軽便駅かりゆし市 “Keibin-eki Kariyushi-ichi” is the name of a fantastic local market in Nanjo, the southern part of Okinawa. Every time I go, it is locals only. Maybe 外人 do not really know of this place. It seems to be a bit further from the American bases. But this place almost always seems has some the cheapest, freshest local produce with a lot of variety. There is even a huge selection of fresh cut flowers, as well as plants. There are breads from local bakeries, local eggs, EM products, and other local products. The place is quite large and has lots of parking.
This market is one of my favorites and I never walk away disappointed. They are open every day from 8am- 7pm.
Here is an outline of potatoes you can find in Okinawa (in no particular order). The word for potato is imo 芋 in kanji, いも in hiragana. I will upload some images later for easy identification.
jaga-imo じゃがいも: this is plain old potato.
May queen メイクイーン: a popular type of jaga-imo. There are probably several varieties of jaga-imo around, but there are not always specifically labelled.
beni-imo 紅芋: the famous purple Okinawa potato. The skin is white-ish and the flesh purple, it is somewhat sweet. Many people use it to make desserts.
ougon-imo 黄金芋: these are orange sweet potatoes grown in Ikei-jima of Uruma city. These are related to the famous annou-imo 安納芋 in Kyushu on mainland Japan. These potatoes are so naturally sweet and flavorful. Many people use them like “american sweet potatoes.”
satsuma-imo さつまいも: these are yellow sweet potatoes, usually with a reddish skin. They are usually baked or made into candy/sweets. Many people buy these thinking they will be like american sweet potatoes, but they do not cook the same. These are best as yaki-imo (baked potato) and are sold in stores already baked over hot stones in fall and winter. There is even a yaki-imo truck that drives through neighborhoods it is so popular.
murasaki-imo 紫芋: these are the purple species of satsuma-imo. Used similarly as above… baked!
Others:
sato-imo 里芋 or taimo 田芋 (taamu ターム or taanmu ターンム in Okinawa language): Taro! Of course it is popular here in Okinawa. It seems some westerners do not know what to do with it, but islanders (and some others) all know how and have many different ways to eat this. Chinnuku ちんぬく is a type of Okinawan taro sold in stores. Popular ways to eat taro: boiled then mashed with a bit of sugar, stews (try a polynesian version with coconut milk and fish), or fried chips.
yama-imo 山芋: this wild mountain yam. It has many uses and is very healthy. That being said, its texture is usually a tad slimy and sticky when it is grated. A popular topping for Japanese soba noodles and also used when making okonomiyaki.You may also see it called naga-imo 長芋.
This is a continuation of the Japanese newspaper section entitled “Island mama’s homemade cooking.” I am really enjoying this special section on local dishes of the various islands of Japan. Last time I introduced special dish from Yonaguni-jima.
小値賀島 Ojiki-jima is an island in Nagasaki prefecture (長崎県). There is a local cuisine called 「ぼうぶらぞうせ」Bouburazouse in the local dialect. It is a porridge made with kabocha かぼちゃ(pumpkin), red beans (小豆 azuki) and millet (きび kibi). The ratios are not exact, so use what you feel is reasonable. I think like me, island mamas do not measure much and just go by what looks right, so I apologize if the recipes seem a little vague. These are not the type of recipes that are found in English resources, or that many Japanese resources for that matter, since while the recipes may be famous locally, it is not widespread throughout Japan. And it seems that each mama has her own version!
ぼうぶらぞうせ Bouburazouse:
kabocha (pumpkin), peeled and cut into bite size pieces, then steamed
azuki beans, to taste
millet, to taste **probably any sort of grain will do, if you have a preference
sugar, salt, to taste
Steam the kabocha in water (maybe ~ 1 L); when the kabocha is soft, add the azuki beans (with the juice/water) and the millet. Boil until the kabocha is completely fallen apart soft (doesn’t hold shape), and add a little flour to thicken (making it not so sticky), and some salt/sugar to taste. Once it is well-steamed/boiled, it is ready to eat. This is a hearty porridge, and tastes just as good chilled the next day. Itadakimasu いただきます！
御中元 ochuugen is the custom of summer gift giving. In my local stores, there is a huge display with aisles of summer gifts. You may also see the something like 夏のギフト (natsu no gifuto summer gift) or even サマーギフト (summer gift spelled in katakana).
