It takes about 1 hour and 30 minutes by car from Naha Airport. The roadside station is located in the southern part of Kouri Island in the northern part of Okinawa’s main island, just after crossing the Kouri Ohashi Bridge, which is famous for its spectacular view.
You may be thinking, “Aren’t all roadside stations the same? But you will find things you can only eat here, such as craft cola, ginger ale, and blue curry, which will look great on your Instagram! You can also experience BBQ all year round, which is only available in summer.
Point 1: What is the location of “Kouri Island Station Sorahashi” and how are the stores organized?
Kouri Island Station Sorahashi is located in the southern part of Kouri Island in the northern part of Okinawa’s main island. There is a beach nearby, and in summer, you can change your clothes here and go to the beach right away.
Kouri Island has a strong image of being an “island for lovers” with its heart rock and lovely villas, but there is also a roadside station with a strong personality like “Kouri Island Station SOLAHASHI”.
This roadside station has a variety of restaurants, including “Sorahashi FRUITS,” a juice store that makes juice from the highly ripe fruits harvested in northern Okinawa, traditional Okinawan dishes such as Okinawan soba noodles, taco rice made with Nakijin vegetables, and the visually stunning blue curry “Okinawa Shokudo Sorahashi,” as well as mangoes, watermelons, and pineapples produced in northern Okinawa, The store is also home to “Sorahashi Market,” which sells mangoes, watermelons, pineapples, and other fruits from northern Okinawa, as well as about five other tenants.
Mr. Yoshioka, the station manager, was kind enough to give us a phone interview this time. He told us that in addition to selling goods and serving as a cafeteria, he also operates a tourist information center, and we sometimes heard him speak in real English, giving us a glimpse of the global tourist destination that is Okinawa. Thank you very much for your time.
Point 2: Perfect for Instagram? Recommended menu of “Okinawa Shokudo Sorahashi” and “Sorahashi FRUITS” at “Kouri Island Station Sorahashi”.
Okinawa Shokudo Kukubashi offers a variety of standard Okinawan dishes, such as Okinawa soba and rafte, but there are also dishes that have been created over time to create a unique characteristic of this roadside station.
One such dish is “Tomato Soba” (1,000 yen including tax) made with tomatoes grown in Nakijin. Tomatoes and tomato puree from Nakijin are used, and the resulting sauce is topped on top of Okinawa soba noodles. In addition, cheese and hooch bar (mugwort) are sprinkled to create an Italian visual.
The rich cheese and Nakijin tomatoes are a perfect match and are truly a unique taste!
The other is “Blue Curry” (1,280 yen tax included). It uses guava from Nakijin as a secret ingredient, and is beautifully topped with fried chicken and Nakijin vegetables, making it somewhat of a shame to break it up. And it is a wonder that despite its blue color, it properly tastes like curry.
Also, the Loco Moco with Agu pork (1,480 yen including tax), a mix of Hawaiian and Ryukyuan flavors, looks delicious! The Nakijin vegetables bring out the flavor of the Agu pork!
In addition, BBQ is often held only in the summer, even in Okinawa, but here at “Kouri Island Station Sorahashi,” it is held even in the winter.
Reservations are required for a minimum of two persons, and must be made at least one day in advance. The menu includes appetizers of umi budou (sea grapes), Caesar salad with island tofu, fried potatoes, and Ji-mami tofu; meat from Yanbaru pork loin, tripe, spare rib, beef halami, Okinawa pork sausage; assorted grilled vegetables from Nakijin; and teppan taco rice or Okinawan sea kiwasa cold noodles. The price is 4,000 yen per person!
Not only the meat and vegetables, but also an appetizer and rice or noodles to finish the meal are included.
You can also choose Nakijin Agu pork, the “original” among the many varieties of Agu pork, for an additional 1,000 yen. Since you have come all the way to Kouri Island, we would like you to experience Nakijin Agu, which is different from ordinary Agu pork.
Also recommended at Sorahashi FRUITS are the premium juices of rich guava, passion fruit, and Okinawa fruit “Tankan”!
Furthermore, from around GW, parfaits with a lot of fruit will be available, which is something to look forward to!
Point 3: Find rare souvenirs at “Kouri Island Station Sorahashi” and “Sorahashi Market!
The “Sorahashi Market,” the sales section of “Kouri Island Station Sorahashi,” sells craft colas made with brown sugar and spices harvested in Nakijin Village and ginger ale made with ginger produced in Nakijin Village, with the aim of promoting local production for local consumption.
You can drink it on the spot, but the colorful pig-illustrated bottles for souvenirs are also cute! I was also impressed by the name “Naki-ginger,” which is a combination of Nakijin and ginger.
Nowadays, local craft colas and other drinks are all the rage throughout Japan, but I think you should definitely experience a drink made with the rich brown sugar from Nakijin, not just any brown sugar.
In addition, “Sorahashi FRUITS” also offers drinks using mangoes, pineapples, island bananas, watermelons, guavas, and other fruits produced in Nakijin, and freshly cut fruits on skewers are available from 300 yen, so please try those as well.
Also available are original products such as “Nu” (1,200 yen including tax), a yakiniku sauce made from brown sugar, onions, and pineapple from Nakijin Village that makes meat tastier, and oil miso. These are hard-to-find souvenirs that are sure to please.
The packaging of this “Nu” is also somewhat luxurious!
Nu” is a versatile sauce that can be used not only for yakiniku sauce and roast beef, but also for ginger yaki if ginger is added, and as a secret ingredient in fried rice! A bottle of this might come in handy.
