Top 10 Okinawa Sushi Restaurants: From Conveyor Belt to Local Eateries

Exploring Okinawa's food scene is one of the most exciting things to do in the region. With islands surrounded by the ocean, Okinawa boasts excellent sushi, which can be enjoyed casually at conveyor belt restaurants or at unique restaurants run by highly skilled chefs.

Read on to learn about ten of Okinawa's best sushi restaurants.

1. Tuna Wholesaler Yazaemon

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Tuna Wholesaler Yazaemon is a chain of revolving sushi restaurants where you can enjoy fresh seafood such as tuna, golden-eyed snapper, and splendid alfonsino (kinmedai) selected from Misaki Port on the Miura Peninsula. The fresh catches are delivered directly to Okinawa from Shibuya, Yokohama, and other areas.

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In addition to eating tuna, which is difficult to find in Okinawa, you'll have the opportunity to watch periodic live tuna-cutting performances at the restaurant. Chefs will demonstrate their skill to customers, cutting up to 50 kilograms of tuna daily. After enjoying the cutting show, you can immediately enjoy a tuna feast and savor rare parts that are not usually available. (The timing of the tuna-cutting show is periodic. If you're interested, please check the event dates on the official website.)

Tuna Wholesaler Yazaemon New Shinshin Store
Address: Apple Town 2F, Omoromachi 3-3-1, Naha City, Okinawa Prefecture

2. Gourmet Conveyor Belt Sushi Market

Gourmet Conveyor Belt Sushi Market offers a wide variety of revolving sushi, with different colored plates distinguishing the price of each sushi roll. Many of the sushi items provided are made using local Okinawan seafood. Some Okinawa-exclusive dishes are listed on a whiteboard rather than on the menu, so take advantage of the opportunity to try these unique dishes!

The prices are slightly higher than regular chain sushi restaurants, but the portions are larger. The decadent and delicious seafood is stacked on top of seasoned rice, making it irresistible! You can feel the special touch the chef's hands apply to each piece of sushi, which is a stark difference between handcrafted and machine-made sushi.

Gourmet Conveyor Belt Sushi Market has two stores in Okinawa, one in the popular tourist spot American Village. If you plan to visit American Village, be sure to stop by and try it out!

Gourmet Conveyor Belt Sushi Market Mihama Store
Address: 2-4-5 Mihama, Chatan Town, Nakagami County, Okinawa Prefecture

3. Ryukyu Kaiten Sushi Kairai

Alongside typical chain sushi restaurants such as Kura Sushi, Sushiro, and Hama-Sushi, there is Ryukyu Kaiten Sushi Kairai inside Naha Airport. Customers can savor grilled sushi, hand-pressed sushi, and wagyu beef sushi while watching planes take off and land.

In addition to typical sushi like tuna and squid on the conveyor belt, be sure to pay attention to some uncommon seafood or creative dishes that incorporate Okinawan characteristics. These include bitter melon sushi, Okinawan tofu gunkan-style (battleship) sushi, broiled Ishigaki beef sushi, and a sushi platter with sea grapes mixed in.

Ryukyu Kaiten Sushi Kairai
Address: 150 Kozimizu, Naha City, 4th-floor Restaurant Street, International Terminal, Naha Airport

Ryukyu Kaiten Sushi Kairai
Address: 150 Kagemizu, Naha City, Okinawa Prefecture (4th-floor Restaurant Street in Naha Airport International Terminal Building)

4. Ryukyu Sushi Tsukiji Aozora Third Generation

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Located near Naha City Hall, Ryukyu Sushi Tsukiji Aozora Third Generation Naha Main Store has received incredibly high ratings on Tabelog, a restaurant review site. It has received widespread acclaim for combining the secret flavors of the Tsukiji main store with specialty sushi made with local Okinawan seafood.

The head sushi chef at this location studied for about seven years at the main store, Tsukiji Aozora Third Generation, before coming to Naha. Utilizing the techniques of Edo-style sushi, the chefs incorporate local ingredients from Okinawa, allowing sushi enthusiasts to enjoy delicious flavors not commonly found outside the southernmost island of Japan.

You can taste fresh catches delivered directly from Tsukiji in Tokyo. However, it's worth trying the "omakase" set menu tailored by the chefs or ordering several pieces of sushi made with local ingredients, such as akajin meebai (red-lined grouper), Okinawa brand Motobu beef, sea grape tuna roll, and irabucha (parrotfish).

Ryukyu Sushi Tsukiji Aozora Third Generation Naha Main Store
Address: 1-15-14 Matsuyama, Naha City, Okinawa Prefecture

5. Maruichi-Shokuhi Shioya Branch

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Maruichi-Shokuhi Shioya Branch is considered the soul food of Okinawa and doesn't sell typical hand-pressed sushi. Instead, customers will find simple and flavorful inari sushi (vinegared rice inside deep-fried tofu pockets).

