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Secondhand Books in Okinawa

古書店 koshoten: secondhand bookstore

You can find new books, comics and magazines at the bookstores around island, usually in the malls or shopping plazas, and even some at the conbini (convenience stores). But if you are looking for something a bit older or cheaper, you need to look at the secondhand bookshops. Plus, I feel there is almost nothing more exciting than entering into a used bookshop, you never know what you may find… possibly I am a tsundoku 積ん読, one who collects/piles up books but does not always get around to reading them, or a book hoarder (as much as my husband tries to prevent it). I have had a love affair with books since I was very young.

One major chain you can find in Okinawa is BookOff ブックオフ (which is literally all over Japan). They have an assortment of magazines, books, novels, music, etc. I go there occasionally and usually purchase older manga or magazines for a reasonable price, but the selection is always varied– sometimes you get lucky and sometimes it is impossible to find what you want.

Another chain is MangaSouko 漫画倉庫 (literally: “comic warehouse”). There is a lot of choice here, but sometimes the prices are not as cheap as you would hope. It is easy to find popular and (fairly) current manga here actually (that someone read and immediately sold back), as well as some of the oldies.

A really interesting bookshop is located in Ginowan, just on your right as you turn onto 241 off Rt. 34, called BOOKSじのん (Books Jinon). There are a few parking spaces out front, otherwise turn down the road to the paid parking lot. This shop has a lot of literature about Okinawa and the Ryukyu Kingdom. They have an assortment of books on Okinawa food and recipes, uchinaaguchi (Okinawa language), WWII, history, handicrafts, culture and more. If you go in, you will undoubtedly find something you want. There is a very small selection of books about Okinawa in English, but sometimes I think the food and cooking books especially you can read without having to know much Japanese. Of course, some of these books are a bit uncommon, so the prices reflect that. That being said, I think this shop is worth the time to stop by and look around, especially if you are interested in learning more about Okinawa.

address for Booksじのん: https://goo.gl/maps/o6aC8WgpA6M2

Japanese sweets, Local Foods, Shops

Jacaranda Blue: Gourmet Chocolatier in Okinawa

One day I set out to look for some fancy chocolates for my husband. I saw about this small chocolate shop located in Ginowan, so I set off on the hunt.

It was surprisingly close to the university, just off a back neighborhood. I went up the narrow alley roads, uncertain that this was the right way, when all of a sudden there it was, modest and barely visible in the shadow on the first floor of a building: Jacaranda Blue.

As soon as I stepped inside, it was bright and cheerful with many chocolate displays. The chocolatiers are professional crafters, and the quality was exquisite, like something you would see in a western chocolate shop. They studied abroad and brought their skills back home to this small, quiet neighborhood in Okinawa. The chocolates take 2 or 3 days to make into perfection.

What drew my attention was the fact that they incorporated local ingredients into the chocolates, which they call “uchinaa chocolate.” They have 9 types of bon-bon chocolates: turmeric (ukon in Japanese, ucchin in Okinawan), mugwort (yomogi in Japanese, fuchiba in Okinawan), miso from Miyako, sea salt (shima masu), island chili pepper (shima tougarashi), orange (tankan), peanuts (jimami), brown cane sugar (kokutou), and island peppercorn (pipaachi). Each chocolate is a different scent and taste of Okinawa!

The price was not cheap, but my husband was very delighted when I came home with these! He was very impressed with the shine on it and commented on how professional the tempering was (he knows wayyyy more about chocolate than I do). So for a special occasion, these chocolates are worth it, you will not be disappointed.

address: 沖縄県宜野湾市長田1-8-7
https://goo.gl/maps/Cgfeye362br

Japanese foods, Local Foods, Restaurants

Ogimi Soba Shop: Esu no Hana 江州の花

蕎麦 soba: buckwheat, or buckwheat noodles. This is the type of soba common in the mainland of Japan, not the kind used for Okinawa suba (soba).

Did you know that in the northern part of Okinawa, in Ogimi village 大宜味村, buckwheat (soba 蕎麦) grows? There are 3 restaurants that serve Japanese-style soba noodles made from Ogimi village buckwheat flour.

江州の花 “Esu no Hana” is one of these restaurants that make the noodles by hand (one other is at the roadside station and another is a shokudo restaurant just north of the roadside station). Japanese mainland soba is not as popular here as Okinawa soba is, so I was very surprised to learn this. Since I am slightly (mainland) soba obsessed, I decided I must try it!

So we set out for a drive up north, and of course after exiting the main road had to drive up and down some twisty roads to find the place as it was pretty much in the middle of nowhere. We arrived at exactly 11am and there was already another car there with people waiting to get in; it said somewhere online that reservations were a good idea, and although we did not make any, we were luckily able to be seated. There were 6 decently large tables inside. They were happy when they realized I could speak/read Japanese– we figured out a bit later that this not a place for tourists, but definitely for locals! If you plan on going during busy days (holidays, Sundays, summer vacation, etc), I would definitely recommend getting a reservation. The place was packed by the time we left, all with locals and not a rental car to be seen.

The menu is very easy, so not to worry! Here is the translation:

soba set, regular: 1000yen
soba set, large: 1500yen
udon set kids/regular/large: 500/700/800yen
omakaze set (comes with both udon and soba): 1500yen

Everything on the menu also comes with:

“appetizer” (which is basically various tsukemono/pickles)
agedashi tofu (fried tofu with sauce)
bonito/katsuobushi soup (winter) or salad (summer)
endless tempura!

As for drinks, tea and water were included on the tables. The large soba set comes with about twice the amount of noodles as the regular. I did not see anyone order the udon sets, I think if you come up to Ogimi, you should try the locally grown, ground, and handmade soba, and not bother with udon unless you have a picky eater in your group.

We just stuck with soba set regular size. The picture showed just a set that comes out, so we were expecting something pretty simple like the typical teishoku 定食 meals. Instead, we were greeted with quite the feast!

First, we were immediately brought out a small plate 6 “appetizers” 前菜 and the soba dipping broth was placed out as well. Moments later, we were brought out katsuobushi かつお節 (dried, smoked bonito flakes) with hot water poured over. We were told to stir the katsuobushi in the hot water and kind of let it steep to get out the flavor. A bit later we were presented with agedashi tofu 揚げ出し豆腐, although I admit I have never had it quite like this before… but it was very delicious. I was surprised by the amount of “sauce” that came with it… we learned just a few minutes later that it is also used as the tempura dipping sauce. Needless to say, this was shaping up to be quite an interesting experience.

The first of the fresh, piping hot tempura was brought out to us, along with our soba plates. As we were happily eating, a second different type of tempura came out. We thought this was it, until again, another batch of fresh and different tempura arrived! This kept going and going, with some unique and delicious tempura! Most days they serve up to 12 types of fresh and tasty tempura, all included in your lunch price! It was pretty much all you could eat tempura… we probably could have stayed for longer (and eaten even more), as they were not shoo-ing us out the door all.

After we finished our soba, some soba-yu 蕎麦湯 also came out to finish our soba broth with. At this point, we were absolutely stuffed full, and what a value for only 1000yen. If you cannot finish it all, they even had some takeout containers (which I noticed some obaasans that came about the same time as us utilized). Actually, they will even encourage you to take some tempura home with you.

What struck me most about the whole experiences was just how really great and friendly the service was, and the atmosphere was like being at your grandma or aunty’s house! Of course, us being foreigners, owners and customers alike were especially interested in where we were from, where we lived, and one lady said I was practically a Japanese person (lol). Apparently there was also some Okinawa dance at the community center later that they invited us to, but we already had some things on the schedule. This being said, the wife came out to greet every single customer who entered, and asked the non-village residents where they were from. It really reminded me of the innate friendliness of the Okinawan people. Anyway, I highly recommend visiting this place as it is an experience you will likely never forget!

*Something new I learned it that residents in Ogimi are the renown for longevity– some of the longest life-spans in the world!

6 types of tempura, including roselle and pineapple!

address: 沖縄県大宜味村大保326-224
https://goo.gl/maps/Ng2bZbbzb7z

*Open 11-6, closed on Wednesdays.

Japanese foods

大豆のお肉: Daizu no Oniku, Soy Meat

In Okinawa, we are fortunate to find lots of great soy meat products. And they aren’t all full of additives or weird stuff like most of the American ones.

