Blue Seal Depot Island Seaside — Restaurant in Chatan

If you watch almost any YouTube travel vlogger share their must-dos in Okinawa, they share one common recommendation - you need to try the ice cream at Blue Seal. It doesn't matter which shop you go to because there are dozens of locations all over the island, and they all look the same. My husband and I were driving from the Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium and stopped at the tourist-centric American Village.

There were two separate Blue Seal shops here, and we went to the one on the second floor of Okinawa Market overlooking the waterfront. There was a manageable queue ahead of us, and we were already familiar with the twenty or so flavors they offer. It was a combination of traditional choices and Okinawan specific flavors like Beni-imo (Okinawan sweet potato). I already knew I wanted to try the ¥650 Double of Okinawan Salt Cookies and Okinawa Pineapple Coconut.

The ice cream was on the creamy side with the cookie crumbs similar in flavor to salted caramel. My husband switched out the pineapple coconut for Vanilla and liked the compatibility of the flavors in his cup. The original Blue Seal was available only to American military until 1963 when ownership was transferred to local entrepreneurs. That's why their slogan is "Botn in America, Raised in Okinawa". The cross-cultural history is part of Blue Seal's appeal, and it worked for us.

ICE CREAM - 4 stars...creamy and a true taste of Okinawa AMBIANCE - 4 stars...looks pretty much like an old-fashioned American ice cream parlor SERVICE - 4.5 stars...cordial and efficient in face of some pretty aggressive tourists TOTAL - 4 stars...OK, I'll join the Blue...

The only Blue Seal location open in American Village at the moment (another is under renovation in 2025). A bigger location is a 10 minute walk. But, classic, great ice cream in a wide range of flavors, plus a decent merchandise selection. The big highlights are the second floor balcony and, if you go up a few flights of stairs out the door, a public overlook for the bay. Keep tasting samples until you find the one you like. It shouldn't...

Standard Blue Seal Ice cream place. You can get all the ice cream variations you want, including many Okinawa specials like seal salt cookies. The place is cute and well decorated. There are seats both outdoor (looking towards the ocean) and indoor (air cobditioned.) There are also a small corner...