JasonKimball.org

One of my favorite local taco restaurants on island is Charlie’s Tacos. Today I decided that I would stop by and have some tacos before I leave and really regret not getting my Okinawan taco fix.

Charlie’s Tacos has some really great tasting food. You will probably pay a little more than what you are use to for a  taco, but I am sure you will appreciate their unique style.

Charlie’s Tacos is a very popular spot and that is evident as soon as you walk through the door. Every time I have been there the place is just packed.

I generally stick with and suggest getting their two tacos and taco rice set for ¥980. One of my favorite things about this set is their taco rice. They give you the option of ordering it regular or spicy. I promise you that their spicy taco rice is definitely out of this world because every time I go there I inhale it!

Charlie’s Tacos isn’t a new place to grab a great tasting taco in Okinawa. You will notice everywhere that Charlie’s has been providing great service and amazing taco since 1956. If you don’t trust me, have a look at their walls. They are covered with satisfied customers throughout the years.

I always go to the Charlie’s Tacos right outside of Kadena Air Base gate 2. But, if you are in Naha on Kokusai street, make sure you check out their second location.

The bottom line is that I have really enjoyed going to Charlie’s  Tacos for the past three years. If you have a chance, check it out!

Helpful Information

Hours/Phone

Hours: 10:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m.

Phone: 098 937-4627

Location/Directions

Location: 4-11-5 Chuo, Okinawa-City

Directions: Charlie’s Tacos is only a five minute walk from Kadena Air Base Gate 2 and is located on B.C. street.

From Kadena Air Base gate 2, drive straight a couple of lights and make a left. You will reach B.C. street. Make a left on B.C. street and Charlie’s Tacos will be on your right.

Ever look at the bottom of the tequila bottle and wonder how the worm would taste? Well, I kind of had that moment last night when I decided to take things one step further by trying some habu sake. If you have no clue, habu sake is made using the poisonous venom of the habu snake and is a very popular drink in Okinawa, Japan.

The strange thing is that habu sake isn’t actually sake at all. It is made with awamori . Unlike sake, awamori is created through the distilling of rice. Generally,  longer awamori aging will produce a smoother more potent awamori that tastes absolutely terrific.

One major concern about drinking habu sake is thinking the snake venom will be harmful to your body. However, the habu sake poses no risk because the poisonous venom dissolves in the alcohol. Actually, the habu is said to contain 19 amino acids that are actually beneficial to humans. So I would suggest drinking this stuff as often as possible!

Here are a couple photos from last night when I got the bartenders from the Tokyo Dai-ichi hotel to join me in a couple shots of habu sake. For some reason some of them were reluctant to have a shot with me.

Click to enlarge

I love Japan and the fact that you can buy an Orion draft beer straight from a vending machine. This is something you definitely don’t see back in the states.

If you have ¥290 or roughly 3 dollars you can have a great tasting beer from a vending machine!

Just in case you forgot how to use a vending machine, here are a couple pictures that may make things a little easier for you.

The movers came on Friday and packed all of our household goods up. We didn’t realize how much crap we had until someone came to pack it up…wow!

Because we have no stuff, we are currently staying at the Tokyo Dai-ichi Okinawa Grand Mer resort . So far I would say that the hotel is clean, comfy, and provides great service. However, I must complain about their parking situation! For such a large hotel, their parking areas must have been overlooked. After living here in Okinawa for 3 years we have encountered some pretty terrible parking situations, but this definitely ranks up at the top.

Besides the parking situation, we are really enjoying our room and everything else the hotel has to offer.

Here are a couple shots of the hotel.

Click to Enlarge

Ask almost anyone what their favorite seafood restaurant is on Okinawa and they will most definitely tell you Sam’s By The Sea . Every year Sam’s By The Sea wins numerous awards throughout the Pacific region including best seafood restaurant for what I believe is 8 consecutive times. This is hands down my favorite place to go for special occasions with the wife and frends.

Sam’s by the Sea in Awase is actually part of a chain or group of Sam’s restaurants here on Okinawa. I can only vouch for the Sam’s by the Sea in Awase though. My guess is that the quality of service at the other locations is top notch also.

The menu is a little more pricier than other establishments off base. However, the quality of food, level of service, and atmosphere are well worth the final bill. My wife and I usually order their specialty drinks which come with a really cool cup to take home, appetizers, surf and turf or King crab legs for dinner and our bill ends up around $90. Like I said earlier, we absolutely love this place.

To emphasize a point more in detail…this place is truly amazing! I highly recommend this restaurant to anyone staying on Okinawa.

