[Closed (T ^ T)] Kingo | A Local Eatery on Miyakojima

Kingo closed its doors in 2024. It’s sad to see yet another taste from my childhood disappear… I’ll keep this article here as a record of the island.

What kind of store is it?

Kingo-san, a place I have fond memories of from my elementary school days—whether after baseball practice games or when dining out with my family

As the name suggests, it’s a down-to-earth eatery serving Japanese cuisine.

Here’s what the exterior looks like

Since it was Sunday at lunchtime, the parking lot was full.

Well, even without that, it’s a popular spot that’s crowded every day.

The entrance looks like this

Dress Code

It’s a casual eatery, but there’s a dress code!

That is

Please refrain from entering the store while wearing a swimsuit or with your upper body bare.

Well… that goes without saying, right? (;^_^

But I’ve been seeing this quite often at restaurants on Miyakojima over the past few years.

I think there are several reasons for this, such as the island’s increased popularity compared to the past and the fact that low-cost carrier flights now depart from Narita and Kansai International Airport, making it easier for young people to visit, among other things, but

The swimsuit shots are a little too risqué…

When you visit the island, you might feel a sense of freedom or want to head to the beach or dress casually, but from the islanders’ perspective, the inland areas are perceived as being far from the ocean.

Well, I guess if you’re coming from the mainland, Miyakojima feels like it’s close to the ocean no matter where you are. lol

Still, seeing people in swimsuits in everyday settings feels a bit out of place, so please observe basic etiquette (｡>人<｡)

Where to Find Kingo

First, the address:

Okinawa PrefectureMiyakojima City1876-13 Nishizato, Taira

As for the location, it is in Hirara, where there are many airports, restaurants, and hotels.

Often used when heading toward Higashi-Hennazaki, Yoshino Beach, or Shinshiro Beach

It is located along the Shirobe Line.

I think it would be more accurate to say it’s located on the way to Shirobe rather than within the city limits.

Here’s what it looks like on the map

I think it takes about 10 minutes to get there from Miyako Airport.

It might take about 30 minutes from Shimojishima Airport…

The menu looks something like this

I forgot to take a photo of the menu item I was interested in, so…

These are food displays in front of the store.

It feels like a typical Japanese restaurant, doesn’t it?

It’s a fairly substantial volume.

No, it’s not exactly “so-so,” haha.

It’s high in calories! lol

It’s not quite as much as on the main island of Okinawa, but I think the portions at restaurants in Miyako are generally on the larger side.

Be careful not to overeat.

Here are my personal recommendations:

Grilled spiny lobster with sea urchin sauce!

I don’t think you see this way of eating very often on the mainland, but this sauce is delicious.

It pairs quite well with the deliciousness of spiny lobster.

And the prices!

I don’t think you’d find prices like this in Tokyo or Saitama. I know from personal experience.

In Okinawa Prefecture, you can usually enjoy grilled spiny lobster with sea urchin sauce at this price range, so I highly recommend it♪

Let’s place an order!

This time: Kids’ Meals

Tonkatsu Set Meal

Beef Yakiniku Set Meal

Our family ordered three dishes.

I don’t think the tonkatsu set meal was served with soba…

I seem to recall that when I ordered the tonkatsu set meal, it came with a small bowl of soba.

Sorry, my memory is a bit fuzzy…

The taste is consistently delicious♪

The Tabelog ratings look pretty good, too.

When I lived in Saitama and Tokyo, I used Tabelog quite often, but I had the impression that unless you went to restaurants in a certain price range, the ratings weren’t very high.

To be honest, the taste left a rather neutral impression—neither good nor bad.

Every place that was “cheap and tasty!” was packed.

When I got back to Miyakojima and checked Tabelog, I was surprised to see that the ratings were unusually high.

Sections 3.1 through 3.5 appear frequently.

I guess the taste and price range probably go hand in hand.

I suppose it offers good value for the price.

When you visit Miyakojima, be sure to try the spiny lobster at Kango♪

Miyako soba is also highly recommended!