Understanding a culture can be as easy as shopping at their local stores and local shopping in Okinawa is no different. From the most treasured convenience stores, known as konbinis, to your typical shopping mall, you’ll find everything you need in the local stores as well as an array of fascinating products. You will be able to learn so much about the culture through local shopping in Okinawa.

Local Shopping in Okinawa: Convenience Stores

Convenience stores, known as konbini, here in Japan, have long been the center of friendly debate. Which is better? Lawson, Family Mart or 7/11? While each one has their own specialties, you can count on either of them to offer all the basics you would need for a quick stop while you’re out exploring. Coffee, chips, onigiri, drinks, salad, fried chicken, and so much more can be found at a konbini. However, konbinis are not like your typical gas stations that you would have in the states. They carry an abundance of fresh foods made daily, and that disappear as quickly as they get on the shelves.

Along with the food, there is always an aisle dedicated to basic needs including medicine, hygiene products, some basic clothes and undergarments, stationary, electronic needs, and the not to be overlooked local souvenirs. If you visit a konbini in a touristy area, you will be sure to find an abundance of Orion Beer and Spam merchandise among other local favorites.

Do you live off base and have bills to pay? Stop into any convenience store and bring your bill to the counter and present it to the cashier. They will ring you up and you can pay your bill in yen or with your card. While you’re there don’t forget to buy tickets to the next Ryukyu Kings basketball game as well. Most konbini carry tickets to local sporting events making it an easy place to get all your errands done in one stop.

Local Shopping in Okinawa: Dollar Stores

Daiso, Can-Do, Seria. 100-Yen shops are a great place to get all the things you didn’t know you needed. Japan takes pride in producing high quality products and it certainly shows in the products lining the shelves in all of the 100-Yen shops.

Products include, but are not limited to, kitchenware, cleaning products, electronics, stationary, toys, storage items, gardening supplies, food, cosmetics, hygiene products, car accessories, travel accessories, and jewelry. All this to say, if you need something, your best bet is to try a 100-Yen shop first. While most items will be 100 yen, if it happens to be more, the price will be marked on the item.

100-Yen shops are also a great place to let your kids roam free with their allowance or birthday money and see what they can find to spend their money on.

Local Shopping in Okinawa: Clothing

The Bunny Store

THE BUNNY STORE is easily identified by the bunnies on the sign. The actual name for the store is Nishimatsuya but with the American influence and language barrier it became known among military personnel and their families as the Bunny Store. This is similar to a Buy Buy Baby or Babies R Us in the states, carrying infant to big kid sized clothing, strollers, car seats, diapers, and toys.

AEON

AEON is an all around department store but offers a great selection for kids and adults. They carry uniform clothing if your kids attend an international school in town, as well as a variety of styles for men and women from everyday clothing, business attire, athletic wear, and outdoor wear. There is no shortage of kids clothes in Aeon and you’ll be sure to find anything from basic colors to your favorite pokemon character on anything.

There are also lots of options for finding clothing at any of the malls around the island.

Local Shopping in Okinawa: Shopping Malls

Many malls in the states have gone bankrupt and turned into shells of their former glory days, used only for the retired to get their morning walk in. This is definitely not the case here in Okinawa, malls are the “it” place to be. It’s like the 90’s came and never left. Between the styles you see, the stores you pass and the overall atmosphere of the mall, the 90’s vibe is everywhere.

The Rycom Mall

The Rycom Mall, located in the center of the island, boasts four levels of stores. They have a movie theater, arcade, large food court and an aquarium! The aquarium is a fan favorite for any kid who visits. Located near the main entrance, it’s full of a variety of fish you’d find in the waters off of Okinawa. You’re sure to spend most of your time next to the aquarium watching eels, a small shark, sting rays and more fish than I can name.

On the fourth floor, you’ll find a long lost American favorite, Toys R Us. Geoffry even makes an appearance every now and then!

The Rycom Mall is an Aeon Mall, so attached at the one end is a very large Aeon. They have a specialty alcohol section that carries an extensive variety of local alcohol, beer and liquor and, on top of that, they also have a grab-n-go food section as well as a full grocery store.

The Parco City Mall

The Parco City Mall is a San-A based mall so the grocery store attached is just that. Like the Rycom Mall, there are multiple floors of stores ranging from electronics, clothing and household goods. The Parco City Mall also includes a large theater and an arcade area that attracts kids of all ages.

The iias Okinawa Toyosaki Mall

If you’re looking for a good rainy day activity, the iias Okinawa Toyosaki Mall, just south of Naha, has the DMM Kariyushi Aquarium attached. This is a two floor aquarium with not just fish but a small selection of other animals like a sloth and meerkats.

The mall itself has a similar line up of stores to the Rycom and Parco City malls. While it is not a mall operating under the Aeon company, the small grocery store near the food court is an Aeon and you can find a wide selection of Okinawa products from souvenirs to food among the typical grocery store products.

All of the malls have stores like H&M, GU and UniQlo which are wonderful places to shop for clothes and shoes for the whole family. There are shops that specialize in Okinawan products or Japanese products, shops that cater to anime or pokemon and such a variety of restaurants that you’ll never eat at the same place twice if you don’t want to.

