Tag: okinawa

Local Foods, Shops

Famous “No” Manjuu in Shuri: のー饅頭

The の “no” character is short for “noshi” のし or 熨斗,  which is a ceremonial origami fold used to express good wishes or good fortune, usually attached to gifts. It is seen at any kind of celebration like a wedding, new baby, New Years, housewarming… people give gifts or money envelopes with this decoration on it. 

ぎぼまんじゅう Gibo Manjuu in Shuri sells special manjuu まんじゅう (steamed buns) with the no character painted in red, known as no-manjuu のー饅頭. The manjuu are only 150yen and come out piping hot, enormous and packed with subtly sweet red bean paste. They are wrapped in sannin サンニン (also known as gettou 月桃 in Japanese or shell ginger in English) leaves, so you have the slight fragrance reminiscent of Ryukyu sweets. It is delicious and absolutely filling. It is highly recommended to visit and try these manjuu!

Although the shop is currently located at Kubagawa in the Shuri area, it was originally by the Seikou temple in Gibo (another area of Shuri), so the name is Gibo Manjuu since the business is over a century old. The number of manjuu sold each day is limited, so be sure to go early!

address: 〒903-0807 沖縄県那覇市首里久場川町２丁目１０９

 

Cooking, Japanese foods, Local Foods

Mochikibi Onigiri: もちきびおにぎり

More of Island mama’s home-cooking (part 1). This time another recipe from one of the islands in Okinawa prefecture, Tonaki-jima 渡名喜島.

Mochikibi もちきび: millet.

Onigiri おにぎり: rice ball.

So mochikibi onigiri is rice ball with millet mixed in; it is very healthy! This recipe is from Tonaki-jima, off the coast of Okinawa main island, but it is seen everywhere (and perhaps some places on the mainland of Japan!). Mochikibi is one of the specialty products from Tonaki-jima.

Recipe? Well… I mean, it is just onigiri! There really are not any tricks to this recipe. What you need:

-rice (white, but you could use other types)
-mochikibi, 1.5 tbsp
-a little salt (to taste)

Wash rice, add to rice cooker with mochikibi and add required amount of water for you rice cooker (note: if you are Hawaiian, you just do the first knuckle test for adding water). Cook according to rice cooker. Mix in a little salt, make sure the mochikibi is evenly distributed in the rice, let cool for a bit, and form your onigiri. Finished. Usually this is served a bit chilled or room temperature, perfect for bento or quick snacks.

 

Culture, Experiences, Local Events, Local Foods

Small Town Tug-of-War in Okinawa

Every year in my neighborhood after Obon, near the village office a Tug-of-war 綱引き (tsunahiki) is held. The idea is similar to the larger Tug-of-Wars held in Naha, Itoman, and Yonabaru, except on an obviously much smaller scale. The name of the event in this town is called Marujina マールジナ.

The village starts makes the two ends of the rope, and sets up a small area with free shave ice and drinks (including beer). Around 6 pm, everyone starts to assemble, and eisa music plays on the loudspeakers (which no joke, are definitely left over sound equipment from the 60s, crackly speakers and all). We were lucky this year with no rain– the previous 2 years festivities were cut short due to rain.

We dressed in jinbei 甚平, although almost no one except the very small children dress up for this event, because I feel that I might as well enjoy it properly. So wearing my jinbei, I grabbed a tenugui (towel), uchiwa (fan), and a beer, and walked down the street to the event. Of course, being foreigners we stick out, and wearing jinbei even more so, but that’s okay, probably people see the effort to appreciate local culture/traditions and feel more comfortable talking us. Of course the minute we arrive, shave ice and drinks are thrust upon us (not that I minded). Kids were frolicking about, getting excited, while the adults were catching up on chatting. Throughout the festival we spoke to a few of our neighbors who are always a bit interested in the foreign couple living in this rural area (all of our neighbors are Japanese/Okinawan… the only few other foreigners in the village live a few neighborhoods down from us or up the hill by the university).

