CONTRIBUTED BY CALYN PAQUIN
Minami Exterior
Buying fruits and vegetables makes me feel good because I don’t seem to feed my family enough of it. Since I went to this farmer’s market, I’ve been back every time I need to get fresh produce.
Minami Veg 1
The sign says Nakagusuku Farm. Choku baijo which means “direct selling place”. That means the produce sold there are from the farmers of that area.
Minami Veg 2
When I first walked in, I saw bags of mandarin oranges for 280 yen. There were 16 small oranges in the bag I got. I remembered paying over US$6 at the commissary for 8 of those! The next time I went back, I bought a bag of 10 bigger ones for 280 yen. As I looked around, I kept going oooh and aaahh at the different bags and prices. Potatoes, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, onions, garlic, ginger, cucumbers, eggplants, bell peppers, carrots, green beans, you name it!
Minami Interior 1
Smaller bags for families and bigger bags for businesses or bigger families. Some are one price for as many as you can squeeze into the bag they provide (pretty good size bag) eg; onions and bean sprouts. Everything looks so fresh. The colors are vibrant and calling you to eat them! If and when they start looking just a little “not so fresh” they mark down the prices. Sometimes it’s just because of one leaf or one bean! Just like any produce for sale, the prices fluctuates so what you see in my pictures may change.
They have cabbage, lettuce, spinach, huge daikon and all leafy veggies. Fruits like star fruit, water melon, pineapples, persimmons, bananas, apples and more! The produce I buy from the farmer’s market lasts longer than the ones from the grocery stores for some reason. I am not an expert, but I’m sure it’s because they were picked fresh and didn’t need to be shipped. They definitely taste better.
Minami Interior 2
Along the walls, you’ll see rows of local made goodies like pastries, cookies, candies, etc. They also have tea, sauces and many products that I do not know what they are. They even sell big stuffed toys. Right by the entrance and the registers, they have some bento meals, pastries and tofu as well.
Minami Interior 3
Directions: From Foster Legion Gate, take 330 south. Be sure to stay to the left and not get onto 81. Continue on 330 behind Futenma to the Nagata traffic lights. Make a left at that light. Keep going until you past a Family Mart on your right and then you’ll see the building on your right. This is closest to Futenma. It’ll take about 15 minutes if you come from Foster.
Payment: Yen.
Hours: 8am – 8pm daily.
Does this farmers market sell organic fruits and vegtables?
Does anyone know of any othe way from Kadena such as which gate to take out of Kadena? I just arrived and don’t know where the expressway is.
From kadena, you will exit gate 2 and go straight to the traffic lights next to koza music town. Turn right onto 330 and that road will take you all the way to Foster’s Legion gate where you can follow the directions above. It will be quite a drive especially since you are new. There is a good farmer’s market near kadena, too. search for Chanpuru Ichiba on this site and you can read about it.
Ahh this place is fantastic. I went there today and the prices are super legit and so is the taste of the produce. As for the traffic, Route 29 is definitely the way to go… especially considering the two lane per side 330 (because the left lane is randomly used for parking and the right lane is used for turning every few feet)
I checked out this place with some ladies and on my own. Fantastic! Went rt 29 (super quick and easy). Thanks for the great post.
My husband went to Chubu Farmers Mkt and was a bit disappointed, we thought they would have more. We are going to go check out Minami tomorrow. We are on the search for green papaya. 🙂
We went to this market today and it has a lot of really good deals on bulk items (there were bags with 10 apples for 480 yen, and 20-30 pound bags of carrots for 1,000 yen). If you are coming from Foster’s Legion gate you will stay on 330 (take a left at the overpass where 330 changes into 81 go past Futenma’s back gate) stay on this road for 4.1 kilometers then turn left on Rt. 32 (right after you pass the 100 yen store at the Nagata stop light, there’s a large King Taco sign on the right side of this intersection as well). Stay on Rt. 32 for 1.3 kilometers then you will see the farmer’s market on the right side of the road.