This gift-giving season typically corresponds to Obon. In Okinawa, it is traditionally observed when visits to the family home are made during Obon (customarily the second day), but it is okay before or after. Especially in the workplace where you will probably not see them during actual Obon. In Okinawa, it is tradition to deliver the gift in person, rather than use a mail delivery service, though you will see many people in the grocery store filling out the mail delivery forms to send gifts to family in the outer islands or the mainland.
For me, the most interesting part is the types of gifts on display in stores. Popular items are summer fruits (mango in Okinawa), rice, coffee, pork, unagi (eel), jelly sweets, and other goodies. But there are also gift sets such as laundry soap, beer, spam, cans of tunafish… sometimes I find them quite odd, as far as gifts, but it seems so practical that I actually sort of appreciate it. Usually gifts are about 2000 yen to 5000 yen; stores make a lot of money during this time period. It is also typical to ship gifts to family members who live far away… during this time I see many people filling at shipping forms at the store counters for summer gifts.
During this time, I have seen a bunch of ads on tv about sending summer gift. The Hormel one sort of makes me laugh a bit, sending a gift pack of SPAM. The family in the ad seems so happy to be receiving cans of spam and making goya chanpuru.
This showcases Okinawa grandma’s cooking. Below is a simple Okinawan recipe which includes tofu, peanut butter, miso, some type of leafy green of your choosing, as well as canned tuna (optional). It might sound strange, but is quite delicious.
白和え shira-ae is basically a Japanese “salad” dressed with tofu and white miso; in Okinawa, usually island peanuts are included as well. It is a type of 和え物 aemono, which just means “dressed salad” dish.
サクナ sakuna, the Okinawan name, is better known by its Japanese name, choumeisou 長命草 (also pronounced botanboufu, so I am not sure which is more common), which basically means something like long-life grass or herb; it is known for its herbal medicinal properties and is supposed to be very healthy for you. It grows in the wild on the rock outcroppings of Yonaguni-jima in the Okinawa prefecture. Choumeisou contains abundant polyphenols to prevent arteriosclerosis, cancer, blood cholesterol and high blood pressure. The plant grows on wave-battered, sun-drenched cliffs exposed to the salty ocean air; the hardiness of the plant to survive such a harsh environment is astounding and it has long been a favorite of people as longevity food. The scientific name is Peucedanum japonicum; I have seen it used in diet/health drinks and smoothies. The herb, as well as products made from the leaves, is easily available in Okinawa.
Sakuna sold in the farmers market
Anyway, I recently found a really interesting periodical, “ritokei,” about the islands of Japan, with a fold-out sections talking about “mama’s island homemade cooking” with featured dishes around the many islands. Today I will introduce a dish from Yonaguni-jima made from sakuna and island tofu, called サクナの和えもの (sakuna no aemono). Aemono basically just means “seasoned/dressed dish” and in this case, it is referring to shira-ae 白和え, so with tofu and white miso. I suppose you could also call this dish sakuna no shira-ae サクナの白和え.
サクナ(長命草)の和えもの Sakuna no Aemono:
sakuna (choumeisou 長命草), as much as desired– washed and shredded
island tofu (shima-doufu 島豆腐), 1/2 block– drained, “mashed” or crumbled
roasted sesame, 3 tbsp
white miso 1 tbsp
sugar, a pinch
peanut butter, small amount to taste
Grind sesame with mortar. Next add in miso, sugar, island tofu, peanut butter and mix. Add shredded sakuna, mix well.
Optionally, you can add a little canned tuna. Another option could be to add a tablespoon of dashi if you prefer a bit of fish flavor. Or if you wanted to go all out Okinawan, a third option is to add some mimigaa ミミガー, which is thinly cut boiled pig’s ear sold in supermarkets everywhere here. Not my cup of tea since I do not eat pork, but some people really enjoy mimigaa. There are many variations on this dish, so don’t be afraid to experiment a bit. You can even use a darker miso, just keep in mind, it will make the dish a bit saltier and more pungent, changing the flavor a bit.
