Tripbaa Funbaa ! Asia’s Free Travel Expert
Actually, the first time I wandered around Okinawa, I had been to “Da Jia U Fu Ya 0? and although I didn’t get to fully experience it at that time, I left with some very pleasant memories. This time, I revisited this place for lunch. The reason we arranged to come here for lunch was because we had just finished visiting the hydrangea garden nearby in the morning, so it was convenient to swing by for a meal.Also, the last time I dined here was at night, and the whole venue was pitch dark, so I didn’t get to properly appreciate this century-old architecture. That’s why we planned it this way. Later on, I found out that having lunch here is actually pretty great – you can enjoy your meal while admiring the century-old building.
This time, we came here for lunch. The main reason was that we had just finished our visit to Yehena Azalea Garden in the morning, so it worked out perfectly to come straight here after the tour.Plus, the last time I ate here was at night, when the entire place was dark, and I didn’t get to fully enjoy the charm of this century-old building. So, we planned it this way. Later, I realized that coming here for lunch is also quite wonderful—you can enjoy your meal while taking in the beauty of the historic architecture.
The century-old Da Jia is a very famous restaurant in Okinawa, so it’s recommended to make a reservation online in advance if you plan to dine here. I personally found their reservation system to be not very user-friendly, as I tried to book three times but wasn’t successful. In the end, we had no choice but to show up on the day and queue up, aiming to be among the first group to get a table. Because we arrived early to line up, we didn’t have to wait this time and got seated right away in a great spot.
This time, we were seated right next to the most iconic spot featured in the drama “It’s Okay, That’s Love.” You can enjoy the view while dining here—it’s really comfortable and has a lovely ambiance, with a view of rockeries, flowing water, and a cool breeze. Dining here is really relaxing, which is probably why this classic Korean drama chose to film here.
After showing us to our seats, the service staff quickly brought water and the menu, and gave us a brief introduction. The menu is available in Chinese, English, Japanese, and Korean, so there’s no need to worry about not understanding it. There are also photos of various dishes, so even if you don’t understand Japanese, you can easily order. However, there are still a few things to keep in mind regarding ordering.
That is:If you want to sit in front of the garden scenery, then you cannot choose hot pot, because those seats do not have a burner.So if you want to have hot pot, the staff will ask you to change seats and move to the second floor. To be able to sit in this classic spot, we ultimately gave up on the hot pot and everyone opted for set meals instead.
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In fact, the signature dish of “Da Jia U Fu Ya 0? is also not available every time. The one I ordered was quite a hit. The portions given were also very generous, and the overall taste was excellent—crispy on the outside and tender within, plus a bit of chewiness. This combination of textures, along with the crispy exterior, made it really delicious.
The small side soup noodle that comes with it is also very refreshing and tasty. This set meal is really quite filling.
This Agu Pork Okinawa Noodles Set Meal is also pretty amazing—the noodles are very Q (chewy) and elastic, and the Agu pork is incredibly tender. I highly recommend everyone to try this set meal when visiting here.
Because we were afraid of waiting in a long queue, we headed straight to the restaurant for a meal without having much time to explore the grounds. So, after finishing our meal, we took some time to stroll around the area near the restaurant and admire this century-old building.
This time, I noticed that the restaurant was slightly different from when I visited before. The Ryukyu costume experience section was no longer there and had been replaced by a black sugar ice cream stand. This black sugar ice cream is quite fragrant and delicious—I highly recommend giving it a try.
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Because we visited during the daytime this time, I realized that the century-old Da Jia is quite spacious, and the century-old architecture is not limited to just the building where we dined. There are several other traditional buildings nearby, all of which are over a hundred years old and are currently used to receive group tours.
Taking photos in this courtyard feels quite atmospheric. I really like the vibe given off by these buildings—it has a low-key, steady, simple yet dignified feel. It’s really fantastic for photography here.
Having dined at this century-old Da Jia twice, I feel that the environment here is really great, and the food is also quite good. It’s definitely a worthwhile place to eat when visiting Okinawa. I really like this place, although the prices are a bit on the higher side, so you might want to bring a bit more cash.
■ Address: Okinawa, Kunigami District, Nakijin, 90 (Map Code: 206 745 056*82)
■ Phone: 0980-53-0280
■ Business Hours: 11:00–17:00 (Lunch), 18:00–22:00 (Dinner)
■ Official Website: “Da Jia U Fu Ya 0? at http://ufuya.com/zh-CHT/
■ FB: Century-old Da Jia https://www.facebook.com/OkinawaUfuya/
[Tripbaa Funbaa] Authorized Repost | Original Article [Okinawan Cuisine: A Century-old Ryukyuan Delicacy | The Agu Pork at Century-old Da Jia Is Simply Delicious !] This article is authorized and provided by Funbaa’s resident blogger [Aileen Living Happily]
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