Oh looks like I need to go tomorrow! Hope the directions work out well from Kinser for me. Love veggies/fruits and can’t wait to get some decent produce
Hi. I love this Market too and it’s near my house in Nakagusuku. If you are coming from Kadena you can take the expressway to Kitanakagusuku exit 3. When you exit take a left. Keep straight, you’ll pass a lawson’s on your left…keep going…you’ll pass a Family Mart…keep going…you pass a gas station on your right…keep going…you’ll pass a Petite Sweet Shop…keep going…your gettting closer. When get to the Minamiuehara intersection (route 32) turn right (there is a Lawson’s at this intersection on your left). Right after the next light you’ll see the market on your left. 😉 I personally think this is a better route than 330, but only because 330 can be busy and crazy at certain times of the day. So if you come from Foster you would just go straignt out Legion gate and Right on to 29 and follow the same directions. It only takes about 10mins or less depending on traffic from Foster. If you are looking for a yummy place to eat there is a resturant on the corner (across form Lawson’s at the minamiuehara intersection) that I have been to that I would reccomend. It’s been a while since I’ve been there but I pretty sure it’s chinese-style with ramen. I think it’s Yen Only and no English menu, but it has pictures. Again it’s been a while because I forgot it was there until today 😉
I couldnt find this…does anyone have directions from Kadena…being a veggie this would be a great place to know!
Nagata is the light were King Taco is?
yes! there is a king taco at that light but i’m not sure if there are any others on 330.
I’m so excited that I found the Market today. Thanks to everyone who posted extra tips on directions 🙂 I love this place more than the other markets I’ve visited. The potatoes I got today were huge and very reasonably priced!
How would you get there from Kinser?
Hi Vicki! We actually were coming from Kinser when we went here! We took 58 up to 81 then caught 330 from there and followed the rest of the directions. However, that is the long way. Looks like you can take 58 up and turn right onto 34, then follow that over to turn left on 330. Then it looks like you would take a right onto 32 (which is the Nagata traffic light) and follow the rest of the directions from there! 🙂 Good luck! 🙂 We are heading back this weekend to pick up some produce! 🙂
No worries Calyn! The directions were spot on. 🙂 I think today was a special circumstance for them being closed! There was the HUGE festival going on on 330 (perhaps that is the futema shrine? We are newer here so I’m not sure where everything is) so maybe they closed to be a part of that 🙂 I’m glad we found it so we can make the trip back! Can’t wait to get fresh produce! 🙂 Thank you again! 🙂
No worries Calyn! The directions were spot on. 🙂 I think today was a special circumstance for them being closed! There was the HUGE festival going on on 330 (perhaps that is the futema
Thanks for the direction tips Wanda & Calyn! 😉 We found the store today but they were closed! Super bummed, but we are going to try again Thursday or Friday. We think they may have been closed for New Year’s festivities! 🙂
And just an FYI for others trying to find it, it is about a block or so past the Family Mart 🙂 We almost turned around when we passed the Family Mart because we thought we had missed it, but it’s just a tish further up the road! 😉
Love this post! We are eager to try out The produce! 🙂
wow sorry it’s closed. when i asked, the lady said everyday. and sorry it sounds like i said the store is next to family mart. i guess i should write after family mart, keep a look out for the store which will be on the right.
OOOOOoohhhhhh!!! Homesick for the experience as well as the veggies! You have it more fresh in Oki than we do in SC.
Nagata is also the 32…
Did you try checking the pin on the map??
My friend and I went looking for this market today and couldn’t find it. We followed the directions and went behind Futenma for a long ways looking for Nagata lights. I would really like to find this market so if anyone can give more detailed directions that would be awesome. I love the post 🙂
one of the landmarks I always look for before the Nagata lights is the big 100 yen store sign on the left. After you pass that 100 yen store, the next traffic lights is Nagata.
Thanks! I passed the 100 yen store but never found Nagata. I’m still learning the roads here. I’ll try again this weekend.
did u see the king taco? i almost miss the sign for Nagata, it was a small sign. you will come to a big inter-section, and you see king taco. it was hard to find it for the first time
I went today and found it. Directions: From Foster Legion Gate make a right at the light, keep going until you see the white bridge and make a left at the light and stay on your left side. You’ll pass Futenma gate on your right side n you’ll see a big sign 100 yen on the left side. Once you reach the intersection nagata will make a left turn at the light. You’ll see the king taco in front of you toward the right side. Then you’ll see a family mart on your right n its right next to each other. (PS there are 2 family marts but the other one is on the left hand side) I hope this help u. i am planning on going again this weekend, if you want to follow me you can, i live on camp foster