Sakuna is fairly common to find here in Okinawa, but you can even use other green leafy vegetables in addition to or instead of sakuna; nigana and handama are also popular in Okinawa, or if you cannot find this, just regular spinach will work as well. You could blanch the leaves in boiling water quickly (~1 minute or less) to get them soft, especially if you decide to try this type of recipe with a more hardy leafy green, such as komatsuna, karashina or other mustard greens.
This is a very simple, yet healthful and flavorful dish, to give you the feeling of Okinawan mother’s home-cooking.
BONUS: Oddly enough, I saw these sakuna-flavored chinsukou cookies the other day at one of the farmers markets. Somehow I doubt these will help extend your life, though…
**For anyone who was directed here looking for more info on “Bizarre Foods in Okinawa,” I have created a special post: here.
So for lunch I took a small adventure: a drive down the road in Nishihara, not so far from Shuri area to a small cafe called Soy Labo. This place is heavily geared towards mothers and children (I am child-free, so not really my scene per se). That being said, the menu is focuses on tofu and soy products, so as an ardent lover of tofu, this is a must-try!
I took a wrong turn, but ended up there okay (just gotta pay attention to your GPS). It is not very obvious from the main road that this place exists until you make the turn into it. It is a very cute place, I really loved the decor. For moms/kids, there is a play area, baby room, cribs, a room with low tables and floor seating. For everyone else, there are a few tables and a counter. The atmosphere was very comfortably (maybe a bit feminine). The menu is in Japanese… but there are some pictures so it is not so difficult for non-speakers I think. Everything was so delicious, I look forward to returning. Even though this place specializes in soy products, it is not necessarily vegan or vegetarian (although there seemed be options).
We just took a short weekend trip to Miyako-jima, one of the southern islands in Okinawa prefecture. You must fly (cannot take a ferry to Miyako-jima), but luckily it is a short 50 minute flight. When you get there, it is highly recommended that you rent a car, or at least a scooter, since the island is decently big (compared to some of the others in Okinawa).
There are a few things to “sight-see” on Miyako-jima, but really it is all about the diving, swimming, and snorkeling. Beautiful beaches are plentiful, and many of them have snorkeling spots (although these are mostly for novices, avid snorkelers will want to take a boat tour to some of the more spectacular reefs).
We stayed at a quiet AirBnB on Kurima-jima, which is connected to Miyako-jima by a bridge. There are other islands also connected to Miyako-jima by bridge: Ikema-jima and Irabu-jima/Shimoji-jima.
Miyako-jima is known for mango– so of course I indulged at every opportunity! We had mango smoothies from some cafes, fresh mango juice from a farm, and anything else mango I could find.
We ate dinner the first night at a great Italian spot near the main city area. It was called ADish. We had pizza, pasta, salad, crostini, and wine. We sat at the counter, but reservations are recommended for this place. We were too busy eating to take photos unfortunately. When we returned, we bought some cans of Orion and sat outside, gazing at the milky way and millions of stars, listening to the insects.
The second night, we decided to try the local place by the AirBnB house. So we walked down the road to Hanafuu 花風, which is some shipping containers converted into a small restaurant. The menu was written on fans on the wall; we started with some Orion draft beers. The owner was happy to see us, and we chatted a bit in Japanese. She gave us some yakiimo (baked sweet potato) that was grown in Miyako-jima and a hair tie with bingata print on it. We ordered another round, as well as goya chanpuru and salt yakisoba. At this point, a few more customers started to arrive (most of them it seemed like this place was their second home). So we ended up also chatting with some of them. She ended up giving us a few extra side dishes for free, and everything we tasted was amazing. After a few more rounds of beer, the owner was convinced to break out her sanshin to play and sing for us. In this small place, we were truly able to feel the kindness and vivacity of the Miyako-jima people. Finally we were tired, settled the bill, said our goodbyes and headed out. We were greeted with the millions of stars in the dark sky, surrounded by rustling sugarcane fields.