Around 6:30 the Gaaee ガーエー starts. Gaaee means something like “winner’s triumphant shout.” Basically it entails guys carry a large, heavy bamboo pole decorated with flags and flowers and other decorations, called hatagashira 旗頭. Hatagashira are an example of the traditional Okinawan culture. They are symbols created to represent a the success of a village. Supposedly, during the pole competition, the gods land on the top of the hatagashira and assist in the tugging of the rope during the tug-of-war. Some of the guys grabbed my husband and helped him try; my husband commented how incredibly top-heavy it is and that it definitely takes more skill than you might imagine.

In our village we have the adults gaaee, as well as a children’s gaaee. The children are given much smaller hatagashira, and are assisted by adults. The children’s symbols are a sunflower and a hibiscus. It is sort of cute, like they are in training for later when they are older.

Sometime around 7 or so, the rope was set up and the procession of uniting the two ends began. Once the ropes were close enough, fires were lit, the pin was inserted, and of course, the tugging began! After the first round, the gaaee started back up again for awhile until round 2 for the children. Many of the adults helped the children during their round (the rope is so heavy!). After this round, again, the gaaee finished off the ceremony. Some adults stuck around, as they were having karaoke in the community center, but since we had work in the morning (and plus no one wants to hear me sing) we headed off home.

It was a particularly exciting and energetic event this year, probably since it is the first time in awhile we had good weather for this event! Besides the pictures, there is a video link here of the Tug of War and here for a preview of Gaaee.

 

Culture, Local Foods

Summer Eisa on Miyagi-jima

宮城島 Miyagi-jima is a small island connected by bridge to the Okinawa main island via Henza-jima.

This year is the second annual summer eisa matsuri, called たかはなり島あしび Takahanari Shima Ashibi.

高離り島 (たかはなり島) refers to Miyagi-jima. あしび means “to play” in Okinawa language (coming from the Japanese, 遊ぶ asobu). So basically, the name of the festival is like “come play on Miyagi island!”

At 3 pm, eisa groups start to perform along the roads in 3 areas of the island. There is a main parking area at the old (abandoned) elementary school for the festival. FYI, this is NOT actually in google maps… so actually pay attention to the address given… unlike myself, who figured, I will just follow the signs, how hard can it be, it is a tiny island, right?? Well, luckily when you get close, the signs had a pouch with printed out maps, directions, locations, schedules and the whole bit, otherwise I would have stayed lost (despite this being a tiny island). Luckily, we were not the only lost souls, other Japanese/Okinawans were also getting these maps and looking confused. Anyway, it was easy once we figured the approximate location in the car navi system.

Anyway… so back to the street performances. These were simply along residential, narrow streets of the island, from 3-5pm. People emerged from houses and cars to watch and listen to the eisa performers. During this time, my husband (over 6 feet tall, a giant by Japanese standards) and myself (although of average US height, still towers over most Japanese women) decidedly stood out as the only foreigners in the small crowd. It was a bit hot, but at least there was some small breeze off the ocean making it a bit more tolerable. We arrived a bit late (nearly 4pm, due to the maps issue), which was probably a good thing considering the Okinawan heat. In spite of seeing many eisa performances since arriving nearly 3 years ago, I am still fairly fascinated by it and all of the variations you see around the island.

Around 5pm, the main stage area of the festival grounds was getting started, and tents with food, drinks, and local products encircled the field. This festival was unlike many of the other more “popular” summer matsuri, as here it was almost entirely LOCAL business and products! Wow, so nice– too often with the larger matsuri, big companies come in and sell food/drink (with bigger crowds, the mom&pop places have a hard time competing), and they are rather subpar. Today, it was different and amazing.

The famous ougon-imo (黄金芋, orange sweet potato similar to annou-imo and “American” orange sweet potatoes) from the neighboring island made an appearance, as well as many other small businesses. Ika (squid) caught from the surrounding waters and mozuku (seaweed special to Okinawa) was also prominent among food sellers. We had squid karaage (fried squid rings), beniimo dango (fried purple sweet potato mochi), baked ougon-imo, sata andagi (Okinawa doughnut) flavored with dragonfruit, ohagi (sweet sticky rice balls, these were flavored with ougon-imo), and chicken wrapped in fried shredded ougon-imo (um… picture like a chicken nugget but if instead of breading you replaced that with sweet potato hashbrowns). Everything we tried was delicious, my husband gave it his highest rating. He was initially a bit reluctant to be dragged to this small festival, as it was about a 45-minute car ride north of our house. I guess I drag him to a lot of summer matsuri…

As we were eating, the main stage shows played. There was eisa, local dancing, sanshin, chondora (eisa clowns), fan dance, and more. It was really quite nice, especially once the sun sunk down beneath the horizon and it cooled down a bit.