On the label, one brand shows 大豆のお肉 daizu-no-oniku (大豆 soybean, お肉 meat). You can find them in filet or minced form, unseasoned or seasoned. Even better for the lazy me, they also can come as easy to put together meal kits! Gapao rice, Taco rice, Sweet and sour stirfy, and more from Marukome are shown below (word of warning: if you are a strict vegetarian, the pre-made packages still often contain fish sauce/dashi of some sort so the pre-made stuff is not 100% vegetarian, however the UNSEASONED mince and filets are 100% vegetarian).

Another brand of the soy meat products you can find is called: まるっきりお肉 marukkiri oniku: “just like meat.”

But it is not! This product from Maisen has just 2 ingredients– soy beans and brown rice. Organic at that (if you care about those things, and obviously gluten-free as well). Nothing else, no weird additives, no fake flavors, etc.

It is not “fake meat” but actually better than meat. It has much less calories and fat compared to meat, but it is actually higher in protein (well, according to the product site).

The texture is great, and it absorbs whatever flavors you add. You can buy it as crumbles or filets. As for what to cook with it, the possibilities are endless. We use it quite a bit, and the price is pretty good too. It is easy to find at local SanA grocery stores here in Okinawa; usually I find it near the dried beans.

I would definitely recommend trying it out; I think it tastes way better than the fake stuff in the U.S. with all the weird added ingredients. Plus my husband will actually eat it and like it, unlike most of the American faux meat products.

Here are 2 of the brands:

Local Foods

Chinsukou: ちんすこう

ちんすこう chinsukou (also romanized as chinsuko) are one of the “quintessential” souvenirs (omiyage お土産) from Okinawa.

They are small cookies (biscuits), made mostly of lard, flour, and sugar. NOT recommended for vegetarians or Muslims, since it is usually pork lard. Some day you may get lucky and find some that are plant-based and do not use pork, but I can honestly say I do not remember seeing very many.

You can find various flavors such as brown sugar, salt, milk, sweet potato, chocolate chip, and even sakuna. Fashion Candy even sells some that are dipped in chocolate coating.

Basically every souvenir shop, grocery store, and airport shops will sell these; even some of the farmers markets will sell them. Some of the shops have areas where you can watch them being made. There are even places where you can make your own chinsukou!

As a final note, I am gonna put in a little weird “warning.” On Kokusai-dori, and well, even the airport, you will see some boxes of chinsukuo that have cartoon babies with the ding-dong hanging out. Why…? Well, that is because of the word “chin.” Chinchin or chinko are ways to say “penis” in Japanese, and shortened “chin” can hold a similar meaning (depending on how it is used, though my knowledge of inappropriate slang in Japanese is not extensive). I will be honest– I have bought these and sent them to a friend who could appreciate the humor. The brand is 子宝ちんこすこう “Kodakara Chinko-sukou,” so a play on words of chinsukou. The cookies themselves are a bit specially shaped as well. Just don’t be too shocked to see this this boxed version of the cookie out and about.

Here is a picture of them that I censored (lol):

Culture, Folklore, Holidays, Local Events, Local Foods

Hamauri, 浜下り

The third day of the third month in the lunar calendar is Okinawa’s tradition that occurs on hinamatsuri in the lunar calendar (March 3rd). It is called 浜下り, pronounced hama uri ハマウリ (in Japanese these would be hama ori). 浜 hama means “beach,” and 下り uri is “to descend.” Some people may observe it on the western calendar date, but more often it is observed on lunar calendar date. **In 2017 this day will be on March 30th.

This is also associated with the event on Henza-jima, called Sangwacha (a fisherman festival). Sangwachi-gwashi (translation: March sweets) is commonly eaten by the beach.

On March 3rd of the lunar calendar, families take their girls down to the beach and get in the water to “purify” or “cleanse” them, and to pray for good health. The seawater is supposed to get rid of any bad spirits, curses, etc. Sometimes families will collect shells, harvest asa アーサー (type of seaweed) or small clams in the tidal areas, and often have a beach-side picnic. One of the ladies in my class reminisced about when she was a child, how on Hama uri her mother took her down to the beach, they would go digging for clams and then have a picnic. She explained that on this day, the tides are low, so it is easy to harvest the clams and asa.

The Legend behind Hamauri:

Long ago, a young man visited a young girl of marriageable age one evening. He was obviously a nobleman, but he didn’t speak much about himself. He spoke sweetly to the young woman and they were became lovers. When the parents found out their daughter had become pregnant, they decided to discover more about who the mysterious nobleman was since he never said where he was from. The parents told the girl to stick a needle with a long thread to the bottom of the nobleman’s kimono when he next visited.

That night as he slept, the girl did as her parents told her. The next morning they followed the thread deep into the woods, into a cave, and inside the cave a huge snake was coiled up that spoke to them. The snake said if the girl did not enter the sea to purify her body, she would bear his children– they realized he was not a man at all, but a magical snake.

When the parents returned home, they immediately took their daughter down to the ocean to purify her body in the salt water– dead baby snakes flowed out of her body! The evil snake’ magic spell was broken and the young nobleman was never to be seen again.

Henza-jima, many people have picnics and are playing in the tide pools. Some of the older folks are collecting asa to use in Okinawa dishes later.

Culture, Holidays, Japanese foods, Japanese sweets

Girls’ Day, Hinamatsuri: 雛祭り

ひな祭り(or 雛祭り) hina-matsuri is translated to Girls’ Day or Doll Festival.

Hinamatsuri is on March 3rd. In Okinawa, there is a special tradition on hinamatsuri of the lunar calendar, but that will be for a different post: 浜下りhamauri.

Traditional treats and not-so-traditional treats are being sold in stores. Community centers (and maybe some homes in Okinawa) have hina doll displays. Everyone prays for the good health of girls. These doll displays are rather costly and not actually traditional in Okinawa (just mainland Japan), so not very many people here have them. But any community center, library, or department store will have a nice display to check out.

Sakura mochi 桜餅 and hishimochi 菱餅 are 2 traditional wagashi for hinamatsuri. Sakura mochi is a pink mochi wrapped in a sakura (cherry blossom leaf). Hishimochi is a 3-layered ricecake, pink, white, and green, in a diamond shape. These days, you may see other wagashi designed especially for the day, as well as cakes and western-style desserts, with cute pink designs.

Another common snack you will see is hina-arare ひなあられ, (usually pink) rice crackers.

Hina-arare. With Hello Kitty theme of course.

Tohato caramel corn puff snacks with hinamatsuri doll theme. Left is momo (peach) flavor, right is regular flavor.

In Hawaii, Girls’ day is somewhat observed although on a much smaller scale than Japan.

Be sure to look for all these treats the next time you are in the store in Okinawa around late February and early March!

Shops

Finding Malasadas in Okinawa

Today is Fat Tuesday (day before Lent), so a good malasada is in order!

Of course, in Okinawa, malasadas are not traditional, and neither is Fat Tuesday nor Lent. Luckily, Hawai’i themed things are pretty popular in Japan! In Okinawa, there are a few places you can find a malasada (which by the way, these are NOT just donuts).

The BEST place in my opinion is Mermaid Bakery in Ginowan. While they are not necessarily fried in front of your eyes and piping hot (unless you happen to arrive right when they cook them), they have all the key elements of a good malasada and as close as you’re gonna get in Okinawa: right taste, just enough airy/fluffy mochi-mochi texture, cooked evenly and thoroughly with a nice outer layer, good amount of sugar, just fatty enough but not oily. They even have different flavors if that floats your boat, but honestly I just like a good solid plain malasada. Nothin’ fancy. My only complaint is could be cooked slightly browner on the outside, but being away from home I will take what I can get.

There are not a lot of places to find legit malasadas on island, but there are 2 other places that I know of to get a malasada (and no, while I love Lawson, their prepackaged “malasada” is nothing more than a regular donut, ugh). I have not tried Agnes Bakeshop Japan yet… I will eventually get over there to see how legit it is. Malasada Garage is in the food court of the Aeon Rycom Mall, but I cannot really recommend them… I was devastated last year on Fat Tuesday after eating their subpar malasada; even though they cook it in front of you, mine came out a) undercooked, b) taste was off, and c) too greasy with clumpy sugar.

At a few food fairs there have been vendors selling “malasadas” but they have never been even a little close to the real thing. I think many people just see a malasada as a sugar donut, and don’t taste/see/understand the difference, so maybe for them finding a legit place is not very important. But for me… you just can’t start Lent without one!

