CONTRIBUTED BY JEANINE CZUBIK
When I joined the Okinawa Hai editing team, I was surprised to learn that there was not a post on Makeman hardware/do it yourself store, so here it is to make the blog more complete. Many of you have been to one, but for those who haven’t yet ventured there or are new to the island, this is the place most commonly referred to as the “monkey store”.
There are several Makeman locations on Okinawa to fill your Home Depot-type needs of lumber, hardware, plant and gardening accessories, power tools, plumbing, and a wide range of household repair supplies.
In addition to the traditional hardware section, Makeman has a variety of mini-shops within the structure including house wares, personal goods, auto supplies and pet items. The Mihama American Village Makeman boasts a great diving store, 100 yen shop and even a little furniture – like bunk beds. The location just south of the Makiminato intersection on 58 has a separate auto parts area and the gardening and pet shops are housed in buildings across the side street.
Living off-base, Makeman has been indispensable. Prices for the items I’ve purchased (bricks to close the balcony partition gap to prevent the kitties from visiting the neighbors, concrete drill bits and wall anchors to hang pictures in our mix of concrete and hallow walls, etc) have been very reasonably priced. I have also noticed great savings over the base exchanges on gardening items such as pots and tools.
What have been your must have Makeman purchases?
Locations/Directions: Mulitple. To get to Mihama American Village from Kadena Gate 1, head south on 58 and turn right at the road with Four Seasons restaurant/Urtore (this is the intersection one light north of Starbucks/Lester gate). Go two lights (you’ll pass the ferris wheel on your right) and take a right at the next light, then left into their parking lot. From Camp Foster, head north on 58 and turn left at Four Seasons/Urtore and follow the same directions.
Hours: 930 to 2000
For folks in Camp Courtney, there is one at the intersection of 85 and 224. Coming out of the housing gate take a right and follow 224 until you see the monkey sign on your left. Pass the 85, you’ve gone too far. From McT or other Courtney gates, head south on 75 and take a left onto the 85 as if you were going to the Gushikawa Jusco and you will see the monkey store on your left. Turn left on 224 to get to parking lot
there is no make man store on the corner of 85 and 224 I spent the past 2 hours trying to find it because this person posted that there was one there. Dont waste your time its not there.
Certainly is. Thing is, the 224 crosses the the 85 in 2 places which are several km apart. This is because 224 follows a circitous route past Courtney and back. The place to look is to go up the hill on 85 from the Gushikawa Jusco (Aeon) under the bridge near the top, it’s on the right at the next light.
LOVE Makeman! Have gotten all my gardening supplies from there. My funniest purchase has been a plastic ring that fits inside the regular toilet seat to make the opening smaller — perfect for little bottoms — and much less “mess” than portable potties!
I love Makeman! I spend way too much when I visit! I purchased curtains there. They have huge 200cm x 230 cm panels with hooks inlcuded. Two of those cover the gianormous slider in the Tower dining room. Their gardening supplies are the best with a good selection of herbs for a kitchen garden.
I love the monkey store for their Y100 section. At least the one at American Village has some great stuff. My friends have also gotten their hermit crab supplies there. Great store – thanks for posting!!!!
What do I not buy there….fish, plants, herbs, wood, screens, tools, 100 yen items, kitchen items, office items, storage devices, gardening items, etc….I also use the DIY near the Yamauchi intersection (I call it the Lion Store because of the lion on the sign) and the Kanehide DIY store near Naval Kadena as well….they are all pretty great!!
Also, I forgot the kids section! They have great kanji and kana flash cards and writing books to help with learning the language.
I love Makeman. I, too, bought curtains for the sliding glass door in our condo. We brought the measurement of our door [length-wise] in centimeters to the store with us when we chose the curtains and they altered the length to fit perfectly (we just had to pick them up a couple days later). You may need to find an English speaking associate if cannot speak Japanese.
I agree, the 100 yen selection is great. This is my go-to store for all those crazy home projects. Great store.
Do they sell interior paint? I’m looking for other options since the Eagle Hardware paint machine is always broken…
I have not seen interior paint at Makeman (at least not the one in American Village), but there is a paint shop down 58 just past Camp Lester I believe. If no success there, I’d check out some of the other DIY stores, like the lion store mentioned above and the Kanehide shop at Navel Kadena. Haven’t been there in a while but I recall seeing non-aerosol paint there.
Excuse me, Do you have the number to this store?
Do any of you have the phone number for this store?
Do you know if they have a contact cement adhesive like in the US? I need a flammable one, so I can’t bring it over on the plane!
Thanks!
I was just wondering, where is the makeman that has the farmers market by it, the jusco, the sonya (sorry for the misspellings) and the 100¥ store right in the same plaza area. I have only been there once and I don’t know what it was close to. We were new at the time. Thanks so much!!
man I’m late to reply to this but… Jusco is now Aeon. The only Aeon that I know that is in the same plaza as 100 Yen store and Makeman is in American Village… Which is on Mihama (street) in Chatan-cho (City.) You can probably ask anyone where the ferris wheel is (a huge landmark of American Village) and they can tell you exactly where to go. It’s on the 85 directly across from Camp Lester.
Anyways I live in American Village and had no idea that Makeman was so close nor so huge. I had no idea of how I had never seen this monkey sign…. but I normally don’t go down the side street that it’s on =/
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