In Shuri, near the castle, I teach 英会話 eikawa; “English Conversation.” My class is predominantly “older” Okinawan/Japanese women (although the 1 man is actually a rather well known figure within Okinawa, and has recently won a special award from the Emperor). After class, sometimes I will take lunch with them, and we usually go to this cute restaurant located within a women’s mental health clinic. 喫茶 kissa means like coffee/tea cafe, so I usually just call this place Cafe Ufu.
Cafe Ufu is on the small side, only a few tables, and a tatami room for larger parties. The menu is pretty simple; usually people just order the set of the day, which comes with a variety of carefully prepared, healthful Japanese dishes. Everything there always tastes so good, and I usually feel pretty genki afterwards. Plus is is so reasonably priced ~800yen!
Even though it is next to a women’s mental health clinic, it is not just for women, so men should visit, too. Although the meals might be more geared towards ladies in mind!
There are a fair number of temples (tera 寺) and shrines (jinja 神社) in Okinawa, however, most of them are maybe not as historic or grand as you might see on the mainland.
成田山福泉寺 Naritasan Fukusenji is the temple in my town. It sits upon the hill facing the ocean. I visit there during important yearly events, such as New Years and Setsubun.
Omamori お守り are amulets or protective charms you can purchase from the temple. They come in many forms, colors, types; some are for safe driving, some for success in school, some are for health, some for love… There are some traditions around these, which some people do not necessarily observe. After a year (usually, but I will not lie, I often keep mine longer than that), you should take back to a temple to have them perform a ritual and burn it, and then obviously purchase a new one. I usually only keep my New Years omamori for a year and then return them during the next New Year; others, especially ones from places I have visited, such as Kyoto, I tend to keep until they look a bit worn.
Wood prayer boards, called ema 絵馬, are often sold as well (more common at shrines, but temples nowadays often sell these as well). You write messages of prayer, such as wishes for happiness, health, success in school, love/marriage, safety, etc, and hang them up by the shrine (so the gods, or “kami” 神, can receive them). The ema have pictures representing the temple, or perhaps the zodiac year, on the back; usually there are a few designs you can choose from. There are no real rules as to what or how to write on an ema, so just have fun.
How to pray at a Shinto Shrine (temples are less rigid, although some of the procedure can be the same):
purify oneself at the water pavilion: using your right hand, take a ladle, and scoop water. Pour a little over you left hand, then switch an pour over your right hand, then in your left hand take some water from the ladle and rinse your mouth, and finally empty the remaining water (on the ground, not back into the water basin). You should only scoop water once. When you finish, use your hand towel to dry you hands. You will notice many people in Japan carry around small personal towels in their bags, and if you visit, I highly recommend also having one for instances such as these.
toss a coin gently into the offering box (preferably with hole in it, 5円 or 50 円)
ring the bell (if there is one)
bow twice
clap twice
pray (silently)
bow once
And done! Pretty easy. All being said, sometimes procedure can switch up depending on where you are, so just follow what locals do when you feel uncertain.
Lastly, let’s cover drawing fortunes, known as omikuji おみくじ. There will be a box or a coin slot machine labeled おみくじ. Some places will have English fortunes, some only Japanese. It is usually 100円, although it can be more if it comes with a small charm of some sort (if it is a small frog charm, put it in your wallet, it is said to “attract” money). Fortunes will have a category, ranging in different types of luck, from very good to very bad:
Great blessing (dai-kichi, 大吉)
Middle blessing (chuu-kichi, 中吉)
Small blessing (shou-kichi, 小吉)
Blessing (kichi, 吉)
Half-blessing (han-kichi, 半吉)
Ending blessing (sue-kichi, 末吉)
Ending small blessing (sue-shou-kichi, 末小吉)
Curse (kyou, 凶)
Small curse (shou-kyou, 小凶)
Half-curse (han-kyou, 半凶)
Ending curse (sue-kyou, 末凶)
Great curse (dai-kyou, 大凶)
On the rest of the paper, it describes your luck or fortune in various aspects of your life. Most of the Japanese used is fairly complicated, so it is good if you can have someone fluent explain it to you. Once you read your fortune, if it is bad, you tie it to a tree branch at the shrine or temple, to stave off the curse; if it is good, you keep it close to you (in your wallet or purse perhaps). That being said, I have also heard if it is good you tie it to a tree branch in order for it to come true! So, I think sometimes, there are no “right” or “wrong” ways. Just have fun.
Setsubun, sakura at Narita-san temple, Nakagusuku village
water basin for cleansing/purifying
torii 鳥居 (gate)
Nagano area
Naminoue Shrine, Naha, Okinawa
New Years, Narita-san temple, Nakagusuku
Guardian lions, Nagano area
tanuki (raccoon statue) at shrine, Nagano area
Ema at daruma temple, in Shuri, Okinawa
While there are many small shrines scattered around, here are the addresses for the “larger” temples and shrines worth visiting in Okinawa:
When you live in the subtropics and tropics, cute geckos hanging around are pretty common. In Okinawa, we see them a lot. In Japanese, gecko are called “yamori” ヤモリ. This comes from 2 words: ya 家, meaning “house,” and mori 守, meaning amulet or protection (same as the meaning お守り omamori, “lucky amulet,” you get at temples). So yamori actually means “house protector” or “house lucky charm”! Gecko are considered lucky in Japan, and they are thought to protect the home, so always be nice to these cute little guys when you see them.
Confession: I really love Asian cafes. They are often so cute, relaxing, and clean. Depending on the type of cafe, sometimes the prices can be a little high, but the ambience is so good.
One of my favorites is a small, hidden book cafe. The name is “Bookish” and it is located in Nishihara, near to the university. It is off a back road, off another back road, and up a hill. Parking is on the first level, and take the stairs up to the second level. Through the set of doors you enter into something that looks like a cross between a library and a quiet restaurant. I often choose the seats at the window bar, overlooking the valley to the Nakagusuku Bay. The menu is pretty simple, some sandwiches, a pasta, pizza toast, fancy coffees and teas, and of course, desserts. The menu is in Japanese (but katakana mostly because they are westernized foods) and no pictures, so I suppose many English speakers might shy away; but with a little patience, it is not too difficult to order, just practice reading katakana. I enjoy getting a vegetable bagel sandwich (it has delicious ume 梅 pickles on it) with a soy chai latte and just clearing my mind of the days busyness.
Summer is soon arriving! In Okinawa, this will mean the onset of Beach BBQ parties. But it is a bit different than the US and Hawai’i.
All summer long, many of the beaches have pavilions or tents set up for rental. Work groups, social clubs, sports teams, family gatherings, class reunions and any other type of group you can think of will be renting one of these. You can also rent a grill (with propane container and cooking utensils) and buy pre-made BBQ set of meats/fish/veggies to grill, as well as kegs of beer.
Now, when you go to one of these, it is unlikely to be hamburgers and hotdogs, or steaks or sausages; there is no mustard, ketchup, relish or hamburger rolls. Probably no sides of macaroni salad or desserts jello ambrosia salad. But there is almost always beer, either in kegs or coolers, so there is that. Sometimes whiskey and awamori are brought out, but I usually avoid those.
My experience is that 2 or 3 people will man the grill and start cooking yakitori or other skewers, strips of beef or pork, octopus… whatever. Maybe some eel if you are lucky. Once all the meat and fish is cooked, usually someone will get out the flat sheet for the grill and it is time for yakisoba. Yup. Fried noodles are a classic BBQ item. Coming from Hawai’i this is not terribly unusual, so the first time I experienced this, I just rolled with it. But on further reflection, it was not so common at most of the beach BBQs I had been to before.