So for this Fat Tuesday, my husband picked up malasadas from Mermaid Bakery (after I demanded it of him), and they were darn good… maybe not quite Leonard’s or Tex Drive-In (or even the poi malasada from Kamehameha Bakery), but they satisfied the craving!

address for Mermaid Bakery: https://goo.gl/maps/K21wDdBtZN52

Culture, Holidays, Local Events, Local Foods

Shiimii: しーみー

清明祭, シーミー or しーみー: shiimii (also Romanized as “shimi”) in Okinawan language. In Japanese it is pronounced Seimei-sai.

Shiimii season is will come to Okinawa around April (in the third lunar month). Even though I think you are supposed to hold the ritual around the 15th day after the Spring Equinox, most Okinawan people are on “island time” and just do it any time during the month that it is convenient for everybody to meet up or whenever the weather is good. I don’t know that there are many clear rules as to when, but generally these gathering start April 4th. I remember one of my students last year said that she was so busy during the month and was barely able to organize a small gathering at the family grave on the very last weekend of April.

It is an event to worship the ancestors, originating from China. The tombs are cleaned up and family members come together to kneel in front of the tomb, providing offerings to the ancestors and bringing along food dishes to have a small gathering/party in front of the tomb. This is one of the major observances in Ryukyuan customs, though it is mostly observed in the the central and southern areas.

Featured in the stores you will see lots of materials for packing family bento boxes, packages of mochi, fruits, items for the graves (including uchikabi, paper money, that is burned so ancestors have money in the afterlife), cleaning items, and other things necessary for a family picnic. The ads will be up soon to pre-order Okinawan-style hors d’oeuvre platters. They will look similar to the platters during New Years and Obon, with many of the same foods. These boxes are called usanmi ウサンミ.

During the month of April, you will see cars parked all along the road in Okinawa, and lots of people picnicking by the ancestor graves. I can usually tell when the season is in full swing, due to the slow traffic and the number of not-quite-legally-parked cars spilling into the main road. It is a time to remind yourself as an “outsider” to be patient, and to appreciate the preservation of culture. Usually weekends (Sundays) are the busiest days to hold these gatherings.

Restaurants

Pizza Cafe Mimoza-no-ki

ピザ喫茶ミモザの木 Pizza Kissa Mimoza no ki.

喫茶 kissa means “coffeeshop” or “cafe.”

ミモザの木 means “mimosa tree.”

It was pouring down rain, so our original plans of going to one of the parks was undoubtedly cancelled, but we decided to still try the pizza cafe in Nanjo we saw signs for a few weeks ago.

On the main road were some flags that said 「ピザ」(pizza), so we turned off onto a smaller, twisty road and kept following the small wooden signs with the name of the cafe until we finally reached it at the top of the hill. Had it not been down-pouring buckets of rain, the view would have been gorgeous. But Mother Nature was not feeling cooperative. The building of the restaurant was really beautiful wood and interesting features. The 2 shisa outside the stairs made me giggle (sorry no picture, as we were running inside to get out of the rain). At the entrance of the restaurant, you take off your shoes. Inside were a few tables and an outdoor porch (which again, would have been lovely on a nice day).

We settled in, the menu was quite simple; 2 types of pizza, pasta of the day, salad, muffin, and some drinks. My husband and I ordered a “large” mix pizza (I took of the little meats and put them on his side of the pizza) and a salad to split, plus a hot hibiscus tea for me. It was quite delicious, but the total was a bit high (3500yen). My husband and I dubbed it Southern “Pizza in the Sky.” In Nago (up north), there is a pizza cafe just like this one, whose actual name is kajinhou 花人逢 , but most Americans refer to it as Pizza in the Sky.

The owner/workers seemed a little surprised to see us, and I suspect they must not get a lot of foreign clients (they also gave us a free muffin for dessert). They were extremely kind and helpful, and asked where we were from, how long we lived in Okinawa, and how did we find the cafe. Of course, I simply said “we saw the sign and followed it,” which I think must confuse them (or possibly amuse them).

Anyway, I definitely recommend trying this place out if you are in Nanjo and want pizza with a view. No pictures of the view or building this time around due to the heavy rain, but that just means I will need to visit again.

p class=”p1″>address: 南城市佐敷小谷122
https://goo.gl/maps/ZL3J1Qp6GFU2

Restaurants

Pizza in Okinawa: ピザ

ピザ is how pizza is (usually) written in katakana. Sometimes you may see ピッツァ if a place is trying to be more “Italian”-sounding.

Pizza is actually sorta popular here in Japan. In Okinawa, we have several chains, as well as a few independent places. There is Japanese-American style pizza and then there is wood-fired Italian style pizza. I won’t get into an argument about which is best, etc. etc. I am just giving the options.

I have posted a few places with really good “Italian” style pizzas: Mou and Amani are just a few you can find here in Okinawa, aside from the popular joint such as Bacar (but a bit overpriced in my opinion), Napoli, and Pizzeria Onda. Honestly, there are wayyyy more of these places than you would expect in Okinawa, and many of them very reasonably priced! Drool. But these are all restaurants to eat-in.

Okay, but really, on a Friday night, you just want good old take-out pizza. So what are your choices in Okinawa? Well, you actually have a lot of options! I will list the main ones that we usually hit up in the southern and central areas of the island. There are more takeout places in areas where large American populations (i.e. military) live, but I am unfamiliar with them. After all, takeout pizza is all about convenience, so I have no desire to drive over an hour to Yomitan for one.

持ち帰り mochikaeri: take-out, to go (you can also use テイクアウト which is simply “takeout” in katakana).

Pizza-La (chain): okay, I like them quite bit actually, BUT they are darn expensive. Interesting choices, ranging from safe “American” toppings to some unusual Japanese style toppings.

copy paste into maps to find the closest to you: ピザーラ
you can also use their website: https://www.pizza-la.co.jp/

Pizza Paruko (local chain): they are cheaper. And sadly, not quite as good, but they satisfy. So, don’t hesitate to try them even though they are not the number one choice for me.

copy paste into maps to find the closest to you: ピザパルコ
you can also use their website: http://www.p-parco.jp/

UPDATE 12 Feb 2020: Pizzeria Rio has closed 🙁

Pizzeria Rio: Good mid-range. I think they are actually some sort of chain (maybe on the mainland), but as far as I know there is only 1 in Okinawa. I wish it was a bit closer to me though.

address ピッツェリアリオ: 〒901-2102沖縄県浦添市前田1-48-1
~~https://goo.gl/maps/V8aQLvFFwgF2~~

website: ~~http://pizzeria-rio.com/~~

Dominoes (chain): There are online deals, so don’t pay full price! Of course, none are very convenient to me, but they are okay, plus you can order online which is very convenient. They are a little different from the “American” version, just keep that in mind.

copy paste into maps to find the closest to you: ドミノピザ
you can also use their website: http://www.dominos.jp/

Pizzeria Marino (chain): This is a sit-in restaurant, but they do a takeout special. The restaurant itself is overpriced for what you get, but the takeout pizzas are not bad (but they are little, so…).

Most of them are in SanA shopping malls, copy paste into maps to find the closest to you: ピッツェリアマリノ

Pizza Hut (chain): No, not “on base.” There is a Pizza hut (express) in the food court of 2 of the malls here in Okinawa and one happens to be darn close to me. Again, it is actually good, unlike the ones I have tried in America. Something to know: they actually charge for the takeout box (it is cheap, but still). So try to find a coupon, or just settle with eating in the food court.

SanA Gushikawa Main City: https://goo.gl/maps/QF7S84nFFV52

SanA Nishihara City: https://goo.gl/maps/dP1a5advdz52

SanA (chain): the larger SanA grocery stores with bakeries have a counter for takeout pizza. I don’t particularly recommend them, and they are rather Japan-ized, but… if you want something a little different, give them a go. Plus you can choose from some that are pre-boxed and ready for pick-up, no having to order and wait around for it to be ready.

copy paste into maps to find the closest to you: サンエー
you can also use their website: https://www.san-a.co.jp/store/

Pizza TOGO: mostly takeout, but they do have an eat-in area during lunch. Not American-style, more Italian-style. Convenient if you want to get a pizza and eat on the beach in Ginowan.

address: 〒901－2224沖縄県宜野湾市真志喜2丁目13-13
https://goo.gl/maps/XzCn8e3oYM82

Antore アントレ (small local chain): decent pizza, decent prices. Again, many Japanese-style toppings, but that makes it sort of interesting– you never know, maybe you will find a new combination to like.

