking fee varies with what you ask for, so it is reassuring to check before ordering. Not every ingredient can be taken up, either, so it is safest to ask the shop before you buy. Note too that last orders come earlier than the market's overall closing time: 19:45 for mochiage ingredients on the first floor, and 20:00 at the second-floor eateries.

A Market in Its Third Building

The story of the kitchen of Okinawa is also the story of postwar Naha itself. The Daiichi Makishi Public Market opened in December 1950 (Showa 25). It was rebuilt once in October 1972 (Showa 47), and that building was loved for many years. For the reconstruction that became necessary as the building aged, the market moved to a nearby temporary site from July 2019 (Reiwa 1) and kept trading, and in March 2023 (Reiwa 5) it was reborn as the building you see today.

The new market is built so that anyone can visit easily, with barrier-free toilets (those on the first and second floors are ostomate-friendly), a nursing room, and wheelchairs available for loan. A toilet for assistance dogs is provided as well. On the other hand, there is no dedicated parking, so the assumption is that you will come by public transport such as the Yui Rail or use a nearby parking lot. The building may be new, but the closeness to the shopkeepers and the heat of the sales floor are unchanged.

Practical Travel Notes

• Location: 2-10-1 Matsuo, Naha City, Okinawa. About a 10-minute walk from Makishi Station and about a 10-minute walk from Miebashi Station on the Yui Rail, and within walking distance of Kokusai Street
• Opening hours are 8:00 to 22:00 (varies by shop). The market closes on the fourth Sunday of each month (except December) and for New Year, Lunar New Year, and the old-calendar Obon, and individual shops also have their own days off
• Mochiage is a system where you buy seafood on the first floor and pay a cooking fee to have it prepared at a second-floor diner. There may be a wait during the busy lunch hours
• The aisles inside are narrow and crowded, so avoid large luggage and be considerate when taking photos so as not to obstruct the stalls
• To experience the liveliest atmosphere, the morning, when the selection is broadest, is recommended

Best Time to Visit

An indoor market you can enjoy year-round. To experience the liveliest atmosphere, the morning, when the selection is broadest, is recommended.

Access

About a 10-minute walk from Makishi Station and about a 10-minute walk from Miebashi Station on the Yui Rail. Within walking distance of Kokusai Street, it is an easy stop as a base for Naha sightseeing.

📚 Sources

This article draws on published information from the Daiichi Makishi Public Market in Naha, tourism guidance from Naha City, information on Kokusai Dori and the surrounding arcade shopping streets, and service information from the Okinawa Urban Monorail (Yui Rail). Descriptions of the mochiage (bring-and-cook) system, Okinawa pork food culture, and the 2023 rebuild follow the market and on-site guidance. Closing days and hours vary by shop and season, so please confirm details on the official market sources before visiting.

Visitor Checklist

• Estimated time: For the first-floor fresh-food area and the second-floor eateries, mornings with the fullest selection are best for feeling the market energy.
• Access: About a 10-minute walk from Makishi Station or Miebashi Station on the Yui Rail, and within walking distance of Kokusai Dori, making it an easy stop as a Naha base.
• Using mochiage: Buy seafood on the first floor, then pay a cooking fee to have it prepared at a second-floor eatery; there can be a wait at busy lunch hours.
• Etiquette inside: Aisles are narrow and crowded, so avoid large bags and take care that photos do not obstruct the stalls.
• Closing days: The market closes on the fourth Sunday of each month (except December), but individual shops have their own days off, so check the official information before visiting.

Practical Information for Your Visit

• Opening hours: 8:00-22:00 (varies by shop). The last order for cooking mochiage ingredients bought on the first floor (meat and fresh fish) is 19:45 (only for certain items), and the last order at the second-floor eateries is 20:00
• Closing days: The 4th Sunday of every month (except December), January 1-3 (New Year), the 1st and 2nd days of the first month in the lunar calendar (Lunar New Year), and the two days after the old-calendar Obon. Individual shops also have their own days off
• Parking: None
• Access: About a 10-minute walk from Makishi Station or Miebashi Station on the Yui Rail monorail. By car it is about 15 minutes from Naha Airport
• Facilities: Barrier-free toilets (those on the first and second floors are ostomate-friendly), wheelchairs for loan, and a nursing room. Strollers are not lent out
• Pets: Not allowed inside (assistance dogs are permitted)
• Address and inquiries: 2-10-1 Matsuo, Naha City, Okinawa Prefecture / Daiichi Makishi Public Market administration office, 098-867-6560

Note: The current building was rebuilt in March 2023 (Reiwa 5); the market first opened in 1950 and traded from a temporary site from July 2019.

(Sources: Naha City Daiichi Makishi Public Market official website, Facility Guide)