If you are really lucky, someone might bring a watermelon for suikawari (read more in a previous post).
Anyway, that is a small bit on Okinawa beach BBQs. I will probably update this a bit more with some pictures during the summer when the season is in full swing.
茶房一葉 Sabou Ichiyou, translated means “teahouse one leaf.” It is the name of an adorable tea room and shop in Nanjo, Okinawa. It is kind of my secret spot since- I may have been her only gaijin customer. I found it after searching online where to find mooncakes in Okinawa, which turns out to be a bit scarcer than one would imagine (the irony is that the popularity of mooncakes has now risen, and are a bit easier to find over the last year). I was desperate, and I really wanted mooncakes 月餅 for moon-viewing ceremony. I finally found this place after sifting through results in Japanese, and decided to seek it out.
I plugged the address into my phone and drove off through a rural area of Nanjo. I pulled up to this small place, and it seemed a bit quiet and off by itself. Tentatively, I opened the door and sure enough I was greeted by a gentle looking woman. She seemed very surprised to see a pale foreigner entering, but nonetheless was extraordinarily kind. I explained in poor Japanese that I was seeking out mooncakes for Tsukimi (moon-viewing). She was excited and decided to serve me some green tea and a jelly dessert called youkan 羊羹. It was indeed wonderful. Then she gave me some acerola jam to take home and asked to take a photo with me. She was so sweet and kind.
Later, after actually reading the website more in depth, I realized she very skilled and professional at tea and tea ceremony. Maybe I can convince her to teach me some of her knowledge one day… but I will probably need to be better at Japanese. Hopefully this will motivate me to continue to learn.
So “wine lottery” is not really an official term, but the translation is rather appropriate. Fukubukuro 福袋 means “lucky bag” in Japanese; often this is seen during the New Year Sales at stores. So, wine lucky bag, or wine lottery as I refer to it is when a store sets out a number of sealed paper bags, each with a wine inside, and sells each bag for a set price (for instance 2000円). Now the thing is, they put up a sign with the various wine that could be inside and the number of chances, but it is random luck which you choose! Usually these wines range from the minimum price of the bag and up… sometimes as much as a 20000円 wine could be inside. Basically, it is a lottery… you never lose per se, but sometimes you can win big. I will admit, sometimes I will weigh various bags, or try to feel the bottle shape to help determine what it may be. This has probably never helped, but one time we ended up with a 6000円 bottle of wine, so I was pleased. Obviously, most people will get one of the bottom tier wines, but… some people get lucky. Sometimes stores will even have Awamori lottery (awamori is the local Okinawan liquor).
Anyway, as silly as it seems, I really enjoy this type of thing. It is kinda thrilling not knowing which one you will get up and opening it up when you get home. I admit, I will buy one of these wine lottery bags whenever they are for sale…
This is actually Awamori (Okinawan liquor) lottery
節分 Setsubun is a “bean scattering” or “bean throwing” holiday that occurs on February 3rd. Setsubun literally means the division of seasons, the change from winter into spring. There are many rituals involved in Setsubun.
One is bean-scattering, called mame-maki 豆撒き, to prevent evil demons from entering your house; it is believed that the ogres are warded off by beans, the beans will purify/cleanse your home, and that good fortune will then come to your home. According to tradition, if you eat the same number of beans as your age (plus one for luck), you will enjoy a year of good health.
Every year, I buy roasted soy beans (daizu 大豆) from the grocery, though some people also use peanuts. This time of year they are labeled 福豆 fukumame, “lucky beans.” Sometimes they come with cute masks of oni 鬼 (demon) or おかめ okame (homely/plain lady).
While scattering beans inside and outside the house, at the designated oni (usually the father, eldest male, or male born in the current year’s zodiac will wear the oni mask), you are supposed to chant (in Japanese):
鬼は外! oni wa soto! demons (evil) outside!
福は内! fuku wa uchi! luck (fortune) inside!
In Okinawan language, the pronunciation is a bit different…
ウネーフカ! unee-fuka 「鬼は外」
フコーウチ! fukoo-uchi 「福は内」
My oldest dog was designated oni this year because he was born in this year’s zodiac. I don’t know how he felt about me throwing beans at him…
Many elementary schools will hold this ritual, the oni terrorizing the small children; I have seen some of the videos on the local news.
Every year, the temple in my village holds a Setsubun festival (it usually held on Feb 11th, the public holiday, since Feb 3rd is only an observed holiday). It is really pretty entertaining… people bring all sorts of bags, boxes and containers to catch the lucky beans tossed by the lucky men and women born with the same zodiac as the current year. It honestly reminded me of the scene from Spirited Away when No-face was throwing gold at the bath house workers.
Another custom, which comes from western Japan (but has now spread), is eating an eho-maki 恵方巻 (translation is “lucky-direction roll”); it is a fat sushi rolled wrapped in nori, while facing the year’s lucky direction (determined by the zodiac, it is supposed to be the direction that the kami/god lives in). You are supposed to stand, facing the lucky direction with your eyes closed, and eat the roll all at once without pausing! Considering the size of some these… it is quite difficult. But since it is not really traditional in Okinawa, lots of different types of “eho-maki” will make an appearance, including sweet ones, like roll cakes or crepes!
Some families also put up small decorations made up of sardine heads and holly leaves, called hiragi iwashi 柊鰯, at the entrance of the house to ward off bad spirits.
my dog
fukumame sets
bean-throwing
Setsubun, sakura at Narita-san temple, Nakagusuku village
回転寿司 Kaiten sushi is conveyer belt (rotator) sushi. By no means is this usually high quality, it is sushi for the masses! Entertaining, low-stress, easy for when you do not remember all the Japanese names for things.
In Okinawa, some of these places will be hundred yen sushi plates. 100円 sushi is definitely good for the wallet, but usually not great quality or variety. Hamazushi, Sushiro, and Kura Sushi are examples of 100円 sushi chains in Okinawa. I like Kura Sushi because they have little game you play for every 5 plates is a chance to win a gachapon (capsule toy). Sushiro has a good seasonal menu, and the quality is a little better than the other 100円 chains. And all of these places tend to have kid-friendly and picky-eater friendly types of foods as well.
Some places are better quality sushi-go-round, and tend to have some better variety. Enraku and Yazaemon are probably the better ones I have been to. Again, it is kaiten sushi so it is not going to be super high quality like you would get from a real sushi chef or anything. But that’s okay– sometimes you just want some cheap, filling sushi, not some fancy “Jiro-dreams-of-sushi” experience. Any time you are in Japan, be sure to visit a kaiten sushi joint to watch as the many plates rotate around and are devoured by the patrons.
Most places have a delivery system where you have a touchscreen at your table; if you do not see what you want on the conveyor belt, simply use the touchscreen to place an order. Some places have little trains or boats on the track that will “deliver” it to your eating station. At your eating station, besides a touchscreen, there is usually green tea, small plates, hashi, shoyu, pickled ginger, wasabi, wet naps, etc. Don’t be intimidated and just watch what other patrons do if it is your first time… it is easy once you get the hang of it. When you are finished, there will be a call button on your touchscreen or at your station, the server will come over and tally up your plates for the bill. Almost all of these touch screens have multi-language options as well.
gachapon sushi charm
sushi-go-round
station
touchscreen ordering in 4 languages
here it comes
Sushi-go-round chains in Okinawa: (just copy&paste into GoogleMaps to find the closest to you!)