All are in Okinawa city/Awase, visit their insta for details. : https://www.instagram.com/pizza_entre_bakers_entre/

Kozy Pizza: located in Kitanakagusuku, they have eat-in, but I believe they also will do take-out (though the 2x I have gone were both eat-in). It is located in the old American housing area.

address: https://goo.gl/maps/paK7ewRPUYx

Note: One place I will probably never go to is the pizza place in American Village (formerly known as Pizzakaya), probably due to the crazy situation surrounding this place (and its owners, but I am not sure if they are still the current owners or not, the name was changed but I heard that the guy was still running it). The prices are really high, and most people I know say it is not worth it. And honestly, with the tax evasion and sketchy situation, I don’t want to support this type of business, especially when there are so many other good (and more convenient) places around.

*pictures coming soon.

There are also quite a few more places I can add to this list. Most of the places I recommend are found in the southern/central area of the island, and not necessarily close to the larger American populations (such as Yomitan, Sunabe, Chatan, Kadena, etc.), since I don’t seem to live near many (any?) other Americans, though most of these are chains so they should have locations close to these areas as well. Some popular places in the more heavily American populated areas I am sadly unaware of as they tend to be too far away for me to consider for a quick dinner, though I am sure they are good as well. If I ever make it to these areas, I will probably add them to the list in the future.

Restaurants

Campagna

Campagna カンパーニャ is an Italian restaurant located in Urasoe.

I decided to try somewhere new for lunch. I had passed it before and added it to my “to try” list, so finally that day came.

The restaurant isn’t large but is not as small as some. The menu had 3 types of pasta (1 of which was made with house-made noodles), fish, pork and steak. You could even get a full course menu for 2000yen (lunch, I am not sure about dinner prices). I ordered a pasta which came with an enormous salad, a potage soup, drink, bread and dessert (the dessert said プチ puchi but was in fact more like full size). It was very filling for 1400yen… I was stuffed and everything was good. I recommend bringing your appetite.

address: 〒９０１‐２１１１沖縄県浦添市経塚80
https://goo.gl/maps/Sn8RdyzpnQy

Japanese foods, Travel: Japan

Yufuin: 湯布院, 由布院

continued from Part 1.

湯布院 or 由布院 Yufuin has 2 versions of its name, one is for the district and one for the town, but I have the impression that no one differentiates between the two anymore.

On the third day of our trip, we rented a car. First thing in the morning after breakfast, we went to see plum blossoms (ume 梅) at Minami tateishi park 南立石公園. It was a gorgeous day, and they were flowering quite nicely.

Next, we drove to Yufuin. Warning: Yufuin is NOT as rural or quiet as you may be led to believe! We were a bit surprised how busy it was (not in the least bit rural like many people claimed), but rather a bit touristy… but again, it was still fun, and it was nice to see it so lively. We walked around for a bit and then went to Cafe Duo, where your coffee drinks come with latte art– so cute! I got a Hello Kitty, my husband a bear. They even give you the design tool so you can add your own bit at the end.

We continued walking the tourist streets and around to the lake, Kinrin 金鱗湖. Along the street I got some sort of crunchy manjuu, which was wonderfully tasty. For lunch we decided to try the soba restaurant by the lake, where we split a soba, tsukemono (Japanese pickles) assortment plate and some yuzu inari. Very good, indeed. While Yufuin town was nice albeit not what I was expecting, I did not want to deal with an overly crowded onsen, so we decided to head out of town a bit and see what we could find. After all, we are in a famous onsen area, I want to try something a bit more local.

We came to Tsukahara onsen 塚原温泉, a highly acidic (pH 1.4!) onsen in the mountains, supposed to be good for skin disease. The onsen itself is called kako-no-izumi. Now this was a quiet and secluded place, for local-type tourists. My husband was asked by a gentleman who happened to speak English in the bath how we came to find the place, as it is well-known to Japanese, but not necessarily most foreigners. Honestly, we just noticed it on GoogleMaps as we were leaving Yufuin and as I remembered hearing the name before (probably in the Japanese magazine about Oita), we decided to give it a go.

You could choose the inside or outside bath; the fee 600yen for the outside (you could get a combo ticket for both). No soaping/etc allowed here, just rinse and get in. This is because of the high acidity. Again, the changing area was small and had a few baskets to hold your clothes and personal effects. The view surrounding the bath was amazing, and more of what I expected to see.

Tsukahara onsen was discovered by Minamoto no Tametomo in the Heian period while he was hunting deer. They steam eggs here as well, so definitely try them. You can also visit crater for an additional 200 yen.

After feeling refreshed, we visited the last 2 hells in Beppu. Since we already had paid for our pass, it was quick to go through.

It was time to return the rental car, which was luckily right next to our hotel as well. From here it was dinner time so we checked out an izakaya down the street from the station. This one had a nomihoudai 飲み放題 (all you can drink) plan for a reasonable price. The food was actually really good, much better than the night before, so we left very happy.

Sadly, on the 4th day, it was time to return to Fukuoka and catch our flight back home. We bought some omiyage お土産 at the Beppu train station before the 2-hour ride. Back at Hakata station, we had some time for shopping and a lunch at an Italian restaurant on the 9th floor called Esse Due, which turned out to be very good. Overall, we have had some really good food in Fukuoka (and Kyushu for that matter)!

imgur:

https://imgur.com/a/RIojo

Japanese foods, Travel: Japan

Beppu: 別府

Another trip to Kyushu! This time we headed to Beppu 別府 in Oita prefecture 大分県, famous for its onsen. Again, Fukuoka is the biggest airport (also with direct flights from Okinawa) so once again we touched down in Fukuoka, with a 15 minute train ride to Hakata Station. From Hakata station the train goes direct to Beppu, taking about 2 hours.

Before boarding the train to Beppu, we decided to pick up an ekiben 駅弁 (eki bento 駅弁当), a train station packed lunch (駅 eki means train, 弁当 is bento), and some beers for the 2 hour ride. I noticed a place called Evah Dining selling macrobiotic vegan bento, and they all looked really good. It was hard to choose but in the end I went with the one labeled “ladies bento.” After all, I am a lady. My husband picked up some sort of pork katsu bento, but in the end was jealous of mine because it was so tasty.

We arrived at Beppu station in the early evening and checked in to the hotel just 1 block away, the Beppu Daiichi hotel (it was very cheap, included breakfast, but no onsen on site). After we dropped our luggage in the room we headed out to the Takegawara onsen 竹瓦温泉.

The outside has a traditional facade. Inside is typical of a small local onsen, so you didn’t get the impression it was just for tourists, but visited by the local population. The entrance fee was very cheap (since there are no amenities). Bring your own soap/etc and towels! You can also purchase a souvenirs towel there (which we eneded up doing even though I brought my own). They also had the sand baths for an extra fee, but we decided not to go for it.

Once we paid, we went to our separate baths. In the ladies, there are no lockers, just baskets, and the area is very small. I undressed and grabbed my soap and towel, heading down the stairs. I admit I was a bit surprised to not see the usual (more modern) shower stations… there was simply the bath itself, a cold tap, some wash buckets and a stool. So this means you go old school: to rinse yourself off before entering the bath, take one basin, fill with some cold tap water, take it over to the small area, fill another basin with warm onsen water, mix them together (outside the bath). Clean yourself using this water and your soap. Once you are clean and rinsed, time to soak. Despite the simplicity, this was a really nice place for an authentic onsen bathhouse experience, plus it was a very cheap entrance fee (200yen I think).

After a nice soak, we walked about the area and through the shopping arcade, though it seemed most things closed pretty early. We saw the Yayoi tengu やよい天狗, I bought a retro-design towel at one of the souvenir shops and then headed back to the hotel.

The second day, we toured the Beppu hells (jigoku 地獄) in Kannawa. Touristy but fun, there were lots of interesting sites to see. The combo ticket for the 7 main hells was 2000yen per person, and there were a few smaller ones with separate fees, if you so choose. We only did one of the smaller ones since otherwise the fees add up very quickly. Most of the hells have foot baths and snacks for purchase, so plenty of opportunity to take a break and relax. There is also a stamp rally!

