Yomitan’s fishing port also referred to as Toya Port is a great place to experience some real down to earth Okinawa culture. If you’re a lover of super fresh seafood or just want to see how things are done here the friendly Okinawa fishermen of Yomitan village will be happy to help you out.
Many locals and non Okinawans such as Americans living near by frequent the market to buy fresh fish caught in the nets that very same day. The fish are caught in a kind of fixed net located not far off shore that fishermen travel to haul in 500 kg of fish each day. Tours can be arranged to go to this unique kind of Okinawa net and visitors can even have a chance to work along side the skilled Yomitan fishermen.
If handling the catch of the day in the open sea is not your thing then you can stop by the fish processing plant in Yomitan’s Toya port and see the how thing are done there. Anyone can buy fresh fish at the processing facility’s market, they will clean your purchase and prepare to take home just the way you like.
Yomitan Okinawa boasts a large variety of fish at its Toya port including but not limited to horse mackerel, rabbit fish, sardine, and local Okinawan Gurukun. If you don’t want to go home and cook all this delicious seafood then you can have fun just looking around the port and stop for a bite to eat at the small restaurant located next to the port.
Yomitan port is also famous for the Yomitan Port Festival it hosts every year on June 20th, featuring Haarii (dragon boat races), a fish griping contest, jumping into the sea, and many more exciting events.
From Naha Airport: Approx. 70 min by car (via highway)
From Okinawa Expressway: Okinawa Kita I.C. Approx. 30 min by car (via highway)
Location: The west side of Yomitan Village in the Toya area.
