Okinawa culinary oddity devoted to Hiroshima Carps turns out to be a home run

Tucked away in a sleepy residential neighborhood in Okinawa City is Akai Helmet, a spacious and trendy traditional Japanese izakaya opened in honor of the Hiroshima Carp, one of the most popular teams in Nippon Professional Baseball. The restaurant’s name, which translates to “Red Helmet,” is a direct reference to the team’s colors and the headgear sported by players during their appearances at bat.