Naha: Kokusai‑Dori to Makishi – A Night of Local Izakayas

I had a free evening in Okinawa while here for business, and did not have much time to filter reviews and do my research. Highly recommend this tour towards the beginning of a longer stay, as you will get a good lay of the land and find places to go later in your trip. The Makishi public market is a labyrinth! Tour guide did a great job managing time, and we were able to hit up two places with plenty of time at each one… come hungry, and don’t eat before this tour - made that mistake, and ended up not being able to finish all the food we ordered :( While the main drag on Kokusai Dori has a whole bunch of foreigner-friendly restaurants with English menus, the highlight of this tour was being able to bypass all those and go to where the locals dine and drink. Nothing beats dinner and drinks with locals who really know the area, whether you’re solo like I was, or with a small group. I’d recommend a group size of three or less (not including tour guide) because most of the places we visited did not have tables for more than four available.

The best izakaya tour in Okinawa! Yui tailored the izakaya experience to my personality and was a wonderful hostess. Her warm personality and knowledge of Okinawan drinks and culture made my time feel like I was spending time with a close friend. It was so much fun! This is a must do if you want to experience an izakaya Okinawan style!

Our guide Hinako made this evening so special. She contacted us in advance to tailor the experience to our preferences. The two spots that she took us to were absolutely perfect. The food and drinks were excellent. Hinako guided us in choosing distinctly Okinawan dishes. We felt that the quality of food and drinks we had ended up being such a bargain! And everything tasted so fresh and delicious. The woman who ran the second location even let us sample a variety of local spirits.. One of the real highlights of the evening was spending time with Hinako. Such a wonderful person - such a great representative of the welcoming spirit of Okinawa.