Overall, it was a fabulous trip, with great food, friendly people, nice beaches and gorgeous views.
According to Japanese, turmeric (called ukon ウコン in Japanese, ucchin うっちん in Okinawa language) is good for your liver.
Ukon tea and ukon “health” drinks are pretty commonly found; in the conbini there is often a drink case with rows of small bottles with pictures of livers (or sometimes drunk/hungover people) on them, and the main ingredient in these drinks turmeric. There are types to drink before a night of heavily drinking alcohol, as well as some for after you have drank a lot of alcohol. I have not clue which actually works better… maybe try one of each.
These “hangover cures” are made by many companies… some popular ones are Heparize ヘパリーゼ and Ukon no Chikara ウコンの力 (turmeric power). These drinks are easy to find in drugstores (薬) and conbini (like FamilyMart and Lawson); this is probably due to the fact that salarymen/women, students, social circles, etc., are expected to get completely sloshed at get-togethers with colleagues, with clients, with current or former classmates, whoever. It is simply a part of Japanese socialization in society. More on this later… but as side note, the Japanese word for hangover is 二日酔い futsukayoi (literally, to be drunk for 2 days).
It is also easy to find turmeric root here in the markets. They sort of resemble ginger root, so be careful and make sure you read which one is which. Using turmeric root can be interesting and healthful to add to your cooking, but it does stain everything a yellowish-orange… so don’t use the nice towels to clean up.
A far as turmeric tea, this is easily found in the grocery store in the aisle with the other teas. It will be labelled either ウコン茶 or うっちん茶, usually depending on if it is Okinawan or from somewhere else.
Miyanchi is a nice cafe in a clean, new Okinawan-style building. For lunch, there are set meals, sort of a Okinawa-style fusion. The main dishes are Okinawa soba noodles, but in various styles; I always get the Thai green curry soba. It also comes with seasonal salad, taro juushi, tea or coffee, and dessert. I love the tea; it is a special blend of Okinawa tea and herbs. I even bought some to take home, it was so relaxing. Everything is served in pottery made at the shop, and there is a small gift shop area with art, house tea, and other local items. There are a few regular tables, counter seats overlooking the yard, and a tatami room. It is a very lovely spot for lunch! It is close to the Awase Living Design Center along Rt 329.
Munakatado is a bakery (or pan-ya パン屋) in Okinawa that makes natural yeast breads. It is in a wooded area in Ginowan. They sell many types of breads and baked goods, but also have a vegetarian-friendly lunch (sandwich, soup, and drink). It is really good and a very relaxing location, but I recommend bringing the bug spray (the only tables are outside). After you finish eating, there are a few parks within a short drive to stroll about.
Typically Japanese zenzai is a dish served warm… sweetened red beans (azuki beans 小豆) made slightly soupy with piece of mochi 餅 (sticky rice cake). This makes for a delicious cold weather treat. But here in Okinawa… zenzai is usually served chilled! Okinawa zenzai is served cold topped with shave ice~~ this reminds me of Hawai’i! Who doesn’t order azuki beans in the shave ice?! I know I always do, much to my husband’s amusement. As a side note, shave ice is called kakigouri かき氷 in Japanese (I unfortunately on many occasions refer to it as “kaki-ice,” mixing my languages and often getting weird looks from everyone).
Not only this, but Okinawa zenzai is simmered with brown sugar cane (黒糖) to sweeten it instead of regular sugar; this gives a lot of depth to the taste! Another difference in Okinawa is that often red kidney beans are used instead of azuki beans. The reason for this is actually due to post-war, red kidney beans became common (and easier to get) because of the influence of the US military, rather than the smaller Japanese red azuki beans. Sometimes condensed milk is added as an extra topping, or various shave ice flavors might be used (matcha, strawberry… etc.).
