If you want to eat kaiten-zushi (conveyor belt sushi) in Okinawa Prefecture, start here! 8 popular picks by area

Photograph:流離の食いしん坊♪♪♪

Ryukyu Kaiten Sushi Kairai is a conveyor belt sushi restaurant on the 4th floor of the Naha Airport Domestic Passenger Terminal Building.

Jazz plays inside, giving the restaurant a Japanese modern feel. If you sit by the window, you can watch planes take off and land.

Photograph:Kohは酒と本とネットで本日も引きこもり。

You can enjoy sushi made with local ingredients, including fish from Okinawa.

The “Kensan-gyo no Nigiri 4-shu assortment (4-piece assortment of locally sourced fish nigiri)” lets you fully enjoy fish caught in the waters near Okinawa. They recommend squeezing shikuwasa (Okinawan citrus) over the toppings and eating them with sea salt.

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They also offer original creative sushi made with goya (bitter melon), an island vegetable from Okinawa.

The "Goya no Hosomaki" is a menu item of boiled goya rolled into sushi, seasoned with rock salt mixed with black pepper. The tang of the vinegared rice pairs well with the goya.

Photograph:ゆっきゃりん

Gourmet Kaiten Sushi Maguro Tonya Yazaemon Okinawa Shintoshin Apple Town Ten is a kaiten-zushi (conveyor belt sushi) restaurant on the 2nd floor of Coop Apple Town, about a 10-minute walk from Omoromachi Station on the Okinawa Urban Monorail Line.

In addition to the open table and counter seating, the restaurant also has Private rooms. It is a good choice not only for solo diners, but also for meals with friends and family.

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They offer a wide selection of sushi made with fresh maguro (tuna) delivered directly from Miura Misaki Port.

The “Maguro no Megumi” is a plate piled with seven kinds of nigiri and rolls that make the most of tuna, including otoro (fatty tuna), akami (lean tuna), and zuke maguro (marinated tuna). You can enjoy the different textures and rich flavors of each cut.

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They also have a great lineup of carefully made gunkan sushi topped with different cuts of maguro (tuna).

The limited-quantity “Maguro Toro no Hikkaki Gunkan” is a dish made with the skin side of hon-maguro (bluefin tuna). With every bite, the rich flavor of the toro is said to spread through your mouth.

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Sushiro Naha Ameku Ten is a conveyor-belt sushi chain restaurant located about 7 minutes by car from Miebashi Station on the Okinawa Urban Monorail Line.

The interior, lined with table seating, has a lively atmosphere. It is easy to drop by casually and is popular with a wide range of customers.

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The sushi toppings use ingredients delivered to the restaurant from fishing grounds around Japan while still keeping their freshness.

Among them, the tuna is said to use Special lean akami (red meat) packed with umami. It has a smooth mouthfeel, and you can enjoy the aroma that only fresh tuna has.

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The sushi rice is formed at body temperature, letting you enjoy its mild acidity and the rice’s natural sweetness.

They also pay close attention to the wasabi, an important supporting player, blending Domestic hon-wasabi (true wasabi) with seiyo-wasabi (horseradish) from Hokkaido. Its fresh aroma and heat are said to bring out the good flavor of the toppings.

Photograph:まさ・なち

Gourmet Kaiten Sushi Ichiba Mihama Ten is a kaiten-zushi (conveyor belt sushi) restaurant near Mihama Town Resort American Village.

It is highly popular with locals, and there can be a line at lunchtime. Depending on where you sit, you may be able to watch the chefs make the sushi.

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The sushi at this restaurant uses very fresh local coastal fish delivered daily from the prefectural fisheries federation, along with Special seafood selected from all over Japan.

Skilled chefs make full use of their expert techniques to bring out the best in each ingredient.

Photograph:三冷ホッピー名誉会長

They also offer a full range of side dishes, including fried items, udon, and ramen.

The "umibudo (sea grapes) tempura" is a dish that makes the most of an Okinawan ingredient. It is said to fill your mouth with a briny aroma, and you can enjoy its pleasantly popping texture.

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Kaiten Zushi Hokkai Sozai Chatan Ten is a restaurant that serves dishes made with ingredients focused on local production for local consumption, as well as ingredients from Hokkaido.

Located inside Mihama Town Resort American Village, it is also a good place to stop by in between shopping.

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They offer a wide variety of sushi toppings that make the most of seafood from Okinawa Prefecture, such as akamachi (star snapper) and miibai (groupers). The daily sushi menu, where you can enjoy seasonal fish brought in that day, is also popular.

For the shari (sushi rice), they use "Kinmemai (germ rice)" from Nagano Prefecture, which is said to pair perfectly with the toppings.

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The hearty set menus are also recommended. They come with a sushi assortment, the daily miso soup, and a side menu item of your choice.

The most popular option is the “Shun! Shinsen Nigiri Set.” You can enjoy the sushi with yakumi (condiments) such as moshio (seaweed salt) and grated ponzu sauce.

Photograph:脂汗垂太郎

Sushijin is a conveyor belt sushi restaurant in Ishigaki-jima (Ishigaki Island). It is popular for its wide variety of sushi, with a focus on the taste and freshness of the toppings.

In addition to spacious box seats, it also has counter seats that are good for dining alone.

Photograph:さいこっちょーピーナッツくん

The sushi you order is brought right to your table on a shinkansen (bullet train)-style lane.

They offer a wide selection of local sushi toppings, including nama-maguro (fresh tuna) caught in the waters near Ishigakijima (Ishigaki Island). Every topping is known for being large, with a firm texture and nice springiness.

Photograph:さいこっちょーピーナッツくん

Side dishes such as tempura, sashimi, and soup also use ingredients from Okinawa Prefecture.

This is the “gurukun (banana fish) Ponzu Silver Plate.” It features crispy fried gurukun tempura enjoyed with refreshing grated daikon ponzu sauce.

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Muten Kura Sushi Okinawa Toyosaki Ten is a conveyor-belt sushi chain that focuses on additive-free ingredients.

At this restaurant, you can use your finished plates to try the "Bikkura Pon" game. If you win the game, you get a prize in a capsule.

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Among sushi toppings, maguro (tuna) is especially popular, and they are said to pay close attention to their thawing and aging methods to bring out its savory flavor.

By keeping the saltiness of the soy sauce in check, they make the most of the ingredients’ natural savory flavor and aroma.

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In addition to sushi, they also offer a full lineup of side dishes such as fried items, noodles, and desserts.

The broth used for the ramen and udon is made fresh in the restaurant every day with plenty of kombu kelp and katsuobushi (bonito flakes).

Photograph:みやっちゃん17

Hama Zushi Uruma Maehara Ten is a kaiten-zushi (conveyor belt sushi) chain near Maehara Community Center.

It offers more than 90 kinds of sushi toppings, all made with freshly caught, fresh seafood. They also serve more than 10 kinds of desserts.

Photograph:基本の舌

They serve the sushi while keeping it at peak freshness, so you can fully enjoy the texture that only fresh fish can offer.

Another standout is the care they put into each topping, such as madai (red Sea Bream), which they parboil only in the amount needed for the day, and salmon, whose flesh is thawed in ice water and cut in-house.

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The sushi rice is made with Domestic rice and cooked until fluffy together with kombu kelp from Hokkaido.

Another nice point is that they offer five kinds of soy sauce, including dark soy sauce and kombu kelp soy sauce. You can enjoy different flavors to match each topping.