Unlike inari sushi commonly found in other parts of Japan, the inari sushi at Maruichi-Shokuhi has a lighter bean curd color and different shapes, filled with plenty of vinegared rice for a more pronounced sour taste. This simple inari sushi is beloved by locals in Okinawa, and many tourists come here out of curiosity for its flavor.

In addition to inari sushi, the store sells various crispy fried foods, including garlic-flavored salty fried chicken. This chicken side dish is how locals enjoy eating inari sushi. Before hitting the road, why not stop by and get a box of fried chicken bean curd sushi as a snack when watching the sea and enjoying the breeze?

Maruichi-Shokuhi Shioya Branch
Address: 336 Katsuren Hekigyabirya, Uruma City

6. Daito Sushi

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Daito Sushi comes from Minami-Daito Island on the east side of Okinawa and is a local specialty dish known as "island sushi." Opening the simple outer box, the sushi looks similar to typical hand-pressed sushi.

But upon tasting, it's different from what you've had before! The rice is marinated in sweet vinegar, and the mackerel is marinated with a special soy sauce seasoning, which gives it a different flavor. Incorporating the unique texture of the mackerel, it melts in your mouth and brings a sweet taste, leaving you wanting another piece after the first bite.

Daito Sushi is only sold at Naha Airport on Okinawa Island, with about 200-250 boxes available daily. You'll need some luck to taste it!

7. Yume Sushi

Located in Naha City, Yume Sushi allows customers to taste high-quality domestically produced tuna from Tsukiji. However, this restaurant is not just for locals. Many tourists take the opportunity to visit here during their travels in Okinawa.

It's recommended to visit Yume Sushi during lunchtime, where a high-value lunch costs around 2,530 yen to 4,400 yen and includes sushi, grilled fish, chawanmushi (savory steamed custard), udon noodles, side dishes, and desserts. In other words, the menu is highly cost-effective and feels like a treat! In addition to fresh sashimi, you can enjoy seafood dishes, such as sea grapes and fried oysters.

Yume Sushi
Address: 3-9-10 Kume, Naha City, Okinawa Prefecture, 1st floor of Sono Building

8. Uogaku Uozushi Public Market Main Store

Located inside a popular tourist spot, the Uogaku Uozushi Public Market Main Store is a great value choice for enjoying delicious sushi at affordable prices.

The sushi platter offered at the store allows you to sample a selection of five to ten kinds of sushi at once. For those who prefer sashimi, you can choose the "Fugu Fishing Boat" or the "Large Fish Treasure Ship." Additionally, the menu includes typical izakaya items such as miso soup, fried shrimp, salad, and alcoholic beverages.

Due to its convenient location for tourists and a less upscale atmosphere compared to high-end sushi restaurants, it's a great place to experience the joy of delicious food in Okinawa's local market. It's definitely worth a try!

Uogaku Uozushi Public Market Main Store
Address: 2-11-11 Matsuo, Naha City, Okinawa Prefecture, Building 107

9. Kawaji Honten (Main Store)

If your budget allows, you may want to try the popular local sushi restaurant Kawaji Honten (Main Store). The restaurant's elegant and sophisticated decor, just like other high-end sushi restaurants in Japan, includes a long counter where chefs can attend to customers' needs. In turn, customers can watch the chefs handcrafting each piece of sushi before their eyes.

The sushi is fresh and diverse, featuring local catches in Okinawa. However, it's also a chance to taste seasonal seafood from Japan. In addition to ordering exquisite hand-pressed sushi, the store offers sashimi platters, tempura, simmered fish, grilled fish, grilled eel, and other seafood dishes. You can also choose a set menu with the dishes selected by chefs according to your budget.

Kawaji Honten (Main Store)
Address: 2-7-13 Matsuyama, Naha City, Okinawa Prefecture, 1st floor of Compass Building

10. Isuke

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The head chef, Daisuke Ido, of Isuke began his journey as a sushi craftsperson at the age of 16. He studied for about 11 years at the high-end sushi restaurant Kawaji in Naha City before establishing Isuke in 2013.

Since Daisuke Ido is from the traditional Edo-style sushi school, he does not select Okinawa-specific seafood. Rather, he utilizes fresh catches air-flown from various parts of Japan such as Hokkaido, Fukuoka Central Market, and Tsukiji Market. Incorporating traditional techniques learned over the years, he carefully crafts satisfying sushi dishes for customers.

The store's decor has an elegant atmosphere, and the chefs produce exquisite sushi dishes using seasonal ingredients. These delicious dishes are then paired with carefully selected Japanese sake, leading to high praise for Isuke. It's definitely worth a try if your budget allows!

Isuke
Address: 3-1-1 Wakasa, Naha City, Okinawa Prefecture, 1st floor of GIBO Building

Enjoy Sushi in Okinawa

Although the sushi dining culture in Okinawa may not seem as prevalent as in mainland Japan, you can still find finely crafted sushi made by experienced chefs and sushi dishes incorporating local seafood from Okinawa. Next time you're in Okinawa, visit a few sushi restaurants to satisfy your taste buds!