There is a chain called 富士家 Fujiya that sets up stands in the shopping malls during the hot summer season. It is pretty famous in Okinawa, and the main shop is located in Tomari, Naha. I usually prefer the smaller places, but no matter what, this sweet frozen treat is a staple of Okinawan summers.
Here are pictures are of Okinawa zenzai from Fujiya and mainland Japan zenzai (these are taken during New Years for 鏡開き kagami-biraki, which is when the New Years mochi is opened).
御盆 Obon in Okinawa is often referred to as “kyuubon” 旧盆, which means “old Bon” because it is celebrated according to the lunar calendar (7th lunar month, 13th through 15th days 旧暦7月13日-15日). Some other areas in Japan celebrate it either in July or August 13-15th. It is also called “Shichiguachi” しちぐぁち, meaning 7th month in Okinawan language. It should also be noted that different areas of the Ryukyu islands actually have their own names and traditions for Obon (for instance, Ishigaki-jima and the Yaeyama islands have something interesting called “Angama”); the ones I write about are the most common for Okinawa main island. Many Obon traditions and customs observed in Okinawa are quite different from the ones typically seen on mainland Japan. Something important to note: the Japanese custom of toro nagashi 灯籠流し is not a common practice in Okinawa, so you will not see candle-lit lanterns released afloat on the water during Obon like you might in parts of mainland Japan.
Obon is a custom to commemorate one’s ancestors; the spirits return to this world for 3 days to visit family. It is sometimes referred to as “ghost festival,” “lantern festival,” or “festival of souls” in English.
In 2018, Obon will be on Aug 23-25th and Tanabata will be Aug 17th.
There are 3 days of Obon in Okinawa:
ウンケー unke/unkeh (お迎え): 1st day, welcoming day, when the sun sets. This is the day where families usually visit graves and welcome the ancestors home. Families will gather at the eldest son’s residence (where the family altar, a butsudan 仏壇, is kept). The family altar is set up, and offerings of fruit, mochi, sweets, sake/awamori, beer, and stalks of sugarcane are placed. The sugarcane is left as walking sticks for the spirits walking from the heavens. Obviously the ancestors favorite foods are also usually placed. Lanterns are set up to guide ancestors home.
ナカビ or ナカヌヒ nakabi or nakanuhi (中日): 2nd day, the middle day. On this evening, all my neighbors leave their doors and windows open, and have a large family dinner. The doors and windows are open to allow the ancestors to enter the home. Also, I see a lot of people distributing “gifts” (known as 御中元 ochuugen) on this day (mostly these are random food and household item gift sets sold in department and grocery stores all over), but any day leading up to or during Obon seems to be okay for distributing summer gifts. The eldest son’s family is in charge of the altar, so they must stay at home to receive other family members and visitors; so while the eldest son’s wife has to prepare many foods and the altar for Obon, they also receive many “gifts” in return, usually in the form of rice, beer, laundry soap, etc. For those family that are not the eldest child, instead they must prepare gifts and visit everyone else’s home where the altars are kept. So either way, it is sort of an expensive endeavor.
ウークイ uukui/ukui (御送り or 精霊送り): 3rd day, farewell day. This last day of Obon is filled with music and eisa (Okinawan bon dance), to say farewell to the ancestor spirits and escort them back to the heavens. There is usually a big feast late into the night, with various foods that are offered and special paper money called uchikabi ウチカビ is burned as for the ancestors so that they can use it in the spirit world. Some offerings and sugar cane is left out by the gate/fence/side of the road for the spirits to take home. This day, on the hillside by my village, you can see a large kanji lit up (they use electric lights, not actually burning into a mountain like Japanese tradition). Maybe this year I can get a decent picture of it; it represents some sort of farewell to the dead.
Before Obon, is Tanabata 七夕. In Okinawa, rather than celebrate star festival, it is more common that this is a grave-cleaning day to prepare for Obon and to ask ancestors to come visit during Obon season. It is believed that the ancestors protect their descendants in the real world, so it is important to take of them in their afterlife.
For the butsudan 仏壇 (altar) set up, many things are included. I will explain what is common in Okinawa… probably places in the mainland are a bit different, though some things will be the same or similar.