In my village, on the 4th Sunday of the month there is a small community farmer and fish market. This mostly consists of the older folks with small farms or ones who like to make prepared foods. Sometimes there are special events (like free mozuku or free fish soup). I really like attending this and being able to support my neighbors. The first few times, we were often stared at, but now I think most of them expect to see the foreigner couple show up now.
Everything is really cheap, so we always go and buy some produce. It is an easy bike ride away, so we get our exercise at the same time.
Fu ふ (麩) is wheat gluten, often added to soups. It contains a lot of starch and is usually eaten in exchange for meat, especially in vegetarian temple food. It is also low of calories, low in fat and easy to digest. In Okinawa, it is mostly sold in dried, long tubes and is called 車麩 kurumu fu, although other forms are usually available in most grocery stores. Another bonus: it is CHEAP. So… of course it is popular(ish)!
Many people add it to miso soup to make it more filling.
Fu chanpuru フーチャンプルー is a popular dish in Okinawa. It is just like goya chanpuru, but with fu substituted for goya (or sometimes both are used!). Chanpuru is basically just a stir-fry.
So, when in Okinawa, try some fu. If you order fu chanpuru, don’t be surprised if the server taking you order looks at you funny… I do not think it is very popular with foreigners. We have been asked if we were ordering the correct thing before. Luckily I am able to reassure them that we know what it is and like it.
Bakeries in Okinawa are abundant, as well as in all of Japan. They are often labelled as pan-ya パン屋 (literally, bread shop) or ベーカリー bakery. Although bread and pastry is more of a western thing, the Japanese have embraced it and made it their own.
I am lucky to have so many nearby, sometimes it is difficult to choose. Some people shop at the large chain bakeries in the malls or grocery stores, but I prefer the small neighborhood bakeries, even though their prices may be slightly higher (but really not by much, usually only a few yen). Here are some of the ones I like (with google map links):
Bakery Lulujust opened up near me (less than a week!), but already I am impressed. Both times I have gone was in the morning, right at opening time. Very delicious. Pastries, baguettes, savory breads…
address: 〒901-2424沖縄県中頭郡南上原208-16https://goo.gl/maps/YRAgxEgJAdT2
One of my all-time favorites isEM bakery Sun Monte, which I mention in another post.
Kinjo bakery in Shuri has both takeout and an all-you-can-eat option! Read about it here.
Hoppepan is located along Rt 34 in Ginowan is also a good choice (but a bit far from me).
address: 〒901-2225沖縄県宜野湾市大謝名３丁目３−７ https://goo.gl/maps/G7FoYJCj9QA2
Amashokubeika 天食米果 is a recent find in Urasoe. It is fabulous, and specializes in more loaf-type breads, different from what you find in most typical Japanese bakeries. It also lists allergens, and makes some speciality breads.
address: 〒901-2132 沖縄県浦添市伊祖１丁目９−１２ https://goo.gl/maps/j6sp96aBCt32
Munakatado 宗像堂 is also marvelous, and makes natural yeast breads, as well as offers vegetarian lunch sandwich and soup. You can read more in the linked post.
address: 〒901-2226沖縄県宜野湾市嘉数1−20−2 https://goo.gl/maps/QGtXfMej4bL2
Suien 水円, located in Yomitan is very far away from me, but very impressive. Delicious breads, and the offer lunch sets, vegetarian and vegan.
address: 沖縄県中頭郡読谷村座喜味３６７ https://goo.gl/maps/9eC9DK56wbB2
Bakery & Cafe Coo is located in Nakijin, a perfect place to stop by when you visit the Nakijin castle ruins (tip: this place is beautiful with sakura, “cherry blossoms,” during early February).
address: 〒905-0428沖縄県国頭郡今帰仁村今泊3313 https://goo.gl/maps/Jf4KYFdh1Lu
Maruyoshi 丸吉 is another amazing find in Urasoe, with a great array of savory and sweet. I am incredibly impressed with this bakery.
address: 〒901-2553 沖縄県浦添市経塚 676 https://goo.gl/maps/hhgRUrccJ712
There are so many more I could add to the list… maybe I will continue to update.
Tempura is fairly easy to make at home, but can be quite messy; I prefer to get it out at shops. So, where can you find the best tempura in Okinawa?
Every local knows the answer is Oujima 奥武島! Oujima (also seen as Ojima) is located in the more southern part of the island, and is a part of Nanjo. It is connected by a bridge. My husband affectionately refers to this island as “tempura island” because there are several tempura shacks selling fried goodness to the many locals and Japanese tourists. **I recently heard a local also refer to this place as tempura island…!
Probably the most famous one (and with good reason) is Nakamoto tempura store 中本てんぷら店. It is located just to the right after you cross the bridge onto Oujima. Golden deliciousness. Try everything, but especially try the 揚げパン age-pan, meaning “fry bread”; you can get white sugar, brown sugar or kinako (roasted soybean powder). Heaven. The second thing I MUST recommend is the もずく mozuku tempura (mozuku is a special type of Okinawa seaweed), since this is a famous specialty product in this area. If they have アーサー asa (another type of Okinawa seaweed) tempura, you should definitely try that, too. Oh, and the best part? It is so cheap!
If you continue a bit further around this teeny-tiny island, you will come to another shack called Ooshiro tempura store 大城てんぷら店. They are also good, but I think Nakamoto gets my vote for number 1. Why not try both? Then you can decide for yourself which is best, since I am by no means the expert.
Once you fill up on tempura, just take a walk around the island (it is very small, just park at the public park) and take in some of the sights. It is not much, but there is some beach and a small temple. In the summer, there is a ハーリー haarii festival and races (haarii, also written in English as haari or hari, are Okinawan dragon boat races).
Okinawa has some unique mochi sweets. These are made differently than Japan mainland mochi; the feeling of eating Okinawa mochi is unique, and I think even mainland Japanese are surprised at the different mochi here.
I wrote previous post on muuchii ムーチー, a type of mochi wrapped in shell ginger leaves.
Another post explains fuchagi ふちゃぎ, a bean-covered mochi eaten during Tsukimi 月見 or “moon-viewing.”
Now I will introduce nantu (nantou) ナントゥー. This is a type of mochi made with miso! It also has brown sugar and peanut paste in it. Yum. It is often made with jimami (じーまーみ or じーまみ, meaning “island peanut”) and covered in sesame seeds. There is a variation using purple sweet potato or taro (called taanmu in uchinaaguchi), as well. It looks simple, but somehow nostalgic I think. These are sold all over the island at mochi shops, grocery stores, and farmers markets… be sure to look for them here in Okinawa!
Kume-jima probably ranks as our #1 trip among the outer islands of Okinawa (so far). Honestly, it was a combination of things, but it was a pretty great trip away from the hustle and bustle of life.
There are 2 ways of getting to Kume-jima: 4 hour ferry ride or 35 minute plane ride. Not going to lie… take the plane, it is so much better. It was about 150$ roundtrip, so yes, it is more expensive, but it is a very short ride. The ferry is cheaper by half, but over 4x the travel time. So… for me, no questions.
After a short plane ride, we arrived and rented a car. There is a tourist map, which points out the major sites; these can be done in a day, but take it slow and enjoy. It is a beautiful island. Some of the sights may not be terribly interesting, but just enjoy the raw beauty of this island. There are some magnificent views and crystal clear water. Check out the tatami rocks that make an interesting pattern on the beach, and look for some sea turtles. Maybe check out the local awamori distillery.
