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catch and cook tour okinawa
Food & Culture

Catch & Cook.

Reef to table — eat what you fish.

Duration
1 Days
Group
Level
Languages
enja
Best in
Spring — Autumn
Hours
07:3014:30
Hands-onBoat tripReef fishingLocal izakayaBeginner-friendlyFull day

A morning on the reef, then lunch at a local market that cooks what you caught. Beginners are welcome — gear is provided, we provide the bait, and we steady the boat around the coastlines reefs.

Fishing Tour (fc)
Couple on catch and cook tour in Okinawa
catch and cook tour okinawa
aya fishing

The day.

  • 07:30

    Meet at the harbour

    Grab a coffee, gear-fitting, and a short briefing on the dock.

  • 08:00–11:30

    Reef fishing, light tackle

    We motor 15-40 minutes out to a sheltered reef, depending on what the winds are doing. Light tackle, calm water, you'll have a rod in hand within ten minutes.

  • 11:30–12:00

    Return to harbour

    Fish on ice and return to dry land.

  • 13:00

    Lunch — what you caught

    The chef cooks your fish three ways: sashimi, simmered, or Okinawan style "bata yaki". Sides of rice and a big bowl of miso soup to go with your dish.

    Fish dish, rice and miso soup.
  • 13:10

    Side quest

    your guide will make a stop at a small family-run pickle stall on the ground floor while you wait for your food to be cooked. The owner and his kids are generous with tastings — work your way through what's on offer, and if something catches you, pick up some to bring to the table.

The longer story

The fish change with the season. Reef runners, small trevally, the occasional grouper — what comes up depends on the day, the tide, and a fair amount of luck. You're fishing reef structure in open water, dropping lines down to twenty or forty metres depending on where the captain anchors. What you pull up is what goes in the cooler. That uncertainty is part of it.

The transfer to Naha takes about twenty minutes. Long enough to clean down, sort the cooler, and decide how you want your catch cooked. Sashimi if the fish is right for it, grilled if you want the skin, fried if you're feeding someone who usually orders from a menu. The kitchen handles all three without fuss.

By the time the plates land it's early afternoon — past the lunch rush, before the dinner crowd. The restaurant is quiet, the fish is as fresh as it gets, and there's nothing left to decide. That's the whole shape of the day.

The practical bits.

Included4 items
  • Boat charter (max 6 guests)
  • Captain & English-speaking fishing guide
  • All rods, tackle, bait, hat, and rain gear
  • Lunch at a local market — your catch, three ways
Not included2 items
  • Transport outside the tour
  • Snacks and drinks
What to bring
  • Sunscreen & a hat (even on cloudy days)
  • Sunglasses
  • Light layers — gets cool on the water
  • A change of shirt
  • Anti-seasickness tablets if you're prone
Good to know
  • Catch guarantee: if you don't catch anything, we cover a fish at the market up to ¥1,500.
  • We fish year-round; weather may bump the trip — full reschedule, no fee.
  • Children 6+ welcome with a guardian.
  • Different dietary customizations available — let us know in advance.
  • 2 hour charter option also available for discounted price (less fishing time).
  • Group sign up discount available.
Logistics
Map showing Ginowan Fishing Harbour (start) and Naha Market (end)
Meeting point
Ginowan Fishing Harbour
3-chome-18-1 Uchidomari, Ginowan, Okinawa 901-2227
Open in Maps
End point
Naha Market
3 Chome-5-7 Makishi, Naha, Okinawa 900-0013
Open in Maps
Policies
Payment

Full payment due at booking to secure your dates and reservations.

Cancellation

Full refund if you cancel up to 72 hours prior. If the captain deems the conditions too dangeruos on the day, the tour will be cancelled and a full refund will be proccessed.

Read the full terms
One last thing
Half a day, salty rods, one good lunch. Show up hungry — the market doesn't keep leftovers.

Aya & David

What it costs

Price per person.

1 person
¥45,000
2 people
¥37,000
3 people
¥33,000
4 people
¥30,800
5 people
¥29,000
6 people
¥27,000

Per person, includes all gear. No catch guarantee — see Good to Know.

Have a question about this tour?

Send a note — dates, group size, dietary needs, anything. We usually reply the same day.

Preferred date
Travellers
Estimated price
¥37,000 per person × 2
¥74,000
≈ $480

An estimate for your group. We'll confirm the exact price by email — nothing is charged until then.

Where did you hear about us?

What guests said.

Read all reviews
Alejandro Melgar
5 months ago
The Culture & Coast tour with Aya and Yumi was fantastic! I really appreciated their focus on the experience, along with being so attentive and willing to explain and teach us at every step. It was so informative, I feel like I gained a whole new appreciation for Okinawa and the history of this great island. The pair were also working so well together professionally when they passed on knowledge, and they even learned from each other at times. It amazed me how open they were. There is so much knowledge to Okinawa. Other tours I've been a part of tend to dip into snapshots and photos at every turn and feel very detached from the experience, but this one will be memorable because of the attention and focus on our experience, whether at the fish market, the bunker, or the coast. I admit, I had many many questions, but they were patient and shared what they could openly, too!
culture and coast
joshua bryce
6 months ago
I did the 3day 2 night tour. It was well worth it and Aya was such an amazing tour guide and person. Super chill and friendly. Definitely recommend to anyone who wants to really explore some good parts of Okinawa.
3 day 2 night northern okinawa
Joaquin Vargas
7 months ago
David and Aya were the best! We did the Izakaya food tour and it was awesome trying different food and meeting great people.
izakaya hopping
From
¥45,000/ person
≈ $292
48 hours free cancelation