A somewhat old fashioned altar set up, on display at the Okinawa Prefectural Museum.
rakugan 落雁: this is dried “sweets” pressed into a mold (very water soluble so it lasts a long time). Despite the colorful appearance, the taste is very subtle, just a little sugar; since this is for altar offerings it is usually more “starchy” than sugary (made from mizuame 水飴, a glutinous rice starch syrup). These tend to be dry and a bit starchy-sweet in flavor. It is a type of Japanese confection (wagashi 和菓子) called higashi 干菓子, which is dried and has low moisture content. Often these will also be called bongashi 盆菓子 (Obon sweets) or kyo-kashi 供菓子 (or お供え菓子).
sugarcane, uuji ウージ (さとうきび satou kibi in Japanese): set out as walking sticks for the spirits. It can also be used to help ancestors carry souvenirs back to the spirit world. There are 2 types set out: long, guusanuuji グーサンウージ to use as a walking stick and as a balancing pole to carry souvenirs, and short, chitu uuji チトゥウージ also used to help carry back souvenirs. Sometimes the short sugarcane is also used as minnuku ミンヌク (水の子 in Japanese, set out as small offerings to Buddhist gods or to keep out bad spirits).
medohagi メドハギ or soromeshi ソーローメーシ (精霊箸): a type of weedy plant. Chopsticks for the ancestors use. I also read somewhere that this can be set out for purification purposes as well.
ganshina ガンシナー: circular ropes so your ancestors can take souvenirs (foods) back to the spirit world; they are used to balance foods or gifts on your head. On the altar they are typically displayed by balancing watermelon, pineapple, oranges, etc. on them.
ukui kasa ウークイカーサ:Alocasia leaves. This is apparently used so your ancestors can wrap souvenirs to take back to the heavens.
uchikabi ウチカビ (打紙): Afterlife money! It is a Japanese paper with the design of coins on it. It is burnt on the last day (ukui) so that your ancestors have money in the afterlife.
eggplant cow (nasu no ushi ナスの牛) & cucumber horse (kyuuri no uma キュウリの馬): placed outside the home so the ancestors can ride on them from the spirit world home, then placed on the altar on the first day of Obon. This is actually more of a mainland thing than Okinawa, instead here uses the sugarcane since it seems Okinawa ancestors come on foot. In Okinawa, you may even see a variation using a goya ゴーヤー. With them is placed mizunoko 水の子, washed rice with diced cucumber and eggplant; although this is optional, it is supposed refresh returning spirits after their journey.
somen そうめん: somen (noodles) are usually place on the altar as well. I don’t know why exactly, but the theory seems to be because somen is easily used in summer cooking, so it is convenient. I also hear it is to use as reins for the ancestors to ride the animals back to the spirit world.
houzuki ほうずき, ホオズキ, or 鬼灯: Chinese lantern plant. It helps light the way for ancestors. These are really quite pretty, and really do look like tiny red lanterns.
senkou 線香 (ukou ウコウ in Okinawan): incense sticks (for purification). Often in Okinawa flat incense is used, called hiraukou ヒラウコウ (平線香).
bon-chouchin 盆提灯: lanterns; these are placed at the altar and the front of the house, so spirits don’t lose their way.
makomo まこも: mat woven from straw of wild rice, used in rituals.
Of course, flowers, seasonal fruits/vegetables, and your ancestors favorite foods (and drinks, usually beer or awamori) are also included on the altar. Typically UNRIPE fruit is used since it sits on the altar for 3 days… so sometimes it is not always so good to eat raw, but instead cooked. Also keep this in mind if you are fruit shopping at the markets during Obon, since many of these fruits will not ripen properly because they are picked so early! Look for signs that indicate 供え物 or 供え用 (translation: for offering/altar use); as well as signs like 青切り (translation: fruit picked early before becoming ripe) and 生食用ではありません (translation: do not eat raw). The 2 you must be MOST careful of are: sticks of sugarcane (it is not for eating and will not be tasty) and pineapple (can only be eaten cooked, do not eat raw). The bananas should be able to ripen somewhat but are also delicious cooked. Mikan (oranges) will be very sour, so maybe this is okay for some people. Unfortunately for many foreigners, the signs are always in Japanese explaining these things!