We coincided our trip with the season of ホタル or 蛍, pronounced hotaru meaning “firefly” (month of May). Okay, yes, I planned my entire trip around fireflies! But Kume-jima is home to rare and special fireflies, so it very much worth it! As matter of fact, the mascot for Kume-jima is a firefly! Be sure to visit the firefly museum during the day, and then the park areas (close to water) in the evening when the magical little fireflies come out. It is really special to experience this sort of beauty, once the sun sets and they start flitting about with bursts of light. Also, the guy at the museum is an alumni of Ryukyu Daigaku and speaks some English, so please visit him! He will tell you many interesting facts and explain why fireflies here in Kume-jima are special.
We stayed at Eef Beach Hotel, and while not grand by any means, it was comfortable and close to restaurants, as well as a nice beach to stroll around. There is a supposedly nicer hotel on the airport side of the island, but we chose quaintness over luxury.
For food, well, you better like either shrimp or local Okinawa grub because there is not much else. Kume-jima is known for 海老 (えび or エビ “ebi”), meaning shrimp. It is fresh! My husband ate shrimp for both lunches and dinner we were on the island. You can get it a number of ways; grilled, battered and fried in tempura, cooked in butter… it is a popular food here, so it is highly recommended you try it. Some of the restaurants have English menus and some do not, so take a chance and just stop in, order whatever is recommended that day. Preferably shrimp. I will post some addresses of the best meals we had later.
Taro: this goes by many names here depending on the exact dialect in Okinawan language.
田芋 taimo is Japanese (田 ta means “field”, 芋 or いも imo means “potato”).
ターンム taanmu, or ターム taamu, are the most common Okinawan variations you will see/hear on the main island (however, there are others).
Coming from Hawai’i, I know a few things to do with taro (re: poi!). That being said, I like to try local recipes, too. One popular way to eat taro here is to boil and mash it with some sugar (this is called “dengaku” デンガク, 田楽). Many Okinawans say it reminds them of grandma’s cooking to eat it this way. Just as an FYI, many farmer’s markets will sell taro already cooked.
Interestingly enough, you may also see some labeled チンヌク chinnuku here in Okinawa, another type of taro. From my understanding, there are 2 types of taro in Okinawa, taanmu is cultivated in a shallow water field, and chinnuku is in a regular field. Taanmu is supposed to be better for sweet things, and chinnuku used for things like ジューシー juushii (cooked rice meals). But honestly, you can probably use them fairly interchangeably…
If you like taro, try some of the delicious Okinawa treats made with it:
EM stands for effective microorganisms; some are lactic acid bacteria, which are probiotics to promote digestive health, and some are added to the soil or water to promote environmental health. EM products are rather popular in Okinawa.
For starters, EM milk is my husband’s favorite. The microorganisms are added to the water and feed to promote healthier cows and healthier milk production. Somehow the milk does taste fresher, whether or not the microorganisms are scientifically effective. Anyway, you can find this milk in all the stores here in Okinawa.
From EM milk, comes EM ice cream. There are a few stands around the island selling this ice cream, and one happens to be not too far from my house. It is located outside the Nakagusuku furniture mall Yonashiro. It kinda looks like it might be an abandoned shack with a pink awning, but it is in fact open. Try it.
EM Ice Cream shack in Nakagusuku
Another product that I love is EM mayo made by みやぎ農園 Miyagi farm. It is sold in many farmers markets and SanA grocery stores here in Okinawa. It may be more expensive, but it is definitely worth it.
And lastly, I will come to one of my favorite places, Sun Monte EM Bakery. This is a small bakery near the university, with an amazing variety of goods. I always see kids visiting after school, and housewives picking up bread here, it is an extremely popular neighborhood bakery. This place uses EM products in their baking, and the taste is amazing. I have not really visited much in Europe, so I will not pretend to know exactly what rustic European bakeries taste like, but I have to imagine this must be pretty close. I am constantly impressed with the goodies I get from this place.
You can find some EM Markets around the island selling these products.
If you want to grow your own veggies and fruits, you can even pick up EM fertilizers from some markets and JA ag supply stores.
address for Sun Monte Bakery: 〒901-2213 沖縄県宜野湾市志真志4-32-14
Onsen are fairly common throughout Japan, but unfortunately there are no really “true” Japanese onsen experiences in Okinawa like you would get in the mainland of Japan. There are some places that qualify as onsen in Okinawa, but to get the real feel of onsen, one must travel to the mainland since onsen are not as large a part of Ryukyuan culture. In Okinawa, while most of the places that qualify as onsen are fairly nice, they are more like sento, “public baths”; none of them have that true Japanese feeling of onsen. That being said, I will introduce some nice places to try if you visit Okinawa and do not have a chance to visit the mainland. Later maybe I will make part II and introduce my favorite spots on the mainland to visit onsen.
温泉 onsen: hot springs
銭湯 sento: public bath
スパ supa: spa
*Special Note: although many onsen and sento are lightening up rules regarding tattoos, some still have strict no tattoo policies, so it is best to check in advance if this will be an issue. In Okinawa, currently NONE of the onsen or sento I have visited allow tattoo in the public bath, however some will allow you to book the private baths (usually used for couples or families), such as Senaga-jima, AJ Resort, and Yuinchi onsens (address listed at the bottom of the page).
Very recently, I noticed that the EM Wellness Resort has a sign saying if you can cover your tattoo with the tape/seal that they sell (you can also buy these at DonQ, or from Amazon), then you can use the onsen. I am not sure if other onsen on island have the same policy if you don’t have large tattoos if you cover them up before you go they probably won’t complain, but it may be worth asking if this is a possible option for you.
All this being said, I have on occasion seen very small “fashion” tattoo in the onsen… while many people may not say anything if they see you with a small tattoo, I cannot however encourage you to try to enter the onsen with a tattoo even if you try to cover it with a bandage. It is very possible there will be that one person who does complain and management will ask you to leave. Or people may notice, give you stink-eye and say nothing, instead giving “foreigners” 外国人 a bad reputation for lack of manners and ignoring the rules (and seriously, most Japanese are not rule-breakers, it simply is not how things are done here). If you have a lot of tattoo and want to try onsen either try booking the private bath at the aforementioned places or better yet, head up to some of the rural areas in the mainland which may allow tattoo. For instance, I know for certain that the Dogo onsen in Matsuyama (Ehime Prefecture), Arima onsen in Kobe, and some places in Hokkaido and Nagano that do allow tattoo. Plus, these places will quite honestly be a more authentic experience than what you will find in Okinawa. Just something to keep in mind.
My favorite place to visit is in Ginowan behind the DonQ, at the Enagic Natural Onsen Aroma エナジック天然温泉アロマ. This is the closest to a mainland Japanese onsen experience that you can get in Okinawa. It has several baths (including 1 outside that overlooks a Japanese-esque garden, hinoki bath, waterfall bath, and some jetted baths), a dry sauna, a salt sauna, relaxation rooms, and a restaurant. It also has many services such as scrubs, facials, and massages; I highly recommend trying the scrub and massage, you will come out feeling like a new person. The best part for me is that there is a significant student discount; if you are not a student, they have point cards and various specials. For instance couples’ day is a discount day if you bring a friend/husband/significant other. It is open from 6 am -midnight. Adult entrance fee (no discounts) is 1500円, high school/university 1000円, while elementary & middle school children are half price, and younger are free.
