I'm NOMADOKA, and I quit my office job to pursue a healthy and fulfilling life, and I'm currently on a long-term stay in Okinawa.

After starting a long-term stay in Asato, Naha , and experiencing two weeks of life in Naha, I decided to move my base to Ginowan City in search of the sea.

This time, we'll introduce the characteristics of Ginowan City, its gourmet food, and more, from the perspective of someone planning a long-term stay!

<Table of Contents>
1. Reasons for choosing Ginowan
2. Characteristics of Ginowan City: Convenient to live in, good for sightseeing, and home to a U.S. military base.
2-1. The convenience of living in a town that also offers opportunities for sightseeing.
2-2. There is a U.S. military base in Ginowan.
3. Where did you stay? There are some great booking options.
4. I haven't encountered any particular difficulties in my daily life, except for transportation.
5. Everyday events
5-1. Take a walk along the beach every day.
5-2. Enjoy Okinawan cuisine while cooking your own meals!
5-3. Work diligently at your accommodation and secure a new job.
6. Essential item: Sunscreen is important even before summer!
7. Additional purchase: Get a rental car locally.
8. Ginowan: A convenient city where you can enjoy local characteristics!

Show all table of contents

1. Reasons for choosing Ginowan

Ginowan City is located in the south-central part of Okinawa Island, and can be reached in about 30 minutes by taxi from Naha-Asato Station.
My body craved nature, and I was longing to experience and remember more of the local side of life.
When I lived in Naha, I didn't have a car, so Ginowan was the perfect place for me – a town that was reasonably close and had a beach.

2. Characteristics of Ginowan City: Convenient to live in, good for sightseeing, and home to a U.S. military base.

I'll share what Ginowan is like and my impressions of living there.

2-1. The convenience of living in a town that also offers opportunities for sightseeing.

Ginowan is a convenient area for traveling from central to northern Okinawa, with many roads converging there. Compared to Naha, it has more residential areas and a more relaxed atmosphere, but it's still quite developed.
There are plenty of supermarkets, and it's a town where you can enjoy a bit of a local feel while living there.

And there are many houses that are shaped like square boxes, which are called "foreign houses."
These were originally houses built for U.S. military personnel. This cafe, which has been renovated from one of these foreign-style houses, is incredibly stylish.

Also, the American Village in Chatan Town, a popular tourist destination, is right next door.
With easy access to the beach, you can also spend your holidays relaxing by the sea.

Thus, Ginowan City's appeal lies in the fact that you can enjoy both living there and sightseeing at the same time.

2-2. There is a U.S. military base in Ginowan.

In the central and northern parts of Ginowan City, there are numerous U.S. military bases, including Futenma Air Base (Futenma Air Station) and Marine Corps facilities.

Many people have heard of Futenma Air Base on the news, but surprisingly, many don't know that it's located in Ginowan City.

The U.S. military base in Ginowan City reportedly occupies about 32% of the city's area. Indeed, a very large area stretched out beyond the fence.

There are lots of Americans in town, and plenty of restaurants that cater to American tastes.

While strolling along Araha Beach in Chatan Town, I often pass Americans running or jogging.

Some yakiniku (Japanese barbecue) chain restaurants have adopted stylish exteriors and are now labeled as "BBQ restaurants."

It was a moment that made me think, "Maybe it's been adapted to be easily understood by Americans."

3. Where did you stay? There are some great booking options.

My stay in Ginowan City lasted two weeks. For accommodation, I stayed at "Mr.KINJO," just like in Naha.

Mr.KINJO is located in Isa, Ginowan City, and is conveniently situated within walking distance of Chatan, a popular tourist area with many cafes.

Just like in NahaAgodaI made a reservation, and it cost 36,180 yen for two weeks. That's really cheap!

I'm definitely not an Agoda shill, but if you're looking for cheap accommodation, I would definitely recommend it.
One of the reasons,Agoda has a price guarantee system, so if you find a lower price for the same property you've already booked, you can stay at that price.What a wonderful system!

I made a reservation to stay at Mr.KINJO, and after checking the prices on Agoda every day, I happened to find a day when it was cheaper.
I applied based on the price for that day, and was able to stay at a great price.

In terms of facilities, there were some slight differences compared to the Mr.KINJO in Naha/Asato, even though they are both called Mr.KINJO.

The only difference compared to last time is that it now includes a rice cooker.

There was no bathroom drying function, but there was a separate dryer in the room.

The building itself felt a little dated, but it was clean and comfortable to live in.

