Makishi Market

 The great port city of Naha is Okinawa's hustling and bustling metropolis...lots of people, lots of things to see and do.  We hadn't really ventured far enough south to be in the heart of Naha, until this Saturday.   I was dying to go to Naha's open air farmer's market that is a must-see for anyone visiting Okinawa.  Specifically, Makishi Market.

I read about it a little before going to see what it's all about.  Turns out, Makishi Market started out as a black market after WW2.  They have every variety of every part of every animal for sale...including dried snake, a pig's every organ including the head, sea creatures of every shape, size and color...(including the freshest sashimi in all the land!) and lots of different sea weed, kelp and edible underwater plants.  Before you even enter the market, you can smell the fish as you get closer.

 (if you are a vegetarian, vegan, or an advocate for animal rights...you may want to continue with CAUTION, or just stop viewing here.)

 I don't know what these are...if you know, please fill me in...but I love these two old Japanese ladies hard at work in their aprons, piles of boxes along the walls...selling who knows what, fresh from their gardens.

 Oh, Hello!

We walked into a separate chilled area where you are introduced to a rainbow of fish upon entering.

 No joke, there were lobsters that looked to be 3 feet long in some of these tanks.

Do you see those little eyes watching the lobsters?

I love this pic...this little boy is wide-eyed and peering into a big lobster tank while his Mom barters with the fish salesman...what an amazing sight for a young lad.

 These fish were everywhere!

 Fluorescent!!

You can buy fresh fish from the market, take an escalator to the 2nd floor, and there they will cook your fresh purchase for you to dine on at one of the many open tables. 

 mmm, sashimi...can't get much

fresher than this.  And yummy tenticles for your palette!

 

A variety of underwater seaweeds and kelps to choose from...who knew they could be so colorful.

 

 No idea what this slimey selection was...

We moved on to the red meat...

PORK

 

Bacon anyone?

Or pig's snout perhaps?

 

That's one cool pig.

And here's the rest of him:

 

 

 a whole lotta meat..

This was such a fun hustling bustling market.  The sellers are handing you things to try, carrying, chopping and packaging fish and meat...the smell is so strong inside...I worked up an appetite.  So I decided to try raw pig jowls.  why not?

Just kidding!  

We stopped in at a yogurt place and had delicious Okinawan lemon frozen yogurt...mmm so good!!  I'm totally hooked on it!