There are some more upscale type places, such as Senaga-jima Spa (near the Naha airport, indoor/outdoor onsen overlooking the ocean), Yuinchi Hotel Spa (a.k.a. Bathing Ape or Apeman Spa, in Nanjo with only indoor Ryukyu clay onsen), and EM Wellness Costa Vista Resort (Kitanakagusuku, indoor onsen); I list the exact addresses and additional descriptions for these at the bottom of the post should you decide to check them out. These places are a bit more expensive and the baths are overall nice, but I prefer the atmosphere of Onsen Aroma better. The main reason to visit these places is that they offer some upscale treatments which are fabulous (and the prices reflects that!), just not something I can afford so often. These places also offer tasty lunch buffets in their restaurants. Many of the other resorts/hotels on island also offer an onsen (or some just a sento), but the ones listed are the bigger (and nicer) ones that I am familiar with and have reasonably priced entrance fees.
Loisir Hotelin Naha also offers public onsen access, I recently visited, but don’t particularly recommend due to the very expensive entry fee (they have 2 options available, 1 high end, 1 low end). Most entrance fees are between 1000-1500yen here in Okinawa; the Loisir is 3000-4000yen… yikes. Same with Okinawa Spa Resort EXES; a visitor pass (non-overnight guest) for the spa bathes is 3500yen… and it is technically not an onsen, just public bath (sento). Hotel Orion Motobu Resort & Spa has their Jurassic Onsen Churaumi-no-yu ジュラ紀温泉美ら海の湯; a visitor pass is 2150yen, so while still costly it is not outrageous. The Okuma Private Resort in Kunigami has a free onsen for guests, and only about 900yen for outside visitors. Mahaina Wellness Resort Okinawa in Motobu has a free onsen for guests, 1000yen for outside visitors. Rizzan Sea Park Hotel in Onna has a really nice looking indoor/outdoor “spa bath” (don’t think they can call this one an onsen technically), 1500yen for outside guests (hotel guests have reduced fees).
Rikkarikka-yu りっかりっか湯 in the Naha Central Hotel is really a super-sento but has some more affordable entrance fees of varying combinations; you can try the sauna, the bedrock spa (ganbanyoku), and the baths for a fairly reasonable set fee of 2100yen– a pretty good deal.
A NEW onsen has opened at Aj Resort on Ikei-jima in Uruma! It is not huge, but it is nice, with an indoor and outdoor bath, as well as a family bath! There are also really nice looking private family/couple baths that can be booked for 90 minutes for only 3000yen (they request booking in advance for the private baths since they only have 2 available private baths!). Green tea is added to the Okinawa deep-sea water, and the outdoor bath has jets. **Note: I recently heard from someone that they were allowed to enter with tattoo. Please confirm this with the hotel if you decide to visit, as when I went there was a sign (in Japanese) saying no tattoo allowed… it is possible they decided to lighten up on the policy.
As new resorts are being built, many have “onsen” in their facilities, sometimes only for overnight guests. Okinawa has seen a lot of construction recently due to the influx of visitors.
There is also a place in American Village (Chatan) called Terme Villa Chura-yu ちゅらーゆ (also romanized as “Chula-U”), but I do not particularly recommend it. It allows tattoos if you can fully cover them, but only in the outside mixed swimming section. Indoor onsen area, no tattoos per their posted regulations (though I am sure some people ignore this, again making foreigners look poorly). The onsen area was not very good, nor very clean when I visited. Honestly, I would skip it unless it is truly your only option.
In Onna, the Renaissance hotel has an onsen onsite, but only for hotel guests staying on the premium floor. Sadly I have not been able to try it… maybe I will try staying there one day if I can find a good hotel deal. But again same as all of the others listed, the website explicitly states no tattoo, even though this is an exclusive place where you are paying a lot of $$$! Kind of surprising really.
If you make it out to Miyako-jima, there are also 2 onsen locations; Miyako-jima onsen and Shigira Ougon onsen. I believe they state no tattoo, but I don’t know if they are “flexible” on that. Sometimes the more “rural” places are.
These next 2 are not really onsen– Kanna Thalasso in Ginoza and Bade Haus on Kume-jima use deep-sea water, not hot spring water. The Kanna Thalasso website indicates no tattoo allowed (though I think you may wear swimsuits, they can be covered, or so I have heard); Bade Haus may use the pool only if tattoo are covered completely.
In addition to these few onsen facilities, there are several sento (public bath) around the island, often as part of a gym. I have visited a few here in Okinawa, but they usually are much more simple compared to onsen. Sometimes they have jetted pools or whatnot.
NOTE: they can not call them onsen if they do not use natural hot spring water, as per the “regulations.” And again, most if not all places in Okinawa state “no tattoo allowed.” So I re-iterate… it is important to check the rules for each place if you have any tattoo.
Another interesting option for those interested in Japanese bathing culture is the ganban-yoku 岩盤浴, bedrock bath (sort of like a sauna); click on the link to read more about it, as it is tattoo-friendly since you wear sauna clothes for this experience. Some of these are women-only, but some have options for both genders.
So now that you may have decided to visit an onsen, there is a basic procedure for entering the onsen or a sento. These procedures will be what I most commonly observe in mainland Japan and Okinawa, though it can vary widely by place– some places are much more modern or fancier, while others are much more simple and older.
When you first walk into the building, there will be shoe lockers; remove your shoes and take the key to the front desk. At the desk, you will turn in your shoe key and they will give you a locker key for the bath (segregated baths, men and women) with towels (usually 1 large, 1 small) and often a set of clothes that look a little like pjs called samue 作務衣 (some places may even give you a yukata 浴衣 instead). Now this really depends on the place… some will give you nothing (usually the really cheap places) and charge for towels, either “rent” or buy! You pay the entrance fee up front; sometimes the locker key you receive will have a code that they scan if you want to receive scrub or massage services, or even to purchase drinks, which you then pay for at the end when you check out.
Go to the locker room, to the locker number on your key. Get naked. Yup. No swimsuits. Don’t feel self-conscious cuz it is just old ladies (or men depending on your gender) and they do not really judge. I mean, if you are a foreigner, yeah, they are gonna look simply because you are different, but really, no one cares. Anyway, strip down, neatly fold or hang your clothes in your locker, get your towel (and any toiletries you might have brought, for instance I have a scrubby bath towel from the Daiso/100 yen store) and head to the baths. Just put your key band around your wrist or ankle; if you are a lady you can even use it to tie up you hair in a ponytail or bun. And seriously, just use the smaller towel, leave the big towel in your locker, or at least off to the side, otherwise it will get wet and not dry you off when you actually need it. And do not try to wrap the tiny towel all the way around you, you will look silly; just embrace the naked, draping the small towel length-wise in front of your body if you want to cover any bits.
When you enter the bathing room, grab a stool by one of the shower stations and rinse yourself off; there is usually shampoo, body soap, and conditioner all provided at the stations (depending on how fancy the facility is, for some cheaper onsen/sento you need to bring your own shampoo/conditioner or purchase from the front desk). When you feel appropriately clean and rinsed off, time to soak away in the bath and sweat it out in the sauna (remember to make sure all of the soap if off your body). Repeat. If you go into a sauna, remember to rinse your body before you go back into the tubs. I am sure to dip into every bath, even the cold ones. Yes, there are both hot and cold… 湯 is hot water, 冷 is cold. They always display the temperature somewhere, so look along the walls or sides. Every bath has different healing properties with different minerals, which is also listed somewhere in the onsen, though if you do not read Japanese, it might not help you very much.
Etiquette: for anyone with long hair, tie up your hair so it does not get in the water! You will get stink-eye if you let it drape into the water. I use my small towel to wrap around my head and keep the stray long strands from escaping; you will see this is a common technique. Occasionally people will fold it into a neat little rectangle and rest it on their head, but I do not see this very often in Okinawa. Also, it is considered rude to soak your small towel into the bathwater (although I have seen some obaasans do it anyway). As far as noise, it depends on the place– I have been to some that are practically silent, and others that are alive with chattering gossip. Just use your common sense and do as the locals do.
