CONTRIBUTED BY KHURSTEN CORNWALL
Chikyu Exterior
If you’re looking for a last minute gift, something unique and worldly, quaint and cute, or just a great thing to do on a Saturday afternoon, I’ve got a treasure for you! Last week a friend of mine called me up and invited me to join her on a visit to Chikyu Zakka Import Warehouse. At first I wasn’t very excited about the impromtu shopping trip, but it was well worth tweaking my plans to have learned of this place.
Chikyu Shoes
I have been in Okinawa for almost two years and by now I feel like I’m pretty well versed on the ‘island’s secret hot spots.’ I was a little shocked and amazed that I’d never been to Chikyu Zakka, let alone heard about it! This is the Lester, Kadena, and Foster gift shops combined in one, on a shipment day, times ten! When describing it to my husband I said, “This is where Pier One gets their stuff.”
Chikyu Furniture
Chikyu Instruments
It has solid wood furniture, musical instruments, textiles, clothing, shoes, home décor, jewelry, pottery, YOU NAME IT, they have it! The best part is, there is something for every price range. If you need to find a quick birthday gift for a coworker for under 1,000 yen, I know you’ll find something here. But if you’re looking for that expensive item that is special because you bought it in Okinawa, this is you’re place too!
Chikyu Papers
When it says ‘warehouse’ on the front of the building, they mean warehouse. This place is huge! I walked through it three times and still felt like I hadn’t seen everything. They get shipments in from all around the world on a regular basis and have items in stock in the back too. If you spy something you want that has a scratch, ask the very accommodating staff to check for an un-scarred replacement.
Chikyu Items
According to my friend, Chikyu Zakka used to be located in American Village, but a couple of years ago they relocated to this new spot just past Torii Station in Yomitan. Though their new home is big enough for room to grow, it’s definitely not along the beaten path. No one would even know it was there unless they were told. However, once you know of it, it’s not hard to find, and they’ve got plenty of parking.
Chikyu Wall Sculpture
Directions: Chikyu Zakka is about a 15-20 minute drive from Kadena Gates 1 or 3 and only about 5 minutes from Torii’s main gate. To get there, take 58 going North and turn left on 6 toward Torii Station. You will pass the main gate to Torii on the left. A few lights down you’ll come to a Max Value on the right. Two lights past the Max Value, you will turn left. There will also be a blue sign to Yomitan Care Center at this light. After turning left, drive down a few blocks and you will see Chikyu Zakka on the left. You can’t miss it! There are a few parking spots in front of the building, but the parking lot across the street is also for Chikyu Zakka customers.
Hours: 1000-1900 every day
Payment: Yen and American credit cards
I can go on and on about how great this place is, but really it’s more fun if you just go see for yourself!!
Thanks for this write-up. I live right down the road from this place. Your friend is right…it used to be in the American Village area. I was a little worried that moving out here would mean a lot less business for them. Hopefully, thanks to you, they will get really busy.
Do they have Shisa dogs? I want the Shisa dog that looks funny and in different colors, kind of like this:
http://www.okiu.ac.jp/Language/contest/08/14/img/smile/infor%20true%201.jpg
My husband bought the exact pair of Shisa Dogs in your picture for Christmas, he bought them in Naha on Kokusai Street. The store has all kinds of colors, shapes and sizes, really wonderful stuff. I don’t have the name of the store (sorry) but it sits on the right side of Okiei Street (less than 50 yards from where it meets Kokusai Street) there is a Starbucks on the corner of Okiei and Kokusai. If you walk out of the covered market you run right into Okiei Street. Hope this helps.
Hi, Todd. Chikyu Zakka-Warehouse does not have that item…
Suzuki,
The shisa in your picture are made on Ishagaki Island, which is the southern island in the Ryukyu chain. There are a few articles about Ishigaki here on OkinawaHai. If you ever get down Ishagaki you can visit the place where they are made and of course shop a huge selection including ones over 7′! I’ve seen them a few different places on mainland Oki, including the place that Tara mentioned. Good Luck!
I don’t remember seeing those there, but I also wasn’t looking for shisa dogs… Since this is an ‘import warehouse’ though, most of the stuff is not the local items you see around the touristy areas. Their merchandise is imported from other locations. Good luck finding your dogs!
Suzuki Todd-I have seen some similar to those at the Yomitan Pottery Village off of Route 12. They are not common there, but I have seen them. I have also seen them at the purple sweet potato tart place across from the Zanpa Hotel at Cape Zanpa (the name of the place escapes me). It is a red building with a large hat shaped awning out front. They have tons of sweets, a good selection of Shisa, some pottery, glassware, etc. If you are not familiar with where it is located, just say so and I will give more specific directions. I could also run down the street and look there for you if you’d like me to. I literally live about a 2 minute drive from there. Hope you find them!
My family and I visited Chikyu Zakka today and had a great time looking around at everything. None of my kids complained once about being there for well over an hour, and they kept finding new things they hadn’t seen the first time they walked down an aisle. They have some very expensive items, but they also have inexpensive things as well. They give out punchcards to customers and you can have it stamped for every 1000 yen you spend. When you fill it up, you get 2000 yen off a purchase.
great place to find gifts! also, if you need lunch, drive a little past the store and there’s a quaint spot on your left with delicious food and great views of the ocean. there will be a very small sign on the right side of the road that says Cafe T’s. they serve just a few set meals for about 800 yen. so good!!! we both got roasted chicken (with rice, green beans, salad, soup, drink). they also had veggie curry and 2 other dishes.
After seeing the feature on Okinawa Hai I took the wife and our little one to check it out. A lot of things to see and photograph! We walked out with some nice items and pictures. Here is my link showing more photos of some of the things they offer: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.344994928864071.88867.100000607016162&type=1&l=1f38b85f80
Looks like an awesome place, can’t wait to visit! Jeff, thanks for sharing your photos. Looks great!
This place used to be located in American Village (where the new Red Lobster is) and I was so bummed their doors were closed after 5 years. I am so happy to see that they just moved somewhere else! Definitely going to have to check out the new location! Thanks for the post!