About 13 minutes by car from Naha Airport. This tempura restaurant is located in “Noren Plaza” in Higawa, Naha City. Unlike on the mainland, Okinawa’s tempura is more like a snack, like satsuma-age (fried fish cake). It is also reasonably priced because it is located in Nouren Plaza!
Point 1: What is the location of Ishikawa Tempura Restaurant?
Ishikawa Tempura Restaurant is located on the first floor of Noren Plaza in Higawa, Naha City, about 13 minutes by car from Naha Airport. In addition to tempura, tebichi and oden are available for eat-in.
Nouren Plaza” is the relocated “Nouren Market,” which supported the stomachs of Naha citizens for 65 years after the war, and reopened as “Nouren Plaza” in 2018.
Rather than a market, it has been reborn as a place with a more Asian atmosphere that includes Okinawan and foreign items.
It is a bit far from Kokusai-dori, but if you walk through the shopping street from the alley next to “Hotel Collective” right in the middle of Kokusai-dori, you can get there in a little over 10 minutes.
There are several shopping streets that are intricately laid out, and it is fun to find a variety of stores!
Point 2: “Ishikawa Tempura Restaurant” What is Okinawan tempura like?
Not only Ishikawa Tempura Restaurant, but there are many other tempura restaurants in Okinawa.
Unlike its mainland counterpart, Okinawa’s tempura is thickly battered and seasoned.
Tempura batter is made of water, flour, and eggs, the same as on the mainland, but the amount of flour to water is higher (about 1:1.5), and the batter is seasoned with dashi stock and salt.
Therefore, it can be eaten like a snack without the need for tempura sauce. The restaurant also has an eat-in space, although seating is limited.
Here at Ishikawa Tempura, as in many tempura restaurants in Okinawa, fish tempura such as dolphinfish, swordfish, tuna, and vegetable tempura are popular.
The thick, well-fried tempura is priced at an extremely low 80 yen per piece, which is sure to put a smile on your face.
Point 3: Other than “Ishikawa Tempura Restaurant”, what other restaurants do you recommend in Noren Plaza?
In addition to “Ishikawa Tempura Restaurant,” there are many other restaurants in “Noren Plaza. Here are some of our recommendations.
The “Taiwan Touhua Shop,” also on the first floor, is a place where you can eat a Taiwanese dessert called “Touhua” (bean-flour dessert). Touhua is a dessert that even Jackie Chan loves. It is available in a variety of simple flavors, including those with peanuts and tapioca.
There are also small portions of rou roe rice and small basket noodles to satisfy even the smallest of appetites.
Ajitoya, winner of the 2019 Naha Curry Grand Prix for brown sugar curry, is also located at 107-2 Uren Plaza here.
Based on soup curry from his hometown of Sapporo, Ajitoya’s organic spice-based curry and keema curry are very popular! The brown sugar in this curry gives it a sweetness and richness not found in ordinary curry.
In a way, you can enjoy real gourmet food in Naha at Nooren Plaza. Please try it once!