Whenever you finish, change into the clothes they gave you, grab a drink (milk is popular and sold in small glass bottles), sit in a massage chair, watch tv, etc. The locker rooms have hair dryers, face lotion, hairbrushes (these are separated in a clean bin, usually a UV box, and a used bin), cotton swabs, lotion, etc. You usually do not need to bring much of anything, since most places have some amenities for you. I have a small bag of extra toiletries I bring for aftercare. Again, it depends on the place, some of the cheaper places provide very little in the way of amenities.
At the end, toss your towels into the laundry bin in the locker room, then bring your clothes and key back to the front desk (in some cases there may also be a laundry bin for your sauna clothes). Pay your balance, and they will give you the shoe locker key.
Also, as a fun cultural note, watch the Japanese movie “Thermae Romae” (based on a manga). It is hilarious, and gives me better appreciation of the bathing culture.
Enagic Natural Onsen Aroma, located in Ginowan behind the Don Quijote.
Addresses for top recommended Okinawa onsen:
Enagic Natural Onsen Aroma: 〒901-2223 沖縄県宜野湾市大山7-7-1 ~My favorite– several nice baths, steam sauna, salt sauna, and even an outdoor bath with a cute Japanese-style garden. Several affordable esthe options, including scrubs and massages. Shokudo restaurant on-site. Recommended for a down-to-earth experience that won’t break the bank. https://goo.gl/maps/dMNDCms3RaA2
Yuinchi Hotel and Spa (Bathing Ape): 〒901-1412 沖縄県南城市佐敷字新里1688 ~Interesting baths, all indoor. These baths contain Ryukyu “healing” clay (mud?), which is a little bit of a unique experience. You have a view over the southern valley. The buffet restaurant in the hotel (different than the small restaurant in the onsen building!) is AMAZING and well worth the price (2300yen for lunch). The baths are so-so, but it has special Ryukyu mud properties or something that sounds fancy. *separate blog post: Yuinchi Hotel: Onsen and Buffet
Senaga-jima Hotel and Onsen Spa: 〒901-0233 沖縄県豊見城市字瀬長174-5 ~Tons of delicious restaurants nearby. Admission to bath is reasonable, treatments are expensive but high quality. Indoor AND outdoor baths looking over the ocean (very beautiful). High end type of place, recommended for a luxury experience. *separate blog post: Ryukyu Onsen Senaga-jima Hotel
EM Wellness Resort Costa Vista: 〒901-2311 沖縄県中頭郡北中城村喜舎場1478番地 ~Awesome healthy buffet at the resort restaurant! The baths are decent (all indoor), and the treatments focus on wellness, so you leave feeling fantastic and refreshed. Pricier than Aroma onsen, but not too unreasonable. For an extra fee you can also try their bedrock bath (ganbanyoku). *separate blog post: EM Wellness Resort: Costa Vista and Spa Corazon
Aj Resort Onsen: 〒904‐2421 沖縄県うるま市与那城伊計1286 ~Newly opened on Ikei-jima (connected to Okinawa main island by bridge). Indoor and open-air bath, plus a private family bath. The only downside is it does not look like they offer any extra spa services. It is also quite a ways to get there as you have to cross the bridges from Uruma to Henza, Miyagi, and then finally all the way to the tip of Ikei-jima! It was nice enough when I visited, but pretty far away from everything. *separate blog post: Ikei-jima AJ Resort and Onsen: 伊計島温泉
**When I went to Aj Resort Onsen it was EMPTY! So… I was able to snap a few very quick pics. Normally you cannot take any pictures in the bath areas (for obvious reasons), so I rarely have pictures of these. Some of the “features” you may see at some of the more modern onsen:
Tokashiki-jima is an island in the Keramas off the coast of the main island of Okinawa. It is an easy ferry ride from Tomari Port in Naha, with a few trips per day. It is a gorgeous island, far from the concrete jungle that makes up Naha.
It is enough time to do a day trip if you leave on the first ferry of the day, then the last coming back. It is possible to stay overnight if you wish (there is a camp ground and a few small guesthouses/hotels to stay).
When you get off the 40 min- 1 hr ferry ride, there is an information area and buses. The bus will shuttle you to the other side of the island where the popular beach Aharen 阿波連ビーチ is located. There is also Tokashiku beach, which is a bit smaller, but less crowded 渡嘉志久ビーチ and a higher chance of seeing 海亀 sea turtles (honu, to the Hawaiians). The bus only runs between the ferry port and Aharen beach, so visiting any other sites on the island requires your own mode of transportation; taxi, moped, car, walking.
You can rent a car, scooter, or bike. But there is a large hill, so I really do not recommend bicycle. To be honest though, my husband and I walked one way (it was a healthy walk) and it was not unbearable, it probably took less than an hour, even with all the stopping and photo-taking. We admittedly took the bus back, since we were tired after a long day.
You can rent all sorts of beach gear and snorkel gear here (but I recommend bringing your own if possible). There are also glass bottom boats and a service that will take you to another small uninhabited island Nagannu-jima ナガンヌ島 for excellent snorkeling adventures (keep in mind there is no shade, so be prepared). You can even stay overnight camping or in a cottage on Nagannu-jima as well (just don’t expect much in the way of amenities…).
As an avid snorkeler and occasional diver, the beaches are decent for snorkeling (free if you have your own gear), but going with a professional boat tour is worth the money. I have done a Keramas dive tour with Seasir out of Naha on their private boat (no ferry to deal with), and it was very good. So, just keep this in mind.
As far as food goes, it is very tourist-friendly. That is to say, basically everywhere had English (and even Chinese and Korean) on the menus. Of course, being able to speak Japanese will make it easier for everyone, so give it a shot and practice! We went to a nice small place located by Aharen beach serving Okinawan food called Maasaanoten まーさーの店; my husband got fried fish and I got yakisoba, and of course a beer. After swimming, we went to the place that had beer and a view on the upper patio– what a relaxing way to end the day before climbing on to the bus to go back to the ferry.
***Some important things to know:
There are no ATMs on Tokashiki-jima and none of the places take credit card, so BRING YEN. There are signs all over the ferry terminal and you will be reminded when you purchase tickets.
The Ferry service will sell out during peak season (summer) and holidays. Reserve your seats in advance.
I do not advise taking your car. It is a hassle, and the cost is not worth it. Rent or take the bus, it is cheaper.
There is plenty of parking at the ferry terminal, but you do have to pay to park.
Bring sunscreen– don’t be those lobster red tourists.
There are vending machines on the ferry, and a few around town, so it is not necessary to bring your own drinks unless you want to. There are a few snacks at the small shop, but it is better to bring your own.
Handama is the Okinawan word for a type of local spinach known as 水前寺菜 suizenjina in Japanese. It is considered very healthy and visually striking, as the fronts are dark green and the backs a brilliant purple. Handama works best in salads, raw.
So, I am not a vegan (mostly I eat a primarily vegetarian/pescatarian diet), but I really enjoy many of the local vegan (some are only vegan-friendly but not exclusively vegan) spots here in Okinawa. Many other places will serve items on the menu without the meat (fish, eggs, dairy, etc) if you ask, but if you are not very good at Japanese, that may not really be an option. The places listed here are primarily vegetarian/vegan focused, and highlight the vegetarian/vegan options on their menus.
Here is a current list of places where you can find vegan (and vegetarian) friendly food while in Okinawa: *please note some places may be ONLY vegetarian-friendly, not vegan-friendly due to my ignorance, so always check ahead of time.
