The Makishi Public Market in Naha City, Okinawa, reopened in March 2023. Although it has lost the strong local feel it once had, the market has become cleaner and more accessible to everyone. Now, did you know that there is a “lifting system” at this Makishi Public Market?
The lifting system means that food purchased at the stores on the first floor is brought to the second floor cafeteria and cooked for you; on the first floor there is a fresh fish store and a butcher store that offer a variety of Okinawan ingredients, which can then be cooked to your liking.
It is a very interesting system, but if you are new to it, you may be at a loss as to how to use it. So we would like to briefly introduce how to use this system.
Step 1: Select ingredients on the 1st floor
The stores where food can be purchased are the butcher store and the fresh fish store on the first floor. Naturally, you cannot bring in food that has already been processed. For butcher stores, we recommend “Uehara Butcher Shop” and for fresh fish stores, we recommend “Onaga Fresh Fish”. For meat, Okinawa herb pork or Agu pork is recommended, and for fish, luminous shellfish is recommended.
Step 2: Decide how you want to eat and buy
Once you have decided on the ingredients you want, discuss how to eat them with the store staff. Since the restaurant staff is familiar with the ingredients, you may leave it to them. For meat, simply use steak, and for fish, sashimi is the best way to enjoy the quality of the ingredients. Once you have decided on how you want to eat, settle your bill at the restaurant.
Step 3: Waiting for food to be prepared in the dining room on the second floor
The food is taken to the upstairs dining room, which is affiliated with the restaurant. Then, after being cooked in that diner, they are at the table where you are sitting. All you have to do is eat the delicious food. It’s that easy, isn’t it? By the way, you need to pay 500 yen per dish to the diner for the cooking fee.
For example, if you have a whole fish made into sashimi, it will be quite a large volume. So, it is more cost-effective than ordering at an izakaya, and most importantly, you can feel assured that you are eating fresh ingredients. Please give it a try.
