Michi-no-Eki Kyoda

Michi-no-Eki Kyoda is the first stop for almost everyone driving into northern Okinawa. The Okinawa Expressway ends at Kyoda IC, and the station is on Route 58 just beyond it, at the edge of Nago Bay. It was the first roadside station registered in Okinawa, and the Yanbaru Products Center inside sells goods from the north of the island, the area called Yanbaru.

The tempura stand is what people queue for. Okinawan tempura has a thick, fluffy batter, and here it comes straight from the fryer, a piece at a time; mozuku seaweed is the favorite, with fish, squid and other fillings depending on the season. The food court serves Okinawa soba in several sizes, tacos and steak, and there is plenty of seating, including a terrace.

It gets busy. Tour buses and rental cars bound for Motobu and the Churaumi Aquarium all pass this way, so weekends and holidays mean a crowded car park and lines at the counters. Renovation added parking on both sides of Route 58 and a pedestrian bridge between them; if you park on the sea side, use the bridge. In typhoon season the shops close early or for the day when a storm approaches, as they did twice in August 2026, so check the operator's notices.