A Walking Guide to Makishi Public Market — Okinawa's Kitchen Near SUNZ ROOMS
Your complete guide to Makishi Public Market
1. Hours and basic information
The market is open from 8:00 AM to 10:00 PM, though individual shop hours vary. Last order for first-floor mochiage ingredients is 7:45 PM; second-floor restaurants close orders at 8:00 PM. The market is closed on the fourth Sunday of each month (except December), January 1–3, Lunar New Year, and Obon. The address is 2-10-1 Matsuo, Naha, Okinawa (phone: 098-867-6560). There is no parking — use nearby coin-operated lots. Hours and holidays may change, so please check the official website for the latest information.
2. First floor: the market
The fish stalls display colorful reef fish from Okinawa's waters — irabucha (parrotfish), gurukun (banana fish, Okinawa's prefectural fish), akajin (coral trout), and miibai (grouper). These tropical species are rarely seen elsewhere in Japan. Meat stalls showcase Okinawan pork culture: tebichi (pig's trotters), chiragaa (pig's face), and soki (spare ribs) sold in large cuts. For souvenirs, look for shima-togarashi chili sauce, jimami tofu (peanut tofu), sea grapes, and chinsuko cookies. Sea grapes keep at room temperature for five to seven days, making them easy to bring home.
3. Second floor: the mochiage cook-to-order experience
The market's signature attraction is mochiage — a cook-to-order system that started in 1990. You buy fresh seafood or meat on the first floor, then take it upstairs to have it prepared however you like. Here is how it works: (1) Choose ingredients at a first-floor fish or meat shop — feel free to ask for recommendations or set a budget. (2) Tell the vendor you would like mochiage. (3) Discuss cooking methods: sashimi, butter sauté, deep-fried, maasu-ni (salt-simmered), and more. (4) The vendor prepares the fish and guides you to a second-floor restaurant. (5) Wait for your freshly cooked dishes. (6) Pay the ingredient cost to the first-floor shop and a separate cooking fee to the restaurant. Cooking fees vary — sashimi preparation is sometimes free, while other methods start from around 550 yen per person. Please confirm with each restaurant. A budget of 2,000–4,000 yen gets you two or three types of fish, each prepared differently — a great way to sample various flavors. Another great option is to bring your favorite finds back and cook them yourself. SUNZ ROOMS is fully equipped with a kitchen, cookware, and refrigerator — just a 10-minute walk from the market, so you can enjoy fresh Okinawan ingredients prepared exactly the way you like.
4. Second-floor restaurants
More than ten restaurants operate on the second floor, each with its own specialties. Kiraku Shokudo is known for its squid ink soup and offers mochiage service. Tsubame originated the mochiage system and has over 100 menu items. Adan serves home-style Okinawan cuisine with half-size portions available. Honen offers classic Okinawan dishes, and Ayumi specializes in sata-andagi (Okinawan doughnuts). Shop hours and menus may change — please check with individual restaurants.
5. Tips for visiting
The market is less crowded before around 10:00 AM — ideal for a relaxed visit. Vendors are friendly and happy to recommend their best picks, so do not hesitate to ask. Mochiage is most fun in groups of two or more so you can sample a wider variety. The building has elevators and escalators for barrier-free access. A visitor information desk (Machiguwa Sogo Annaisho) near the first-floor entrance can help first-time visitors. The surrounding arcade streets are also worth exploring for souvenir shops and cafés.
6. Nearby attractions
The market sits at the heart of several arcade shopping streets — Ichiba-Hondori, Heiwadori, and Mutsumibashi-dori. Many bars in the area offer senbero deals (three drinks plus a snack for 1,000 yen), making it a popular spot for a mini pub crawl. Tsuboya Yachimun Street, known for traditional Okinawan pottery shops, is about a five-minute walk from the market — an easy add-on to your visit.
The bottom line
Makishi Public Market is a feast for the senses and one of the best ways to experience Okinawan food culture. Even just browsing the colorful fish stalls is entertaining, and the mochiage experience — choosing your own ingredients and having them cooked right there — is truly memorable. Combined with a stroll through the surrounding arcades, you can easily spend half a day here.
SUNZ ROOMS is a private vacation rental just a 1-minute walk from Miebashi Station. Makishi Public Market is about 10 minutes on foot, and you can bring fresh ingredients back to cook in your own kitchen. The building has three independent floors, each with a kitchen, shower room, and laundry facilities, accommodating up to 19 guests.
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