I guess it was a bit obvious the lack of foreign guests (besides us, 2 american guys with their Okinawan wives). We were approached by a writer for one of the travel websites, as she had noticed us watching the street eisa earlier. She spoke to me in Japanese, mixed with a little English, and I explained my situation in Okinawa, and how I had found out about this matsuri (online, from an event website in Japanese). She lamented the lack of English resources for finding these types of events, and I agreed, as I find these local events extremely interesting and a great chance to learn more about tradition and culture of the islands. She took our picture and gave me a card; she was a sweet person. Later she emailed a link to the article she wrote and our picture with caption was published on the travel website.

Evenings like this type of summer festival are special, and gives a chance to glimpse how life really is in Okinawa. At these events you can see the real Okinawa, not the tourist view.

 

Culture, Local Foods

Okinawa chopsticks: Umeshi 沖縄赤黄箸 「うめーし」

沖縄赤黄箸: 沖縄 is Okinawa, 赤 aka is “red,” 黄 ki is “yellow,” and 箸 hashi is chopsticks. So this means Okinawa red-yellow colored traditional chopsticks.

Chopsticks are know as hashi 箸 in Japanese, but in Okinawa they are called umeshi うめーし (you may also see the romanization as ume-shi or umeeshi due to the long “eh” sound). These chopsticks came to Okinawa during the Ryukyu Kingdom era, with origins from China. They are made from bamboo.

The red part of the umeshi is to represent the sun, and is painted in lacquer, used as a handgrip. It helps prevent them from slipping in your hand.

The yellow part of the umeshi is to represent the moon, and is dyed/colored by rubbing it with turmeric (known as ukon ウコン in Japanese, ucchin うっちん in Okinawan), which is traditionally believed have antibacterial or sterilizing properties. Though these days, companies just move to more commercial dyes or paints.

Some theory also says the red can represent passion, protective amulet/ward, or human blood, while the yellow represents the sun.

These umeshi are still found in local restaurants and shokudo, but are becoming less common as people move towards the disposable hashi. I recently received 2 pairs as a gift; my initial thought was a bit, hmm, odd choice in hashi (sort of plain, no fancy pattern like you often see with Japanese hashi) but then I realized the tradition and culture behind these umeshi and was very grateful to receive such a kind gesture and gift with special meaning. Now I admit these have become my favorite pair.

Apparently, if you go back a long time ago, umeshi were originally called “nmeshi” んめーし. The 御 is pronounced ん “n”, and combined with 箸 pronounced めーし “meshi” makes んめーし “nmeshi.” But these days it is known better as umeshi.

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Culture, Local Foods

Fuchagi: フチャギ (more Okinawa mochi!)

フチャギ (or ふちゃぎ) fuchagi is a special Okinawa mochi; it is rice cake covered in azuki beans (小豆). This is a little different than muuchii. As I mentioned in other posts, beans are believed to ward off evil or demons. One of the main times of year to eat fuchagi is during Mid-Autumn Festival, around Autumn equinox and Tsukimi moon-viewing (occurs on the 15th of the 8th lunar month). They are also put on the altar and hinukan as an offering to give thanks for the current good harvest and to pray for future good harvests.

I was told the story behind the origin of fuchagi thanks to one of my older students. It is a kind of ghost story, really, but it has a happy ending.

Story of the origins of Fuchagi:

One day a man was kidnapped by a demon called a Majimun マジムン (a type of Ryukuan devil/monster) and entrapped in the tomb of an Aji 按司 (a type Ryukuan samurai, or feudal lord, high ranking person), located in a deserted area. He could not move and he could carely speak; only his hand could fit through a small opening to the outside of the tomb. He would cry for help in a husky voice, “Help me, help me…” but he received no replies.

