Okinawa yakisoba: 沖縄風焼きそば

焼き: grilled

そば: noodles


Yakisoba 焼きそば is Japanese fried noodles. Okinawa yakisoba is a little different then regular mainland Japanese yakisoba, though. 「沖縄風」= Okinawa-style

Typically the thicker noodles are used (the same ones used for suba すば), and depending on the place it will be either salt style 「塩」 or sauce style 「ソース」. There is also a ketchup-based style ケチャップ (gross!!) which is luckily less common (I absolutely abhor ketchup).

Another difference is in the meats: usually spam スパム is a popular choice, although often it will be a mix of spam and the same kind of pork they use in regular Okinawan soba. I do not eat meats so I either give them to my husband or order without. It is commonly served with benishouga 紅生姜 (red pickled ginger), which I love. Sometimes they even have the benishouga on the table so I can add as much as I like.

It is definitely a junk food, and not so great for you, but with an ice cold Orion, it hits the spot! It is a popular choice with foreigners at the local shokudo 食堂 in Okinawa… after all what is not to like about fried noodles?

Mainland Japanese yakisoba is often topped with nori のり (dried seaweed flakes), mayonnaise マヨ, and/or katsuobushi 鰹節 (shaved bonito flakes) in addition to the pickled red ginger… but this is much less common in Okinawa-styles.

Photos of both sauce- and salt- yakisoba.