簡易旅館山内荘 KANI RYOKAN YAMAUCHISOU Yamauchi Inn

KANI RYOKAN YAMAUCHISOU Yamauchi Simple Inn (簡易旅館山内荘) is a great cheap place to stay on the beach in Okinawa. The place is right on the sea wall and beach of Nakadomari in Onna-son, Okinawa. There are some really huge and expensive resorts on Nakadomari Beach (like Moon Beach Resort and Renaissance Beach Resort Okinawa) but this Yamauchi Inn is simple and inexpensive, much like a pension or hostel. The Yamauchi Inn is next door to the Nakadomari Fresh Seafood Restaurant which has the best fresh seafood in Okinawa and our favorite place for large parties, Casa la Tida Mediterranean Tapas Cafe Restaurant, is within stumbling distance via the stairs under the HWY 58 bridge on the hill overlooking Nakadomari. There are also two small “mom and pop” food and beverage shops within less than a block.

Each of the 8 rooms has a balcony on the water and a small kitchenette area for cooking that includes a refrigerator, stove, microwave and rice cooker. The bathrooms are modern and separated between the American-style toilet with small sink and the larger sink with a deep bathtub/shower which is typical for Okinawa. There is also a clothes washing machine in the room, but like most places in Okinawa you have to hang the clothes to dry.

The single American style bed was too small for both of us so we created two beds out of the frame with some padding and put the mattress on the floor. The rooms have a large Tatami (畳) (originally meaning "folded and piled") Japanese flooring made of woven straw and packed with styrofoam for sleeping on traditional Japanese mats.

The price for the room (off-season at least) is only 4,500 Yen per person (yes, most places charge by the person). One couple from Kyoto checking out the same day we did had been staying there an entire month, and we're sure they received a discount due to the length of their stay. Of course, nobody could afford to stay a month at the other beach resort hotels on the same beach!

The only detractor from the price besides the small American bed is the air conditioner cost 100 Yen for two hours when necessary during the summer months. Having to "feed the meter" to run the air conditioning can get expensive but costs for electricity in Okinawa are very high and it is understandable that the inn needs to recoup this cost, especially if you want the air on all day while you are not in the room.

You can't beat the views and location for the price (including the kitchen and in-room washing machine amenities) anywhere in Okinawa! Stay at 簡易旅館山内荘 KANI RYOKAN YAMAUCHISOU Yamauchi Inn!