After touring the 5 main hells in Kannawa 鉄輪 (we went to the other 2 on our combo ticket the next day since you needed a car to reach them), we headed to Myoban 明礬. This was quite a walk, ALL up hill…. but the bus was inconvenient and we were feeling genki 元気. Of course, one of the number one stops… Okamotoya 岡本屋 for jigoku mushi purin 地獄蒸しプリン– pudding/flan steamed by onsen! It was so delicious, we ended up getting a second later. My husband also got toriten とり天 (chicken tempura, famous in Oita) and onsen tamago 温泉卵 (egg boiled by onsen steam). After this we headed to the hut bathes, where we rented (literally) a family onsen bath in an outdoor hut for an hour; it was awesome! Since it was a private family bath, my husband and I bathed together. A rather interesting area, with good food and views and a unique chance to experience a hut bath.

On way back towards Beppu, we also stopped at Hyotan onsen ひょうたん温泉. This onsen was busy and much more touristy. So the good news is, yes, foreigner friendly, but… crowded, so I don’t particularly recommend it as a must-see. The baths were okay, overall, and there were minimum amenities, but again, bring your own towel. There was a mixed “sand bath” area (which also came with yukata rental), but probably was not worth the extra 300yen on top of the 700yen entrance fee. In my opinion the price was a bit high for what it was; I have been to a lot more remarkable onsen for less. That being said, in the common area they did have a steam-cooking area (for eggs and such), a small food stand, as well as an area to sit and have you throat steamed. It was an interesting experience.

Back at Beppu station, I hadn’t had enough onsen purin, so I tried a purin dorayaki– basically 2 pancakes with a frozen purin in the middle. It was pretty good.

Dinner time was a so-so izakaya, Watamin, not too far from the station. The food was okay but the beer prices were a bit steep, so we ended early and had some more beer from the Family Mart in the hotel room.

Part 2 continued in the next post.

imgur link:

Beppu and Yufuin

Culture

Rusk: ラスク

Rusk ラスク is a popular sweet snack and omiyage in Japan. It is a sweet twice-baked baguette. I don’t think it is popular or well-known in the US, but for some reason it is really popular here. I see them everywhere, souvenir shops, bakeries, and even the conbini.

It is not anything particularly special, and I have had many types from many places within Japan. They all taste sort of similar– like a very dry, crunchy sweetened baguette slice. It tastes okay, but I don’t really understand the popularity. Most famous is probably the “Gouter de Roi” brand. Recently one of my sensei brought in a “colorful rusk,” which actually has a fruity taste that I kind of like, and the look is rather festive (there were also purple, green, and yellow colors).

Culture, Holidays

Valentine’s Day in Okinawa

バレンタインデー Valentine’s day.

チョコ choco, or チョコレート chocolate.

Somehow, Valentine’s day got adopted into Japanese culture in the mid 1900s. But it is a bit different than what you see in the US. It is tradition for girls to give chocolates to men… not the other way around! Well, not until White day which is the reverse Valentine’s where guys give small presents (not necessarily chocolate) to the girls that gave them chocolates on Valentine’s day.

But not all chocolate is equal. There is honmei 本命 (true love) chocolate for the guy you like best; this is either high-end chocolate or homemade chocolate. Then there is giri 義理 chocolate, which is “obligation” chocolate that you give to guys you know (and are just friends or acquaintances with). This is usually just cute little regular chocolates. There is lately a third category, known as tomo 友 chocolate, which means “friend” chocolate. Sometimes girls may buy small chocolates for their friends (girls or guys).

In my lab, I am the only girl, so the burden sort of falls on me. I buy giri chocolate for the members in my lab. On White day, they usually buy chocolates for the whole lab in return.

Right now, the stores are lined with all types of fancy chocolates, as well as items for baking the perfect chocolate treat with cute trimmings. You can even buy some cheap stuff at the Daiso (100yen store) to really cute up your chocolates. Soon, it will all be replaced by cute girly items, some chocolates, handkerchiefs, and other small items for White day.

Culture, Holidays, Local Foods

16th day of the Lunar New Year

旧十六日祭（ジュールクニチー) “Juurukunichii” is January 16th of the Lunar calendar, which is “gusou” 後生（グソー/ グソウ） or あの世、の正月, New Years celebration for the afterlife (the dead). This means another celebration/prayer day for ancestors.

All of the stores have various small snacks for grave offerings, as well alcohol and flowers. Uchikabi (money for the dead in the afterlife) and incense is also burned on this day; the rituals are similar to that of Obon. This morning I saw some people heading out to the graves for this purpose. I suspect mostly only elder people or very traditional families still observe this old custom. I also heard from one of my Okinawan friends that it is usually families who had a death the previous year observe this custom, so perhaps not every family observes it every year.

旧 kyuu: this kanji in front of the date indicates it is a lunar calendar (old calendar) date.

十 juu: ten, 六 roku (ruku in Okinawan): 6 –> so 十六 is 16.

日 nichi: day

あの世 anoyo: afterlife, the “other” world

正月 shougatsu: New Years

Local Drinks, Shops

Okinawa Sango Beer, Nanto Brewery

At the Okinawa Food and Flower Festival, the newly renewed Nanto Brewery had a booth promoting their Okinawa Sango beers. Their new beers are made with water filtered with Okinawa corals. Previously, their beers (under the brand Nihede) were quite horrible. At first we walked by their tent, unconvinced, but then thought, with this new line… better give them another try, right? Especially since it was on draft.

So, my husband and I decided to go big and pay for the 1000yen, 4 beer sampler set. The set included:

Saison- I liked this one, but my husband does not like saison-style. This is a seasonal beer and not on their usual rotation.

IPA- We both agreed this was probably our favorite. Citrusy and refreshing. My husband does not usually like IPAs but he liked this one… I don’t think it really tasted much like an IPA, but either way, it was good.

ALT- I don’t know what exactly an alto German beer is, but it was a reddish-brown beer. Not bad.

Black Ale- my husband liked this one; I don’t like a lot of black ales, so this one was not really for me.

Overall, these beers were way better than their previous incarnation. That being said, I probably wouldn’t pay 500yen a bottle, but on draft… probably I would, if I was feeling fancy.

The Nanto brewery is located out of Okinawa World in Nanjo, so you can give them a visit.
address: https://goo.gl/maps/4nHJgV2gNgm

Culture, Local Events

Night-time Sakura: 夜桜

桜 sakura: cherry blossoms

夜 yoru: evening/night

so add them together,, and you get 夜桜 yozakura: night-time illuminated blossoms!

Previously I have written about sakura in Okinawa here.

Recently I visited the Nakijin castle ruins 今帰仁城跡 for the annual night illumination sakura viewing. Nakijin has many sakura trees on the premises, and in previous years I have gone during the day time. This year I decided to try something different and go during the night– it was quite beautiful.

The admission fee is 400yen for adults. The castle ruins are lit up along the paths and walls, as well as near the sakura trees. The effect is enchanting and if you ever have the opportunity, it is well worth checking out.

As well as Nakijin, another site in Okinawa down south in Yaese also has a night-time sakura viewing.

Night Sakura

Nakijin castle ruins: 沖縄県国頭郡今帰仁村今泊5101 https://goo.gl/maps/JVvZqcZxDBq

Yaese park: 〒901-0402沖縄県八重瀬町富盛 https://goo.gl/maps/5c76mRwxaHp

Japanese foods, Restaurants

Demon Ramen in Okinawa: ラーメン鬼蔵

Ramen Onizo ラーメン鬼蔵 is located in Nago (northern part of Okinawa). The name caught our eye, since 鬼 oni means “demon.” The name of the shop, onizo 鬼蔵, literally translates to demon warehouse. My husband saw a TV program once featuring a shop in Tokyo called Oni Ramen that served a really spicy ramen; since then he dreams of tasting “oni ramen.” So when I saw the name of the shop, I realised we should try it, even though it is not the same as the one in Tokyo. After all, whenever you see “oni” and “ramen” together you know there is going to be spicy ramen.

Of course, it was a bit late so we showed up to the shop 20 minutes before closing (closes at 9pm), but we were not the only ones. There is a ticket machine at the shop door with various options (menu/ticket machine is in Japanese, but someone said there was an English translation available if needed); my husband obviously chose the aka-oni ramen 赤鬼ラーメン (red demon ramen) with the highest spicy level. I chose miso ramen, unfortunately a little too much pork for this person who doesn’t eat meat.