Below is a sweets offering set for the altar (お供え: offering, 菓子: sweets), easy to find in the grocery stores; unlike rakugan described above, these are in fact very tasty.
On unkeh, there is the custom of eating unkeh juushii ウンケージューシー, which is a type of Okinawa cooked rice with various things mixed into it. It is a simple, but popular dish.
There is usually a box of specific foods during the feast day (ukui) called “usanmi” 御三味 (ウサンミ) that contains: fried tofu 揚げ豆腐, burdock root (gobou ごぼう), kelp (usually tied in knots), fish cake (kamaboko かまぼこ), konnyaku こんにゃく, tempura 天ぷら, fried taro (田芋 taimo) and of course, pork. There also usually a second box of white mochi (rice cakes) set out as well.
Not on the altar, but commonly served for during Obon are your typical trays of sushi, sashimi, fried things, chilled zenzai (sweetened red beans and mochi), cold somen noodles, nakami-jiru 中味汁 (intestines soup).
The local grocery stores in Okinawa have ads for all your Obon needs… this is an example of an advertisement from SanA. Anymore, many people just order trays of オードブル (pronounced ohh-do-bu-ru), which comes from the word hors d’oeuvres, instead of making it all themselves.
While most “events” are private in peoples homes, there are a few goings on, mostly in the form of eisa dance. Traveling groups of eisa often visit various spots throughout the community; by our house, one group comes to the FamilyMart and performs for a nice little show before moving on to the next location. If you live near Okinawa city and the middle part of the island, eisa typically goes on for all 3 nights of Obon, and sometimes another night after that, so be prepared for the continuous sounds of drums and sanshin (click here for Where to see eisa during Obon…). Another fun/interesting event is the Miruku-kami ミルク神 “parade” in Shuri.
I often walk through my neighborhood in the evenings; during obon time, all the doors and windows are left open to the houses. Drums and eisa dance chants ring through the air. I see neighbors burning or wrapping up offerings and leaving them outside on the walkways. It is somehow a nostalgic summer feeling.
In addition, people do not go into the sea during Obon, lest they be dragged to the underworld by deceased souls in the water (typically those who died by drowning or water accidents).
担々麺 (tantanmen) or 坦々ラーメン (tantan ramen) is a popular “Chinese-style” noodle dish in Japan. It is typically seen as ramen (but occasionally as tsukemen, aka dipping noodles). It is often found at ramen and Chinese restaurants. A few shops in Okinawa will advertise it as a specialty dish of the shop. I know of quite a few shops with tantanmen not far from my area. I frequently see banners outside of ramen shops advertising tantanmen.
Tantanmen usually has a spicy broth with thick sesame taste, topped with minced pork and green onions. It is supposedly Sichuan-style, although Japan often tones down the spicy levels and focuses more on the rich, sesame qualities of the broth.
Some of the better places in Okinawa to try tantanmen (I will try to add some more restaurants):
*Arashi ramen 嵐, Stripe ramen, and Tenkaipin ramen 天下一品 are very popular with Americans, most likely due to the fact they have English menus and are close to American bases. I do not tend to patronize these places, but many other people seem to enjoy them, so decide for yourself if you want to check them out. My husband says the fried rice at Arashi is pretty good. Both Arashi and Tenkaipin are large restaurant chains from the mainland. I am not sure on the menus, but I am fairly certain they have tantanmen, or some variation.
This can be romanized a few ways: moui or mo-i, I think are most common. Moui known in English as Chinese cucumber, red gourd, or just yellow cucumber. It looks just like a giant yellow-orange cucumber. It is a pretty common summer vegetable here in Okinawa, and since it is getting cheap in the markets, I will probably make some pickles from it.
It pretty much tastes and looks like a large yellow cucumber. It can be eaten plain, pickled, added to salads, or even cooked in soups. There are some Okinawan recipes for using it in side dishes.