The Wi-Fi was reliable, so I was able to work comfortably in my room.

4. I haven't encountered any particular difficulties in my daily life, except for transportation.

The place where I stayed was the "Isa" area of ​​Ginowan City.
Compared to Naha, Isa doesn't have a high concentration of restaurants, supermarkets, and other shops. Therefore, you'll have to walk longer distances.

However, the accommodation was conveniently located within Isa, with supermarkets and convenience stores within a 5-minute walk. McDonald's and Don Quijote were also within about a 15-minute walk.
Therefore, there are no particular problems in daily life.
However, since I had to carry my groceries and 2-liter bottles of water home on foot, my arms felt like they were going to fall off.

Considering that I would be moving from Ginowan City to the next area to live, I decided that it would be better to have a car, so I rented one.

I searched for a cheap rental car company on a rental car price comparison website, and luckily there was a branch nearby, so I went to rent a car from them.
*For details on rental car rates,7. Additional purchase: Get a rental car locally.Introduced in.

I rented a black kei car (mini car). I love how easy it is to maneuver and drive.

I've named my new rental car "Ganmo" (borrowed from the name of my favorite izakaya).
We used the parking lot provided by the inn to park our car.

5. Everyday events

I'll share how I spent my time during my stay in Ginowan City, including details about my work and meals.
This site is packed with information on Ginowan's gourmet scene and local culture, so please check it out!

5-1. Take a walk along the beach every day.

I took a walk every day along Araha Beach, which was about a 10-minute walk from my accommodation.

A promenade runs along the coast, making it perfect for walks and runs.

Also, there are a few restaurants scattered along the road by the sea, so you can buy coffee or a bento box and eat while looking at the ocean.

5-2. Enjoy Okinawan cuisine while cooking your own meals!

King Tacos, a famous Okinawan restaurant, has a location in the Futenma area, and they offer takeout.

The place I frequented when eating out was a coffee shop.

Although it's called a coffee shop, it has a menu similar to a diner, and there are lots of manga comics inside.

In Okinawa, there are quite a few restaurants that have manga comics available and offer hearty, reasonably priced set meals.

That's quite an enormous amount. I'm grateful. It fills me up and also helps me to relax.

I did eat out sometimes, but I increased the number of times I cooked at home to save money.
I am deeply indebted to Union, one of Okinawa's leading supermarkets.

5-3. Work diligently at your accommodation and secure a new job.

The hotel's Wi-Fi was excellent, allowing me to get a lot of work done.

When I came to Okinawa, I brought one fully remote job with me, but to be honest, that wasn't enough to make ends meet. I was actually feeling quite desperate.

Driven by an urgent need to "get a new job!", I applied for crowdsourcing projects and online job postings, experiencing the whirlwind of my first job.
I often stayed up all night because I felt I had to get as much of my initial work done as possible.

And I'm a little relieved that I'll be able to continue working with the company I connected with.

At the same time, it's true that there's the anxiety of not knowing when the project might end.

However, having secured a new project this time, I realized that "if push comes to shove, you can manage somehow." Humans can do anything if they try!

6. Essential item: Sunscreen is important even before summer!

To be honest, I underestimated the Okinawan sun.

I was in Ginowan from April to May, and I got sunburned just by taking a walk.

Above all, the sunlight is so strong it feels like it's piercing your skin.

I learned the hard way that it's important to wear sunscreen even before summer arrives.

7. Additional purchase: Get a rental car locally.

I rented a car three days before leaving Isa, Ginowan City.

The rental car costs 26,000 yen per month. This is a very reasonable price as it includes liability insurance for personal injury and property damage.

The inn had a spacious parking area, but I wondered if there was a fee... so I checked and found out it was 1000 yen per day.

If you calculate the rental car cost on a daily basis, it comes out to about 866 yen per day. Parking is more expensive!
If you plan to rent a car, it's a good idea to check in advance whether parking fees are included in the accommodation price when you make your reservation.

8. Ginowan: A convenient city where you can enjoy local characteristics!

I thoroughly enjoyed the sea and the local characteristics of Ginowan.
While not having a car can be a bit inconvenient at times, overall it's a very pleasant place to live.

Experiencing the local atmosphere in Ginowan has fueled my desire to explore even more off-the-beaten-path towns.
Now, when it comes to deep, authentic Okinawa, that town comes to mind... Stay tuned for the sequel!

NOMADOKA's mini-relocation series
Naha/Asato Edition → ★Ginowan Edition → Koza Chapter