At the tables were bowls of garlic cloves and a garlic press. Our ramen came out quickly, and of course I added some garlic. My husband said his was not spicy enough; probably it was the end of the night and they did not make it the actual high spicy level. That being said, there were plenty of spicy condiments on the table for my husband to add, and he was happy enough with the taste. We slurped up our noodles and broth, finishing as they closed up shop.

address: 沖縄県名護市城2-5-20 https://goo.gl/maps/FA23V3K565R2

Local Foods, Restaurants

Makabe Chinaa: 茶処　真壁ちなー

茶処　真壁ちなー Makabe Chinaa is located in Itoman, in an old traditional Okinawan house. It is in a small, quiet neighborhood. When you drive there, you wonder if you are going the correct way… but not to worry, it is not too difficult to find and has ample parking.

When you enter, remove your shoes. Most of the seating is tatami seating. The menu is in both Japanese and English. It is mostly typical shokudo food– champuru, suba, and some others. The price is a little higher than some typical shokudo, but it is also a nicer setting.

The atmosphere is very relaxing, taking you back in time when life was a slower pace. There is no A/C or central heating, truly an old traditional building.

The food was pretty good; we ordered tofu chanpuru, fu chanpuru teishoku (came with mini soba and a choice of purple rice or juushii), and hirayachi. Overall a very nice experience.

address: 沖縄市糸満市真壁２２３番地 https://goo.gl/maps/aW9aWqptZyj

Culture, Local Foods, Shops

Machikaji: まちかじ (松風)

In Okinawan language it is pronounced machikaji まちかじ (松風). The 2 kanji that make up the name are “matsu” 松 meaning pine and “kaze” 風 meaning wind.

Machikaji is a type of senbei せんべい (cracker or cookie) that is colored red (well, more like pink), tied in knot. A red knot is an auspicious symbols, usually used for marriage, so it is commonly eaten at engagement or marriage ceremonies. Machikaji does not have to be limited to just engagements, so it is also eaten for other big celebratory occasions as well.

Today I purchased a machikaji at a shop called Zaha kashiten 座波菓子店 (菓子店 kashiten means “sweets shop”). I brought it home and ate it with tea; it was very delicious. A little sweet but not too much, with a little sesame flavor and crispy.

As a side note: I recently received a photo of my friend’s “engagement” (actually, official entry into her husband’s family registry) and there was a large plate of traditional treats including machikaji~~ I was amused.

address for Zaha kashiten: 沖縄県那覇市首里石嶺町3-6-1
https://goo.gl/maps/6chzqKoLBiE2

Machikaji can also be found at Nakamura Confectionary 中村製菓 in Shuri: https://goo.gl/maps/hhGTkMhGSoG2

I have also spotted Machikaji in the Makishi Market~~ see if you can find it with a few other traditional Okinawan treats! https://goo.gl/maps/iJ91rdQeDm32

Interested in more traditional Okinawan and Ryukuan sweets? Read more:

Tougatsuke: 冬瓜漬

Kippan: きっぱん（橘餅）

Okinawa Sweets: 沖縄のお菓子

Fuchagi: フチャギ (more Okinawa mochi!)

Okinawa mochi, pt.3: Nantou ナントゥー餅

Sangwachi gwashi: 三月菓子

Chiirunkou: ちいるんこう (鶏卵糕)

Kunpen: くんぺん

Koza Crossing Mural: コザ十字路絵巻

In Okinawa City 沖縄市, Gintengai shopping arcade 銀天街 at Koza Crossing コザ十字路 is home to a set of large wall murals spanning about 180 meters, depicting the past, present, and future of Koza Crossing; the history of a thousand years in Okinawa City is depicted. It is painted on the walls of the arcade street in a Japanese scroll painting style.

There is a large dragon, a mythical beast symbolizing the ability to fly through time and space, used in the central theme. The dragon is a symbol of the Kingdom of the Ryukyus, watching over since the Goeku gusuku era, and guiding the city into the future. It was believed in Ryukuan mythology that dragons were powerful beings that lived in their own underwater kingdoms. Ryugu-jo 竜宮城 (or 龍宮城), the dragon king’s palace, is said to be at the bottom of the ocean near the Ryukyu islands (Okinawa) and belongs to Ryujin 龍神 (the name of the dragon king/god in Japanese). The palace is made of red and white corals, guarded by dragons, and full of treasure. As it represents a symbol of sea power, the king adopted the dragon as his symbol, and therefore Shuri-jo is covered in dragon decorations. Around Okinawa you will also see dragon symbols and decorations, particularly by ports or harbors.

It is divided into 4 main sections, beginning with the Ryukyu Kingdom era (specifically Goeku Gusuku era, 15th century), then to the war-time era of Koza (1945-50s), continuing into Vietnam war era (1960-70s), and into the present/future.

(1) 15th century: These illustrations are related mostly to the history of Goeku gusuku, showing thriving eisa and other traditional culture.

Sho Taikyu 尚泰久: sixth of the line of the first Sho Dynasty and named Prince of Goeku (part of Okinawa city). His reign of the Ryukyu kingdom was from 1454–1460.

Sho Seni 尚宣威: reign during 1477 (for only 6 months). Also a Prince of Goeku, after he abdicated his throne (inherited from the death of his older brother) to his nephew.

Uni-Ufugushiku鬼大城: (uni is oni 鬼 in Japanese, meaning “demon”). He was a Ryukyuan scholar, aristocrat, master fencer, and attendant to royal princess Momoto Fumiagari, who he later married (a long, complicated story involving Lord Amawari of Katsuren gusuku and Lord Gosamaru of Nakagusuku).

(2) Post WW2 era: 1945-50

Shows the influence of the American military rebuilding after the Battle of Okinawa and WWII, and the destruction of the Goeku gusuku with a picture of General MacArthur. There is also the term “champuru culture,” チャンプルー文化, to describe this section, meaning that due to the American military influence, a mixed and unique culture was born.

(3) Vietnam war era: 1960’s-70s. Frenzy of the Vietnam war.

The district was known as a black district, so it had a unique atmosphere; it was called Teruya kokujin machi 照屋黒人街, literally: Teruya black (person) city/street as it was primarily set up for African-American GIs. After the return to Japan, the development of the shopping arcade and the bustle of economy was booming.

(4) Present and future: This final sections shows the head of the dragon ushering the city into the future.

As part of the mural, there is also a bench that looks like machikaji マチカジ（松風, a local traditional snack that is tied like a ribbon, you can also spot it in the mural itself), as well as some tempura motif benches. The mascot of the street 天ぷらのぷーらくん Tempura no Puura-kun is painted into the mural as well; try to look for him in each section as he transcends time and space.

**There is PARKING at the Goeku park across the street; to get there, go BEHIND the Kanehide, then to the side towards the “river” (drainage ditch) and there will be a small lot, enough for about 4 cars.

Location of the mural is at Rt 329 and 330 crossing, approximately here: https://goo.gl/maps/ZDFwnDcYR6v

The Goeku gusuku (also known as Chibana castle) ruins 越来グスク跡 are nearby: https://goo.gl/maps/bMnzC6zcUZs

Culture, Holidays

Lunar New Year in Okinawa: ソーグヮチ

旧正月（ソーグヮチ、ソーグァチ、 or ソーグワチ） sougwachi, or souguwachi: lunar New Years, in Okinawan language. In Japanese, it is pronounced kyuushougatsu.

The lunar New Year was traditionally celebrated in Ryukuan culture, but these days is less common, except for a few areas where there are many fishermen, uminchu 海人（うみんちゅ). During the times of the Ryukyu Kingdom and all the way to the second World War, the lunar New Year was a big deal in Okinawa, but the end of the war brought in the Americans and with them the Gregorian calendar, so the traditions of the lunar calendar and with it the Lunar New Year has been diminishing ever since.

The lunar new year centers on towns and villages, where fishing is an important industry, such as Itoman, Uruma, Motobu and Oujima.

The most prominent location is probably Itoman, where all of the fishing boats display colorful flags to pray for good fishing and safety at sea in the upcoming year. The images of tuna and other fish are drawn as lucky symbols to attract business. Fishermen wish for good catches for the year. And nobody fishes on New Year’s day.

I went the day after the lunar New Year, so while many flags are still up, there is not much else going on and it was very quiet at the port.

