Tabelog rating3 Chome no Shima Sobaya (3丁目の島そば屋) does one thing differently from most Okinawa soba shops. Every bowl blends three fresh noodles: thick, thin and an irregular hand-cut strand, so the texture changes with each mouthful. The broth of bonito, kombu and dried sardines is unusually clear. It comes topped with finely cut fresh ginger instead of the usual dyed red ginger. Every soba also comes with a free mini bowl of jūshī, Okinawan seasoned rice.
Reviewers praise the clean, deep broth above all, and many drink it to the last drop. The signature shima soba carries both sanmainiku (braised pork belly) and soft cartilage sōki (pork rib), and diners repeatedly describe the pork as meltingly tender. The jūshī wins near-universal approval, and plenty of guests order a full bowl on top. Āsa soba, with sea lettuce, thin-sliced pork and bonito flakes on the side, has devoted fans. Several reviewers call this their favourite Okinawa soba anywhere. Staff are described as kind and good with families.
Criticism is minor. One local found the bowl bland and oily, and another found the noodles too firm for Okinawa soba. A regular felt the jūshī had become saltier in 2025. One reviewer complained that orders were taken out of sequence during a long wait, and another said the air conditioning struggled in summer.
Between 2024 and 2026, reviewers paid around ¥800 for a small shima soba and ¥850–950 for regular and large. Āsa soba cost about ¥920 and the specials with extra meat ¥1,320–1,350. An extra jūshī was ¥200 and the kids' set ¥400. Lunch typically comes in under ¥1,000. The shop trades only until sold out, so there is no dinner spend to report. Reviewers consider it good value: the pork is generous, the rice is free, and the prices hold below ¥1,000 while other shops approach ¥2,000.
- Getting there: about 1.5 km from Urasoe Maeda monorail station. The shop is in a residential area and hard to reach without a car.
- Parking: only about 3 spaces. Most diners park at Kakazu Park opposite. Tell staff if the lot is full, and do not use the neighbouring apartment bays.
- Payment: cash only; credit cards are not accepted. You order at a ticket machine at the entrance, and one reviewer noted it did not take the new ¥500 coin.
- Booking: not required, but recommended (phone 098-963-9392). A queue usually forms before 11:00, and you write your name on the waiting list outside. Early afternoon is quieter, but last order can be as early as 14:30.
- Seating: 31 seats, all at tables; no private rooms.
- Smoking: non-smoking.
- Families: kids' set and children's chairs available.