Mana: Nice cozy place where you can get a plate lunch in Naha; they can get busy for dinner so get a reservation in advance. 1-6-9 Tsuboya, Naha
Kintsubo: Taiwanese. So good and cheap, it is vegetarian Chinese food. But not like American Chinese, like real Chinese.. yum! It felt very homey and comforting for me. 1-7-9 Tsuboya, Naha
Rakurobi Kitchen: Macrobiotic (mostly) vegan. Follow the link to the blog post I wrote.
Yama-No-Chaya Rakusui: Definitely vegetarian friendly, but not sure about vegan. Love this location and food. I wrote a previous blog post on this place.
Ie-jima Shimabukuro 伊江島 食の家 しまぶくろ: Located in Naha, this place serves Okinawan soul food with vegan and vegetarian options. The chef has challenged himself to make hometown food for everyone to enjoy. 3-10 Makishi, Naha 900-0013
LaLa Zorba: Located in Naha, I went for lunch and it was fabulous. It bills itself as “vegan ethnic” food, read more in the linked post. https://goo.gl/maps/tSiwY8DMaV22
Tami’s: located in American Village and recently re-opened. It is also vegan and super delicious. I will have to make a new post for this one. https://goo.gl/maps/TFNjrWyqjZ72
Ploughman’s: Unfortunately, this place has caught on with a lot of people, and reservations are recommended even for lunch. But it is delicious. 927-2 Adaniya, Kitanakagusuku
Rockers: Okay food, unfortunately in American Village, so not an area I go to a lot. I got the vegan burger and my husband the curry set, both were okay but not spectacular. 9-39 Mihama, Chatan 2F
Bollywood Dreams: I don’t especially recommend this place; it is a bit overpriced, slooooow service, and the food is not that great. But they do have vegetarian and vegan curries on the menu. Located in American Village: *update: they now have 2 locations in American village.
Bali Noon Bali Moon: Not exclusively vegan, but has vegan options. They also sell their tempeh which is a bargain at 500grams for 500yen!
Esparza’s Tacos & Coffee: According to husband, pretty good. They also sell vegan their cheese. https://goo.gl/maps/epFFj49nwDF2
Guacamole Burrito Truck: Not so much a restaurant, but a cool little trailer that will make a vegetarian/vegan burrito. Get this and take it to the nearby beach to eat. https://goo.gl/maps/LrtWvo4Bxfz
Citta Bakeshop (NEW!): located just outside of the Ryukyu University East Gate. Google Map link, pictures, and review coming soon!
Dechibika: This place is in Yomitan, an area I rarely visit due to the high traffic of Americans. I have not been here, but people rave about their curry, so I will have to bite the bullet sometime soon. 648-1 Furugen, Yomitan
Gubgub’s: Closed as of Feb 2020 🙁 They still sometimes show up at Vegan Foodfairs! Vegan “junk food,” also in Yomitan; it is as awesome as you hear from others and I highly recommend it. 410 Toya, Yomitan
Suien bakery: LOVE. Delicious sandwiches and located in Yomitan. Go early as it gets busy. 367 Zakimi, Yomitan
Bakery and Cafe Coo: LOVE. Delicious sandwiches in Motobu peninsula by Nakijin-jo. 3313 Imadomari, Nakijin
There are a few others that I know of, but have not had a chance to visit yet. And maybe 1 or 2 that were not good and they simply do not go on the list (Example: Jai Thai in American Village… I simply cannot understand why anyone would go there, it is highly NOT recommended unless you like to spend a lot of money on terrible food. Also avoid Pizza Sun (previously known as Pizzakaya), for various reasons I will not get into. These restaurant are a majority veg-friendly; there are even more restaurants with a few veg options, but I cannot possibly list them all…
Several of the Indian restaurants have veg options, as well as a place called Istanbul Kebab House in Sunabe; all of these are also pretty good options for vegetarians and vegans as well. There are obviously many other places that can accommodate vegetarians and even vegans, but these are some of the better known places that understand what vegan/vegetarian diet is.
黒 kuro mean “black” and にんにく ninniku means “garlic.”
In Okinawa, it is possible to find black garlic. It is island garlic, raw, aged under heat and humidity for a period of time (no additives), turning the garlic softer and sweeter. It retains a fragrant garlic aroma, but does actually does not cause the strong garlic breath after eating. It is a really nice (and supposedly healthy) flavor to add to recipes.
おにぎり onigiri, also called おむすび omusubi, are rice balls. Onigiri are a common item for Japanese lunch boxes, called bento 弁当. You can find onigiri at every bento stand and conbini; Lawsons and FamilyMart usually have 20 different types lined up in the refrigerated section, with a variety of fillings from plain salt to tuna to spam with egg.
For my lunch, I went to a vegetarian-friendly market and picked up an onigiri-bento. It came with 2 onigiri: one wrapped in shiso leaf with nori (seaweed) sprinkles (also known as furikake ふりかけ), and one with shoyu and ginger (and probably some other things); it also came with something shaped like onigiri but with pickled plum/shiso and purple sweet potato (and maybe okara, aka soy leavings, but I am not a hundred percent sure). There was a delicious side of pickled carrot and daikon, mini tomatoes, and potato salad. I also bought a delicious vegan strawberry and poppyseed muffin for dessert. Everything was really tasty, so if you are in Okinawa, be sure to stop by HappyMore Farmers Market in Nakagusuku.
Shima ninjin 島人参 or 島にんじん are Okinawa island carrots.
Nakagusuku village, where I live, is known in Okinawa for its carrots. The village mascot, Gosamaru (named for the Ryukuan lord of Nakagusuku region), wields a fan (うちわ, uchiwa) in one hand and a carrot in the other. He adorns the side of buses, banners, and important landmarks. He also shows up to events and matsuri, even to anti-drunk-driving rallies (held at the empty lot by the town sign across from our house).
Tsuken-jima, a.k.a. Carrot Island, is located off the coast (you can see this island from the second story of my house). Tsuken-jima is also known for carrots (obviously). Technically, this island is considered a part of Nakagusuku town area, although it can only be accessed by ferry.
Most of the carrots grown here are orange, but some varieties come in yellow or purple. I think they are pretty tasty, and I really advocate supporting local farms and businesses. It always tastes fresher closer to the source.
Takenoko, 竹の子 or たけのこ, are bamboo shoots in Japanese. Recently, whenever I look at takenoko, I think about the Ghibli film about Kaguya-hime かぐや姫の物語.
Today, there was fresh takenoko at the farmers market (and it was fairly cheap), so impulsively bought some…! This is a new experience for me, as I have only ever bought them packaged.
I boiled and prepared it, according to some directions online. I think it worked, although I think more experimenting is needed to actually understand the process.
I made takenoko and shiso gyoza with tofu instead of pork. I added in Okinawa garlic, green onions, cabbage, and seasoned. Maybe I will even include a recipe later. Homemade gyoza (mandu, potstickers, dumplings) are the best and so easy to freeze the extra for quick meals or snacks later!
Yes, Okinawa is a SUBTROPICAL island– not tropical, a common misconception. To be brutally honest, it is not the picturesque and beautiful weather that you get in Hawai’i. It sort of grinds my gears when people say, “Oh, Okinawa is just like Hawai’i, right?!” Because quite frankly, the answer is no.