There are also some worship ceremonies on Hamahiga-jima in Uruma (Hamahiga-jima is called the island of the Gods here in Okinawa). I have not been able to make it up there on the lunar New Year yet, but hopefully one of these days. These are more solemn events of prayer at the many utaki (shrines) sites (of which I believe there are at least 12), so don’t expect “festivities” per se; though at some point it does change from prayer to more festive celebrations with traditional music and dance. A yearly worshiping performed on New Year’s Day of the lunar calendar is done to wish for the health and safety of the citizens and to convey the gratitude to the gods. The nearby Miyagi-jima also has a small fisherman’s maritime parade with colorful flags that was revived a few years ago.

Here is a video from previous years:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YP3kQbwmHDs

Hakugindo 白銀堂, a shrine in Itoman, fills with people wishing for a great year during New Year’s celebration period. But since no one has off of work or school, the elders say it has become a less popular tradition.

As a final note, when the first water is pumped up from a well in the early morning of January 1st of the lunar calendar, it is called “wakamizu” (meaning: young water), and when this water is drunk, there is a legend that it can pass good fortune and good health for one year.

Culture, Experiences

Kinjo-cho ishidatami michi, Part II

The previous post described the first half of my walk today through Shuri’s Hijigaabira. This next part will focus on the second half where I took the Kinjo-cho ishidatami michi, the more famous of the Shuri stone paths which miraculously survived the Battle of Okinawa. It is quite scenic and reminiscent of the Ryukuan era, with many traditional Okinawan features.

Along the descent, there are some pricey cafe spots in addition to the historical sites. They offer fantastic views should you choose to grab a snack or drink there, though I have never tried any of the food or drinks… I usually just get a vending machine drink from the top of the path before entering.

There are several signs for botanicals, some very large old akagi (acacia) trees estimated to be more than 200 years old, utaki (places of worship), and gaa (water springs/wells). Partway down there will also be a rest house; if you remove your shoes you can enter and sit for awhile. The whole path has preserved characteristics of traditional Ryukuan architecture.

After exiting the stone path, it was time to head back, however we continued to pass some more historic sites along the way. First is the 金城橋 Kanagusuku-bashi (bridge). There are also some shokudo restaurants around this area where you can try local Okinawan food.

Further along we passed 前道(メーミチ) Mehmichi where many gaa (water springs) were abundant in the Ryukyuan era. Apparently there used to be (and still are a few now) tofu shops along here, which made use of the high quality spring water.

Imgur album for Kinjo-cho ishidatami michi, including hijigaabira and the Shuri flower exhibit:

Hijigaabira, Shuri flower exhibit, & Kinjo-cho

Entrance (on Shuri-jo side) of Kinjo-cho stone pavement, next to a paid parking lot: https://goo.gl/maps/CkK3oS4DfwJ2

Entrance (bottom of slope) of Kinjo-cho stone pavement, next to some restaurants:首里金城町２丁目８４−３ https://goo.gl/maps/yMh9fvmw5742

Old Akagi tree along Kinjo-cho stone pavement: https://goo.gl/maps/dSRFp92PUbx

Gaa and rest house: https://goo.gl/maps/fSDRCLpmGM82

Hanta gaa ハンタガー (spring) in Mehmichi: https://goo.gl/maps/vpif7DcELwu

Shikinaen (garden): https://goo.gl/maps/VmKM69jNEis

I did not pass it on this trip, however there is also a shrine near Shikinaen gardens, called Shikinagu 識名宮: https://goo.gl/maps/YXRRaETMz1Q2

Preview of route:

map route in Google maps: https://goo.gl/maps/RcM2AtCDu3k

Local Foods

Hijigaa-bira maai & Kinjo-cho ishidatami michi

ヒジガービラまーい (ヒジ川ビラ) Hijigaabira maai: this comes from the name of the spring water well on the west side of the cobblestone road; it looks like a beard 髭 (hige in Japanese, hiji ヒジ in Okinawa language). A “gaa” is a river 川 (gaa ガー in Okinawan, kawa in Japanese). “Hira” (turns to a “b” sound, bira, when combined) means slope, and maai is meaning a loop road.

金城町石畳道 Kinjo-cho ishidatami michi: Kinjo-cho is the name of the town; “ishi” means rock in Japanese, the path is cobbled so it somewhat resembles Japanese tatami. “Michi” means road in Japanese. This path is quite famous, and survived the Battle of Okinawa quite intact.

Today’s walking adventure consisted of walking 2 famous Ryukyuan era stone paths in the Shuri area, which are also part of the Madama-michi 真珠道 (Ryukyuan era military route).

We parked at Shikinaen (gardens) 識名園, in the large public parking lot in the area where these routes begin. From the park, there were several signs pointing the way. You do pass through a large graveyard, but not to worry, this is an actual road. There is also an awesome bakery Imai Pain いまいパン along the road; it has many delicious goodies (yes, they spell it pain, as in the French word for bread, instead of “pan” like in romaji).

The lesser known historical stone path, Hijigaa bira maai, has several points of interest with plaque markers, some of them with a bit of English. It is steep in portions, and since there are some sections stone path it is best to wear shoes with a decent grip. Pictured below is a “map” of the route on one of the stone plaques.

The actual path starts at the Hijigaa (1) bridge adjacent to Kinjo dam. The bridge itself does not seem so interesting as a whole, but a good amount of craftmanship went into constructing this type of bridge.

From here, we crossed the street to the entrance of the Hijigaa stone slope (2); down the street before entering the stone path, there is yet another nice little desserts shop Dessert Labo Chocolat in case you need some extra energy before starting.

The stones making up the path are preserved history, of a long ago Ryukyu kingdom. Along here you can find the Hijigaa (3), though it is fairly covered with overgrowth. Continuing along, the original stone pavement itself will end, however you will continue to see signs for the path as well as stone tiles set into the regular road making it quite easy to follow. There are some turtleback tombs 亀甲墓 kamekoubaka (4), and then a large tomb area for Gima Shinjo (5), a guy who helped spread sweet potatoes in Okinawa as well as some other contributions.

There are 2 more grave sites for Tasato Chochoku and Kuniyoshi no Hiya (6), off a small pathway. Tasato helped to develop Kumiodori during the 18th century. Kuniyoshi no Hiya was a lord who lived in the 15th Century, and appears in one of Tasato’s plays.

Next will be the ruins site of the Uchaya-udun (7), a Ryukyu tea house where royalty entertained Chinese envoys; not much to see here as it was destroyed in the Battle of Okinawa, and right now it is located within the premises of the Shuri Catholic Church. Continuing back to the path leads to a small park starting with the Uchaya-udun stone lion (shisa) 御茶屋御殿石獅子 (8). It was also destroyed in the Battle of Okinawa, but has been restored.

Next you come to 雨乞御嶽 Amagoi utaki (9): place of worship for rain. Around here you will notice spectacular views; there is an observation deck area and on a clear day (like today) you can see the Keramas. Now you have made it to the Sakiyama Park (10, 11, 12); there is another hijagaa and a few more utaki (places of worship). Today we were fortunate to see the first blooms of sakura in the park. From here it ends at a marked entrance spot near the Awamori distillery Zuisen 瑞泉 (13), the same street where the sagaribana bloom in summer. A short while later you come upon Shureimon守礼門 (14) located at Shuri-jo 首里城.

The second part of our walk was through Shuri-jo and then back down towards Shikinaen via Kinjo-cho ishidatami michi (15); continued here in Part 2.

For some pictures along the route, check out the imgur album; although I didn’t think to get pictures of every stop on the way, I think I got most of them.

Hijigaabira, Shuri flower exhibit, & Kinjo-cho

Some addresses to help with mapping:

Shikinaen 識名園: 〒902-0072沖縄県那覇市字真地421-7 https://goo.gl/maps/VmKM69jNEis

Imai Pain いまいパン: 902-0072 沖縄県那覇市真地12-4 https://goo.gl/maps/tFY22zv4Vqn

Google map coordinates for the Hijigaa bridge: https://goo.gl/maps/CyiK2VDVfC92

Stone shisa by Sakiyama park: https://goo.gl/maps/nFGstTs29BC2

Sakiyama Park 崎山公園: 沖縄県那覇市首里崎山町１丁目 https://goo.gl/maps/FX2g7u9kKc32

Zuisen Awamori distillery 瑞泉酒造: 〒903-0814　沖縄県那覇市首里崎山町1-35 https://goo.gl/maps/1SJ3Mj5T2Bx

Entrance (on Shuri-jo side) of Kinjo-cho stone pavement, next to a paid parking lot: https://goo.gl/maps/CkK3oS4DfwJ2

Entrance (bottom of slope) of Kinjo-cho stone pavement, next to some restaurants:首里金城町２丁目８４−３ https://goo.gl/maps/yMh9fvmw5742

Preview of route:

map route in Google maps: https://goo.gl/maps/RcM2AtCDu3k

Japanese foods

Soy-free Japan

Soy-free Japan… does it exist?? There are so many soy products originating in Japan.