The Okinawa Outlet Mall Ashibinaa

Okinawa Outlet Mall Ashibinaa is Okinawa’s first outlet mall with over 100 popular brands with some making their debut in Japan. The outlet mall is located just down the road from the iias Okinawa Toyosaki Mall and Tropical Beach, only 15 minutes from Naha Airport. This is a great place to get your fill of the typical luxury and casual brands you see in any outlet mall you would visit in the states.

There are also smaller “malls” throughout Okinawa which are typically connected to major grocery stores like San-A or Aeon. There is Hamby Town near Camp Foster and the Aeon Mall near American Village to name a few near the military bases. These malls not only have their respective grocery stores but a variety of clothing, home goods and drug stores throughout them as well. Some are larger than others and a few may only have one or two other stores, but they are a great place to get errands done without needing to go to one of the bigger malls.

Local Shopping in Okinawa: Homegoods and Hardware

Nitori

Nitori is a homegoods store and, similar to Ikea, has a display floor or section of “rooms” using their furniture and products so you can get an idea of the use of the products in everyday life. Nitori is a one stop shop for your household goods, similar to a Bed, Bath and Beyond.

If you live off base, this is a great place to get things you may need for your off base home. Curtains that fit the windows and smaller sized organizational items that fit better in the smaller sized homes. Bed sheets, towels, rugs, light fixtures, bathroom and kitchen accessories, storage bins, bedroom furniture, bed frames, cabinets, and more. The only caution I would throw out there is that Japanese beds are a different size than American beds. So buying sheets and blankets could pose a problem if you have American furniture.

Yellowbox

Yellowbox is another great option for furniture. This is a furniture only store and carries Imported American furniture, including Ashley. They also carry a variety of goods imported from all over Asia. Yellowbox has a store on Foster, a small venue inside the Kadena BX and a large store off base in Matsumoto. They offer delivery or pick up at their warehouse.

Makeman and Cainz

Makeman and Cainz are your Home Depot and Lowes. Both of these stores are where you can find materials for all your DIY projects, gardening supplies to include seeds, dirt and live plants, tools, appliances, and more. If you would find it at a Home Depot or Lowes in the states, you will be able to find it at one of these two stores.

In addition to hardware and household goods, both of these stores also have a section similar to a PetSmart. You can find food and supplies you will need for any type of pet. In the market to adopt a pet? From dogs to fish to birds and hamsters, you’ll find a variety of animals to adopt and you’ll find it hard to pull your kids away from this section. So if you find it hard to leave this section, make sure to remember where it is in the store so you can avoid it!

MaxPlus

MaxPlus is an experience. This is a furniture store that is connected to a few other stores. Starting with MaxPlus, this is a typical furniture and homegoods store. From bedrooms to living rooms to offices, you will be able to find whatever you need for your home at an average price.

If you go up a floor, you will be in a store called The Grace. This is your luxury brand with the equivalent luxury price tag. This is your top end furniture where you’ll spend top dollar.

Both of these stores are brand new furniture and products, as opposed to the other two stores in the building that sell used furniture.

Today OK and ReOK

Today OK and ReOK will buy your used furniture and then resell it for next to nothing. What makes these two places an interesting place to shop is that the prices go down if the product has sat on the floor for a while. So if you are in the market for some new furniture and don’t want to break the bank, this is a great option.

Local Shopping in Okinawa: Grocery Stores

You can find our article that details grocery shopping in Okinawa here. There are so many options for grocery shopping here. You have the larger grocery stores to include Aeon, San-A, Kanehide and Union. These stores have all the grocery items you will need as well as local products and souvenirs. You have the smaller stores like Gyomu Super, which provides an assortment of bulk options and CO-OP that benefits a local coop group and provides organic options. Farmers Markets like JA Farmers Market or Happy More carry a wide variety of locally grown produce and locally made products as well as organic and vegan options.

DON QUIJOTE

This store belongs in a category of its own. Affectionately known as Don Q to most, this store is a must for anyone in Okinawa. This store has EVERYTHING and that is no exaggeration. You can find luxury brands on one floor, cosmetics on another, suitcases on the next, clothes, toys, food, souvenirs, alcohol, furniture, bikes, pet supplies. Don Q is known as the jungle store because the aisles are so small and things are just piled on top of each other, everywhere you look.

Shopping at Don Quijote is quite over stimulating between the bright colors, small spaces, interesting jingle constantly playing over the speakers and the overwhelming variety of products on the shelves, but it’s another store that should definitely not be overlooked when you’re on the hunt for a certain product.

Conclusion to Local Shopping in Okinawa

I was definitely misled when moving to Okinawa, being told that I should stock up on my favorite items because I won’t be able to get them when I come here. My favorite was being told to buy all the clothes your kids will need for the whole time you live there because you’ll never find clothes for your kids. There are so many options to local shopping in Okinawa, you’ll be able to find whatever it is you’ll need, even if it does take some searching. Get out and explore and take the time to browse the stores and you’ll always find something you didn’t know you needed.

Looking for more? Check out these other popular articles on moving to Okinawa.