On a winter Sunday, one of my Okinawan friends and I visited a café, Hamabe no Chaya, in Nanjo City to fortify ourselves with breakfast before sightseeing in the south of Okinawa.

Founded in 1994, the seaside café was the first of its kind and is now beloved by locals and tourists alike. Its centerpiece is the breathtaking view of the ocean that is visible from the interior of the café.

Unfortunately, when we entered the eatery, every counter seat offering a front row view of the ocean was filled. We were instead seated at a table and from there we could see the blue waters ahead framed by the six windows like a painting. Some customers were laid-back enjoying the scenery and others were taking photos of their meals with the blue ocean backdrop.

I ordered “limited plate (Set A)” from their breakfast menu. From the four main options, I selected the pizza toast, and for the soup option, I selected the yushidofu Okinawan tofu soup. The set also included a small salad and fruit.

My meal was light and well-balanced. I wish I could have breakfast like this every day.

The Hamabe no Chaya staff was polite and attentive and there were several foreign customers enjoying the restaurant as well. Time flew slowly and I never tired of the ocean view; I felt like I wanted to stay there forever.

There were no signs indicating a time limit for staying in the café, but after we finished, we paid our bill and left.

Down a staircase next to the entrance, we reached the beach. It was low tide and it was about another 100 meters to reach the water. According to the café staff, the sea can rise to the middle of the staircase during the high tide in the spring.

I didn’t want my shoes to get dirty so I removed them and explored the tide pools barefoot. I am confident that children would be overjoyed by this because even we as adults had fun.

While we were heading to the next destination, I recalled and enjoyed the beautiful scenery from the café and the walk in the mud. If you travel to the southern part of the island, this café is a must place to stop and enjoy the food, views and, if the tide is right, the beach, too.

Things to know:

• Address: 2-1 Aza Tamagusuku, Tamagusuku, Nanjo City

• Hours:

• Mondays - Fridays 8 a.m. - 6 p.m. (LO. 5 p.m.)

• Saturdays, Sundays, and Japanese holidays 8 a.m. – 7 p.m. (LO. 6 p.m.)

• Phone: 098-948-2073

• Website

• Instagram

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