Agū is Okinawa’s native black pig, and most of what is sold under the name is a crossbreed. Shabu‑shabu Kin built its reputation on the purebred animal — Kin Agū, raised around the town of Kin in the north of the main island — and on treating it simply: a house dashi, three Okinawan condiments, and no ponzu or sesame sauce at all. Its Hitosara profile describes owner Masahide Seko, born in Okinawa in 1957, coming to the purebred pig through a friend in livestock consulting and opening the house after learning how much market “agū” was only 30 to 50 percent pure. The restaurant moved to its present rooms on Ichigin‑dōri in Makishi in November 2018, a few streets off Kokusai‑dōri, was selected for Tabelog’s Sukiyaki & Shabu‑shabu 100 in 2024, and in December 2024 opened a second house, Mitsuhisa Honke, in Kumoji with the same menu. This page is about the original.
What you eat
There is one course, ¥7,480 tax included, and the house serves nothing else — no seat‑only bookings. It opens with kubu‑irichi and jīmāmī tofu, then sea grapes from Izena Island; a plate of agū — reviewers name loin and belly — with meatballs; and about eighteen island vegetables that change with the season: shima‑ninjin, shima‑rakkyō, tā-imu taro, green papaya, ōtaniwatari fern, handama, each explained by staff as it goes into the pot. The three condiments are shikuwasa pepper from Ishigaki, salt from Yagaji Island, and andansū — pork‑fat miso — made with Tamanaha miso from Shuri. The broth finishes with the house’s own āsa sea‑lettuce noodles from Aguni, and the meal with Okinawan ice cream and a tannafakurū brown‑sugar biscuit. Reviewers spend ¥6,000–8,000 with drinks, and one in 2026 called the sea grapes a revelation.
The booking reality
The official site is explicit: reservations are taken by telephone, 098‑867‑3380, in Japanese. There is no release day. The Hot Pepper listing that Retty still links to has been withdrawn, and the Gurunavi and Hitosara pages are information only. Three house rules are published on Tabelog: the course is the only booking, one course per guest including children, and preschool children are not accepted. Demand is real: reviewers in early 2026 who called two months ahead — or two weeks ahead — for busy dates were offered only the 17:00 seating, while others booked a week or a day ahead in winter and one was seated on the day. When the original was under renovation in March 2026 the house rebooked guests into Mitsuhisa Honke, which takes online reservations only. Cancellation terms and phone hours are not published; Gurunavi’s listing shows 100 percent for a same‑day no‑show on a course, which we would confirm. Our desk calls in Japanese, a month or two ahead, and settles the time, the head count and — for parties of six or more — a private room. Cards are accepted.
