🌧️ Amid the Drizzle That Continued into the Afternoon
In Urasoe this afternoon, **the temperature hovered around 17–18°C, with humidity exceeding 90% and light rain continuing**.
The weather forecast predicted rain would continue into the evening, making for a damp day where I’d get wet even if I used an umbrella every time I stepped outside.
Despite the weather, I went on a drive with my mother and younger brother today, combining it with some shopping.
🚗 A Leisurely Drive Toward the Central Region
We headed toward the central region, where traffic congestion seemed likely to be light due to the rain.
We drove north on Route 330 from Urasoe and turned right at the Futenma Jingu Shrine.
We passed by Okinawa Rycom and went past Plaza House on our way to Okinawa City.
For lunch, we went to **Sushiro Sumiyoshi Branch**.
We arrived around 12:40 p.m. and were shown to our seats after waiting about 10 minutes.
It had been a while since my mom and brother had gone out to eat together, so even on a rainy day, it was a nice change of pace.
🌀 Shopping Around for a New Air Conditioner
After lunch, we headed to several electronics stores to look into **replacing our air conditioner**, which was the main purpose of this trip.
🏪 Best Denki Misato Store
First, we consulted with a salesperson at Best Denki.
We checked our budget and stock availability while looking at a few options.
🏬 San-A Gushikawa City → Edion
Next, we stopped by San-A to pick up a few groceries, then headed to the Edion on the 2nd floor.
We heard that **there were still a few clearance Hitachi models left** here.
However, the price was expected to exceed 100,000 yen, so we decided to hold off on making a decision.
🏠 Yamada Denki on the Way Home
At Yamada Denki, the last stop,
I was told that **Fujitsu General models were in the high 70,000 yen range, or about 110,000 yen including disposal fees**—a very realistic price range.
For now,
**“Overall, Yamada Denki seems like the strongest contender”**
was my impression.
🛠️ Air Conditioner Considerations Unique to Okinawa
According to the sales clerk,
**outdoor units in Okinawa are prone to rust due to salt damage, so there are models with anti-rust specifications designed specifically for Okinawa**.
Considering the impact of the sea breeze, this makes perfect sense, and it’s an important factor for long-term use.
While there’s information online suggesting that “installing it yourself is cheaper,”
this time, considering safety and my mother’s daily life, **we decided to hire a professional**.
It seems tool rentals are available, but we’ll pass on that for now.
🛒 Today was just a preliminary look; we’ll make the final decision later
Since air conditioners are appliances directly tied to daily life,
**we want to choose carefully, even though we’re in a hurry**.
We narrowed down the options today, so we plan to discuss it again later and make a final decision.
✨ Summary
It was a chilly afternoon with steady rain,
but we drove around visiting appliance stores with my mother and brother,
and it was a day where we were able to conduct an important preliminary visit for choosing an air conditioner.
There were many things we could only understand by actually visiting the stores, such as Okinawa-specific rust-proofing features and price differences,
so it was a good opportunity to determine “where is the best place to buy.”
**Next time, I hope to compare quotes and choose a unit that we’re completely satisfied with.**