大豆 daizu: soy bean

醤油 shoyu: soy sauce

味噌 miso: soy bean paste

豆腐: tofu

豆乳: soy milk

Recently, I have heard about soy allergies. In Japan, this would seem to be quite difficult to cope with as many staple products use soy. So what are your choices here in Japan? Believe it or not, you have quite a few!

First, here are some important words you should know or look for on packages.

アレルギー arerugii: allergy

大豆不使用: soy non-use (soy-free)

大豆を使わない: soy beans are not used (soy-free)

大豆を含む: contains traces of soy

Unfortunately soy allergy is not on the mandated allergen list for manufacturers (so even though it MUST be listed as an INGREDIENT, it does not have to be listed as an allergy WARNING); however many manufacturers follow the expanded recommended allergen list (which soy is included on).

In Okinawa, I found some products in the SanA which are substitutes for typical soy-based products. You can find these in the allergy and special dietary needs section which next to the organics foods section in the SanA. Below are soy-free versions of shoyu, miso and tsuyu. I will try to update this list as I see more in the stores. I hope this will be helpful to those looking for soy-alternatives.

soy-free shoyu: 旨味しょうゆさしすせそ “umami shoyu sashisu seso” is made by Tsuji company. It is soy-, wheat- and seafood-free.

ingredients: yeast extract, salt, seaweed extract, bamboo extract

soy-free miso: おみそ調味料 “omiso choumiryou” is made by Yamasaki company. Again allergy friendly since it is wheat- and soy-free.

ingredients: rice and salt only (all domestic Japan products, fermented for 3 months).

soy-free tsuyu: Wheat- and soy-free. It does contain sesame (goma) and fish products though. Made by Ninben company.

ingredients: katsuobushi (bonito), fish dashi, sesame, salt, 3 types of millet, sugar, salt, seaweed dashi, fish extract, yeast extract, brewed vinegar
**fish extract in this product contains bonito, horse mackerel, and sardine.

soy-free tsuyu (mix of “shoyu” and dashi)

jimami tofu ジーマミー豆腐: This is special to Okinawa! It is “tofu” made from peanuts. It is not quite the same as tofu, but with some experimentation, you could easily use it for a variety of things. Many brands make this, so be sure to check the ingredients closely for traces of soy or any other allergies. Also, many will come with a sauce packet– do not use this, it typically has shoyu (soy sauce) in it!

typical ingredients: peanuts, arrowroot powder or potato starch, water.

Lastly, I have not seen it in stores, but I have seen available on amazon.co.jp, something called quinoa shoyu (soy sauce) キヌア醤油 which is also soy-free, only made from quinoa and salt. One brand, Maruhide, also makes some other soy-free products such miso, tsuyu, vinegar, ponzu. You can view them on their website, and search for them locally (they are based out of Kyushu) or on Amazon.co.jp: http://www.shizen1.com/

**BONUS: These are just a few examples of soups and curries are in the “allergen” special foods aisle in my local SanA (there are a few others, just look for the key words above)! They are all specifically SOY-FREE, as well as many other allergen-free (such as wheat and dairy), listed clearly on the package. While a bit more aimed more towards children, they are in fact good for anyone.

This may be useful to have on hand:
アレルギーの為大豆製品が一切食べられません「味噌、醤油を含めて」。ご了承下さい。
Due to allergies, I cannot eat any soy products including soy sauce and miso. Thank you for your understanding.

Local Events, Local Foods

Industry Product Fairs: 産業祭り

産業 sangyou: industry

祭り matsuri, フェスタ festa, フェスティバル festival, フェア fair, カーニバル carnival: all words used for a fair, festival or exhibition of some sort.

In Okinawa, each town or city has its own local industry product fair, usually occurring once a year or once every 2 years. This is an opportunity for local producers, farmers, and businesses to showcase their wares. Some of these are large events and some are a bit smaller, depending on the size of the town. Usually there are all sorts of free samples, demonstrations, entertainment and specialty food booths.

The Okinawa city industry fair is a really good fair and one of the largest, held at the Comprehensive Park (2017 date: January 28-29). Lots of vendors selling local foods, flower exhibits, farm produce, and more. Since it is once of the largest fairs, it is nice to enjoy all the different things it has to offer.

The Nishihara town (the town just south to my village) industry fair is much smaller, but it showcases sugarcane (サトウキビ satoukibi) and brown sugar (黒糖 kokutou)! The ojiisans set up early in their tents, press the sugarcane juice and then start boiling. At some point it turns into tasty brown sugar and they give out lots of samples. It is really interesting to be able to taste the subtle differences between each one.

If you live in Okinawa, check your community for these types of fun food events! I enjoy attending these and seeing what each town has to offer; I always end up bringing home all sorts of tasty treats.

Japanese sweets

Kinako, roasted soybean powder: きな粉

きな粉 kinako is one of my favorite flavors. It is roasted soybean powder, so it has a sort of nutty flavor to it. Several treats come in kinako flavors, either as the powder or turned into a paste or cream.

One of my favorites is the taiyaki たい焼き (warm fish-shaped pastry) stall in the basement level of the Ryubo department store in Naha; they sell a kinako cream taiyaki.

There are also these containers of tasty kinako-covered (dried) soy beans (大豆 daizu) sold at SanA grocery store for ~100yen. They are soooo addicting. And not healthy.

While in Hokkaido I got some kinako-flavored chocolate covered beans… insanely delicious as well.

There is also a type of wagashi called warabi mochi, which is like an soft braken starch confection topped with kinako (bottom right of the dish shown in the photo below).

warabi mochi and matcha tea set in Kyoto

You can buy kinako (powder) and even kinako cream in pretty much every grocery store in Okinawa. Kinako treats are also fairly common to see around most stores; Kitkat just released a new spring flavor of sakura+kinako kitkats.

Culture, Japanese foods, Local Foods

Japanese Culture & Beans: 豆

豆 mame means “bean.”

There are many types of beans that you can find here in Okinawa and Japan. Listed below are a few common examples (but by no means an exhaustive list, there are other varieties available).

枝豆 edamame: soybeans. Of course these can also be dried, or used to make things like tofu and soymilk.

小豆 azuki: red beans, often turned into a paste called 餡子 anko and used in Japanese sweets.

黒豆 kuromame: black soy beans

納豆 natto: fermented, slimey and somewhat smelly beans. A typical breakfast item eaten with rice, or sometimes found in a maki sushi roll. Most people either love it or hate it, but it is supposed to be really healthy. By the way, my (American) husband loves it… he can be strange. There is even a variety for “kodomo natto” こども納豆 (children’s natto) that is more mild if you want to give it a chance, this might me your best bet.

うずら豆 uzura mame: mottled beans similar to pinto, named because they resemble quail eggs with the mottled color.

Beans seem to be incredibly prevalent in Japanese and Okinawan culture, whether eating beans for good luck or good health, or using them for warding of evil or scaring away demons, beans seem to have some mystical property. Setsubun 節分, bean-scattering festival, is one such example in February.

In Okinawa, there is also the tradition of eating a special mochi covered in beans called fuchagi ふちゃぎ during Autumn as way to ward off evil.

It is typical to eat sekihan 赤飯 (literally “red rice”) during Shinto rituals throughout the year; it is mochigome (mochi rice) mixed with red azuki beans (recipe for a version of kowameshi similar to sekihan here). The color red is a symbol of happiness and celebration.

On New Years, some of the lucky foods in osechi-ryouri おせち料理 are cooked sweetened beans, such as kuromame; in Japanese “mame” also sounds like the word for “hard work and good health,” so eating this during New Years is a symbol of good health for the upcoming year.

My husband pointed out to me that sweetened beans found in many Japanese desserts and sweets are unusual for many Americans. I found this odd since I really like them and never considered this to be a strange idea; red bean desserts can be found easily in Hawaii. He said that it has something to do with the texture, but I am uncertain. Living in Okinawa has increased my love for beans even more, I think.