I love Okinawa, do not get me wrong. It has its own sort of beauty and I really enjoy my life here. But it is not Hawai’i. Nor is the weather anything like Hawai’i. Where Hawai’i has mild, pleasant, cooling trade winds, Okinawa is either: a) stagnant in summer or b) freaking cold northern winds gusting in winter. And it gets COLD in winter, especially when that northern wind blows. Okinawa has a winter, like cold-I-need-a-parka winter, while the summers are sweltering and humid (I am often grateful for a/c here). I in fact own and use a kotatsu こたつ (Japanese heated table with blanket) throughout the winter season; granted there are people who would call me a wuss, and they wear shorts, tshirts, and slippahs year-round here, but those people grew up somewhere in the sub-arctic as far as I can tell. Hawai’i is basically the same temperature (+/- a few degrees Celsius) year round. In Hawai’i, swimming and beach activities are all year, too. Okinawa, only during summer months are beach or water activities plausible (without some sort of thick wetsuit!).
Tropical fruit is abundant in Hawai’i. Okinawa has many fruits, but… again… different, and not usually abundant or cheap. And as a reminder: there are almost no coconut trees in Okinawa, because it is subtropical not tropical the weather gets quite cold, not to mention the strong typhoons that knock down any tall trees, coconut trees cannot grow properly (except at the fancy resort areas where they put a lot of money into keeping them alive). The only coconuts are imported from the Philippines, and they usually are expensive and not very good quality. Coconut also just is not part of the Okinawan diet, so it is uncommon to see them anywhere for a reasonable price. Sure, Kokusaidori and Okinawa world sell coconut juice for an absurd amount of yen.. just don’t expect to see coconuts lining the roads.
Hawai’i has absolutely stunning scenery (well, if you get out of Waikiki, that is…). Okinawa has some, but somehow… maybe I am biased, but it is not quite the same. It is a different beauty here, and I can appreciate that, especially once you get out of the concrete jungles that make up the cities. Visiting places like Miyako-jima, Kume-jima, and some of the quieter outer islands are really amazing, and quite beautiful. But it is certainly not Hawai’i, so please stop trying to compare it. I love both sets of islands, Okinawa and Hawai’i, but for very different reasons. The scenes you see in Okinawa are a completely different gorgeous set of scenes than you see in Hawai’i.
I feel like people always try to push that Okinawa is a tropical sort of paradise, but I guess these same people have never experienced a true tropical island. Okinawa is certainly a subtropical climate, but it does not quite make it to “tropical beauty.” Okinawa has many redeeming qualities that Hawai’i does not have though: we can get fresh lettuce here that does not cost a fortune, there are soooo many restaurants in Okinawa (and cheap), conbini are EVERYWHERE, vending machines are EVERYWHERE, green tea is always available, you can ferry to other islands… and probably many other things I cannot come up with right now.
Both places have a relaxed island attitude, so it is okay to be on “island time” and people tend to be friendlier than the mainland in both cases. I am so lucky to have found many lovely people here in Okinawa, while dancing hula and teaching Eikaiwa.
Anyhow, that is my obligatory Hawai’i-and-Okinawa-are-not-the-same rant.
Izakaya are Japanese-style bars. But these are really nothing like American-style bars.
Often there will be an all-you-can-eat (食べ放題 tabehoudai) and all-you-can-drink (飲み放題 nomihoudai) option, which has a time interval, 90 minutes, 2 hours, or even up to 3 hours. Sometimes this is a bit risky, and you encounter some cheap, watered down beer… usually it depends on the pricing and the place. Most dishes are meant to be shared and are more appetizer style then full meals.
Izakaya are a great place to hold an informal gathering of coworkers, friends, classmates, etc. I have found Japanese people get much louder and outspoken at these gatherings, it is a good place to learn about people. For instance, I participate in a hula dance class once a week and we held a 忘年会 bonenkai (end of the year party) at a local izakaya to celebrate the success of our Christmas show. After months of nervously struggling to express myself in Japanese, I found out one of the members speaks somewhat decent English and studied at a US university for 3 years. Sigh. So, maybe I will use English when I am stuck on Japanese now.
A word of warning: some places have a “sitting” fee, which basically ensures that you spend some minimum amount. They will bring out a small appetizer dish that is “required” to purchase. Usually it is cheap, ~300円; this is done in lieu of an entrance fee. This is called “otoshi” お通し.
A tip: if you want draft beer, just order “nama” 生 (and how many you want). Draft beer is nama bi-ru 生ビール, and for short, just nama will do.
Another thing to remember: the drinking and driving BAC is very low 0.03, so always take advantage of public transport, taxi, or DAIKO services! DAIKO is a service in Japan, where someone will drive your car home for you (teamed up with a taxi). It is very convenient and fairly cheap, just a little more than a regular taxi one-way. And much cheaper than a DUI.
In Okinawa, one of the izakaya I like is called Paikaji ぱいかじ and it has a location near to the university. It is more local food and has Ryukuan entertainment on weekends. You and your party get a private room (with a bing-bong so you can ring for the staff when you want to order something), unlike in a western bar. It also has cheap beer specials.
Next time you are in Japan or Okinawa, be sure to stop by a local izakaya (the more salary men, the better).
手拭 (てぬぐい): Tenugui is the name for these Japanese-style long, thin towels. At first glance, they do not seem like much. But even though these towels seem a bit simple, they can be used for just about anything: to wrap bento or other other lunch boxes to wrap gifts, dish towel, cleaning towel, wrapped around the head or neck (to wipe sweat, particularly popular use among ojiisan), onsen towel, or even just as a hanging decoration. There is no specific one use, you just use it however you like. They dry really fast, too, so they are pretty useful to have around.
In our house, they have become mostly kitchen towels, and we have collected a variety, including ones from the Awamori distillery (free), some bought from the Daiso (100円 store), a Kumamon pattern (Kyushu souvenir), onsen logos (free or cheap), our local village eisa troupe towel, a retro onsen design from Beppu, and even a cute one with monkeys bathing in onsen. I even got one free from the conbini from buying bottled drinks!
A typical Japanese towel
Souvenir shops, 100円 stores, kitchen goods stores will all sell tenugui. The patterns can range from simple to elaborate, and often the price can reflect that. Different regions will print different patterns for souvenirs; in Okinawa, there are some really pretty ones with Ryukuan bingata 紅型 patterns and shisa. I bought this one from the Daiso (100yen) shop, I thought it was cute, if a bit kitschy. I might go back and get another to send to friends in the US since it makes a cute and cheap souvenir.
Edamame are soybeans still in the shell. You boil them for a few minutes, drain, grind some salt on top to serve. You can serve them warm or chilled, although I tend to prefer chilled. Also, always serve with an extra bowl for the empty shells.
You can buy them frozen all year round, but right now, they are in season here in Okinawa (and will be gone soon, as the season here is always too short). So now is the time I can enjoy them fresh, and to take maximum advantage of this, I recommend a cold beer and enjoying them outside.
Not really Okinawa-themed, but I stopped by a local patisserie in Nishihara, Patisserie Cocolo. It is absolutely adorable, inside and out… there are little kitty paw prints leading to the doorway, and inside are cute cat decorations. They have the cutest caricatures of the owners/patisseries and the kitty logo. They even have a special dessert, COCO, that is a caramel mousse in the shape of a kitty paw. Ultra kawaii.
I was a bit overcome with cuteness, but managed to order desserts for the evening’s dinner party. The desserts were a huge hit with the guests, and everything I have tried here has been good. The patissier gave me a free milk pudding with my purchase…! Sometimes I really love Japan.
So, if you are a cat-lover and living in Okinawa, I highly recommend you check this place out and support a local small business.
address: 〒903-0125 沖縄県中頭郡西原町上原179-10
I have been following their website, and each month they seem to come out with a new themed dessert. They also do custom cakes, and there are some cute cat designs available!