Click for a pickles recipe using moui on this page. Perhaps later I will add in some other recipes from local friends.
Tsuken-jima, aka “Carrot Island,” is a short and cheap ferry ride (~15-30 minutes) from the Okinawan main island. I can see this island from the window of the second story of my house.
The word carrot in Japanese is ninjin 人参 but oddly enough you may see it as キャロット “kyarotto” in katakana.
It is an easy day trip and the whole island can be seen on foot. There is no need to bring a car or rent a car. There is a trail, mostly paved, that runs along the island. There are several utaki (Okinawan sacred forest/spots), a few hiijaagaa (water springs, usually somewhat sacred), and an observatory shaped like a rusty orange carrot with panoramic views. Basically, it is a nice walk. The water is beautiful, so water activities are also a possibility here.
Of course, there are many carrot fields and bags of carrots are sold here, as well as various carrot products, like cakes and breads. There is even a “carrot cider” (however the word cider サイダー in Japanese actually refers to soda, just as an fyi).
On this particular trip, I slipped and ended up breaking my camera, so the only photos are from the beginning of the hike… but I promise, it is quite nice the rest of the way, too.
にんにく Ninniku means garlic in Japanese; in Okinawan it is ヒル hiru. Some of my neighbors grow lots of fresh island garlic for cheap, so I am particularly lucky. In Japan, Aomori (towards the north) is a large garlic-producing region, but the garlic is rather expensive. Many stores sell garlic imported from China for cheap. So when Okinawa garlic season is in full swing, I take advantage and buy a lot, because it is fresh, tasty, and cheap. It is not as dried out as other garlic, so it tends to have a fresher scent, and perhaps a bit sharper taste.
Recently, I have made some batches of ninniku-shuu にんにく酒~~ oishii! In Okinawan, it is known as hiru-zaki ヒルザキ, although some people may even refer to it as にんにく泡盛 ninniku awamori. I have heard some people drink this (?!!) as sort of a medicinal thing, but I cannot help but imagine that is simply too strong. It is also used as a condiment for cooking, and especially goes really good in stir-fry dishes. Basically the garlic soaks in the awamori (or other strong clear liquor of one’s choice) while the garlicky essence permeates the liquid… sort of like making an extract I guess. Anyhow, it is actually really good, and with all this local garlic, it is a good way to capture the flavor when fresh garlic becomes scarce in the later months.
On the mainland, I think most people use something referred to as “white liquor” ホワイトリカー or shochu 焼酎 to make ninniku-shu. In Okinawa, of course the local favorite would be awamori. So… awamori it is for me, as well.
koregusu (left, chili awamori) and ninniku-shu (right, garlic awamori)
local Okinawa garlic
ninniku-shu (JP) or hiruzaki (OKI), garlic awamori
Hirayachi is considered Okinawan okonomiyaki, but I think it resembles Korean chijimi (チヂミ in Japanese). The word hirayachi means to “fry flat.” This is a popular snack food and izakaya food, I think because it is simple yet delicious, as well as easy to eat.
It is a pancake type of batter with only a few ingredients: flour, egg, water, salt/pepper, and green onion mixed together, plus a little oil to fry in the pan with. To serve, most people top with shaved katsuobushi (or bonito flakes) and with either Worcestershire, yakisoba sauce, or okonomiyaki sauce (whatever you prefer). I confess that I will typically use Bulldog brand tonkatsu sauce to serve, and add some pickled ginger on the side.
ハーリー haarii, or in Itoman called ハーレー haaree, are dragon boat races. In Okinawa on May 4th of the lunar calendar, just as the rainy season comes to a close, the season of haari begins! There are races enarly every weekend through July.
It is a festival for fishermen to pray for a large catch and safe sailing. In Okinawan language, fishermen are called “uminchu” うみんちゅ (海人). The festival comes from China a few hundred years ago. There are several locations within Okinawa that Haari is held; the most famous are in Itoman and Naha. The is also a festival and race in Oujima (some people spell it Ojima) 奥武島, the island of tempura!
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!
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.
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:
