Okinawa | A Must-Visit Izakaya

Every time I visit Okinawa, I make sure to stop by this izakaya. This time, one meal wasn't enough, so I planned for two. Upon landing, I headed straight to Ikesu no Ginji (Shintoshin branch), a place I visited last time. Unfortunately, my favorite sea urchin rice ball was replaced with a new version—sad. For the second meal, I decided to check out Mekiki no Ginji (Shintoshin branch), which has a Studio Ghibli vibe (P1). However, when I arrived at 5:40 PM, the daily specials of fresh shrimp sashimi and grilled prawns were already sold out! Key Highlights: 1️⃣ Always try the daily specials. Although the fresh shrimp was sold out, the daily oysters (P3) at JPY 400 each were incredibly fresh and sweet—a must-try. 2️⃣ My personal favorite and obsession is the sea urchin rice ball with raw egg dipping sauce (P2)—you'll miss it once you've tried it. 3️⃣ A general recommendation is the sea urchin sauce grilled oysters on a hot plate (P4). 4️⃣ Reservations are absolutely necessary. I usually ask the hotel I'm staying at to make the reservation, specifying the date, time, number of people, and even the end time. 5️⃣ For the best photo opportunity at the Studio Ghibli-style entrance, aim for around 6:30 PM. The lighting is perfect—just as the sky starts to darken but hasn't fully turned night, and the lights are beautifully lit.