The best waitress ever

Helpful Information

Hours/Phone

Hours: Open everyday from 16:30 – 24:00

Phone:  098-937-3421

Location/Directions

Location: Address / 1-41-15 Awase Okinawa City. code 904-2172

Directions: From Kadena Air Base gate 2, drive straight to the Awase area. You will pass through the RT 329 intersection and continue going straight until you see a large King Kong on the left side of the road. Take a left at the light right after King Kong Yakiniku and follow the signs. They have plenty of parking so don’t worry.

Our time here on Okinawa is quickly coming to an end. It is amazing to think that nearly three years have passed since we first arrived here on Okinawa. In a little less than three weeks Brittany and I will be leaving Okinawa for England. It really makes me sad to think of leaving such a great little island.

On a more pleasant note, we wanted to have a sushi night at Yoshi Hachi’s with Mot and Ashley before they leave for Texas next week. We might as well have some great sushi before leave…right! Not to mention that Ashley is a total Yoshi roll fanatic!

Here are some pictures from the night.

[Show as slideshow]

With less than two months left on Okinawa my wife and I realized that we better get the most out of Okinawa cuisine before we leave. One of the most popular and our favorite Okinawan dish is Okinawa soba . If you have been on Okinawa and not tried soba, what are you waiting for? There are plenty of soba restaurants around every corner here in Okinawa. The hard part is finding the restaurant that serves the best soba on island. I am not sure if I have found it yet, but I sure do love the challenge.

Right down the road from our house is a very popular soba house by the name of Hamaya Soba. Hamaya Soba is strategically located right by the Sunabe Seawall and always appears to have plenty of customers.

I really like Hamaya Soba because of its location to my house and also the seawall. I love going to the seawall to enjoy a nice sunset and walk around. A big bowl of mouth watering soba only makes the moment that much sweeter.

One thing you should expect from a great soba house are reasonable prices. A large bowl of their Okinawa soba which contains soba noodles, pork ribs, roast, and fried eggs is only ¥650. If you are not hungry enough for the large portion, go for their smaller size which cost ¥300-¥400.

I went all out and opted for the Orion draft to accompany my large bowl of soba. After everything was said and done, my wife and I were both full and happy that the bill was only ¥1400.

If you are down by the seawall enjoying the sun or doing some diving, check out Hamaya Soba for a really pleasant soba experience.

Helpful Information

Location/Directions

To get the Hamaya Soba, take Hwy 58 towards Kadena. At the stoplight right before Kadena Gate 1, take a left. Go straight through all the stoplights and try to find parking down by the seawall. After the last stoplight, Hamaya Soba is half a block down on the right just past Sunabe Gyros.

From Kadena Gate 1 – Take a left out of Gate 1 and then take a right at your first light. Head down towards the Sunabe Seawall. Hamaya Soba is half a block down on the right just past Sunabe Gyros.

It rained for about an hour and I thought my Saturday was ruined again. Luckily enough the rain cleared up and I decided to pack my camera and take a little trip to the Futenma Shrine located in Ginowan.

Futenma Gongen is a Shinto shrine that was built roughly 500 years ago by King Sho Kinpuku during the Sho dynasty. Today the Futenma shrine is a place of worship for many Okinawans. An interesting fact is that the Futenma shrine is one of eight major shrines on the Ryukyu Islands. Behind the main building is another smaller structure that only the priest have access to and have been trusted not to reveal the contents.

In addition to the beautiful shrines are some historical caves. The caves are said to be very sacred and date back thousands of years. I didn’t have the opportunity to visit the caves but you can gain access by asking a priest or female attendant for admission.

There is no entrance fee to visit Futenma Gongen but donations are welcome. While you are there you can purchase charms, amulets, and fortunes in both Japanese and English.

If you are looking for a way to spend 45 minutes to an hour and you are in the Ginowan area, stop by the Futenma Shrine and enjoy some local history.

Check out all of the photos from the Futenma shrine.

[Show as slideshow]

Directions:

The Futenma shrine is located on RT 330 in Ginowan outside of Camp Fosters gate 6.

To get there from Kadena’s Gate 1 you will take a left and head down HWY 58 past the Camp Foster commissary gate. After passing the commissary gate you will take a left when you see a sign for Futenma and RT 81. Drive straight and 81 will turn into RT 330. The shrine will be on your left side. If you make it to Camp Foster’s legion gate then you have passed it.

From Camp Fosters Gate 6 (American Legion Gate) take a right and head down RT 330. Futenma shrine will be on your right side. It is roughly a ten minute walk from Camp Fosters Gate 6.