After a few days, one night 2 men were walking near the tomb to take shelter from the rain. Suddenly, they noticed a hand emerge from the hole! They were terrified as they saw the human hand coming from the tomb, but they heard a husky voice pleading for help. The prisoner in the tomb told them his name and the village he was from, so the 2 men rescued him from the tomb, then bringing him back to his village via horseback.

However, 49 days had already passed since the man’s disappearance, so his family and the village held a funeral (one of the traditional number of days to hold a type of Buddhist funeral service), even without a body. Everyone was so surprised to see him approach as they were holding his funeral, but shed tears of joy at his return. The plain mochi used in the funeral was changed to celebratory mochi by adding beans to the surface (beans are used in celebrations and for warding off evil). Everyone ate the mochi covered in beans, and from then forward, fuchagi mochi is eaten to protect against evil every August 15th according to the lunar calendar.

Don’t live in Okinawa but want to make it at home? Here is the recipe at the bottom of this blog post (just scroll down); you can find all the ingredients pretty easily, but depending on where you live you may need to find an Asian market if these are not common in your regular grocery stores.

 

 

Local Foods

Spicy Okinawa: 辛い

辛い！karai means “spicy!”

Japan is not really known for spicy stuff. I think most Japanese dislike spicy food for the most part. So if you love spicy foods, you need to look for some ways to kick it up a notch. I will introduce some pastes, sauces, etc that will add some spice to your life while in Okinawa. Everything is available at local grocery stores and markets.

コーレーグース koregusu: the quintessential Okinawa condiment, hot chili awamori. Read more here. All Okinawa shokudo will have this on one of the tables.

練り唐辛子 neri tougarashi: neri means “paste,” while tougarashi is chili pepper. This paste is really quite hot, sort of the paste equivalent of koregusu. The only ingredients are chili peppers, awamori, salt, and vinegar. A little goes a long way.

柚子胡椒 yuzu koshou: yuzu is a citrus, koshou is pepper. This is a green-yellow colored paste made of chili peppers, yuzu, and salt that is somewhat fermented. Not too spicy, but still packs a punch.

七味唐辛子: shichimi tougarashi, or just shichimi, is 7 spice powder. It is spicy-savory, and usully contains some combination of: red chili pepper, sansho (Japanese pepper), orange peel, black/white sesame, hemp seed, ginger, nori, shiso, and poppy seeds. It is really common to find this at most restaurants.

ラー油 ra-yu: this is spicy chili oil. 油 yu means “oil.” This is usually a chili-infused sesame oil. 食べるラー油 taberu ra-yu (literally “chili oil for eating”) is actually supposed to be reduced spiciness; it often will include bits of fried garlic or onion in it to add extra flavor. I saw ads recently for “ladies ra-yu” which is very little spiciness (more fried onions but no garlic so you won’t have stinky breath, maintaining you lovely lady image). Lol.

 

 

 

Experiences

Uchinaa Farm: うちなーファーム

うちなーファーム Uchinaa farm is located in Itoman (southern part of Okinawa main island). It has many animals to see and pet, as well as “wine” tasting, and some tourist activities. Entrance fee is cheaper for residents (100y off) so only 500y for adults.

The farm produces 4 types of fruit wines: shikwasa, mango, passionfruit, and acerola. I like passionfruit the best, nice and dry. Acerola and mango were very sweet to me.

There is a large walking course to follow. They have horses, ponies, a zebra, donkeys, water buffalo, cows, goats, pigs, kangaroos. They also have some cats and meerkats (so cute!), as well as a red panda, capybara, rabbits, gerbils…  it is almost like a mini-zoo. It was a cute way to spend a morning, even if it was a bit hot outside. There are also some activities such as tractor ride, pony rides, water buffalo cart, etc.

There is also a restaurant and cafe, but we skipped this and went to a local shokudo. Overall, it was a really nice place for a date: walking around the pasture, seeing animals, and tasting some fruit wines.

address: 〒901-0333沖縄県糸満市摩文仁1018

Culture, Japanese foods, Local Foods

Rice coupons: おこめ券

おこめ券: okomeken. This means rice coupon or ticket. お “o” is the honorable prefix, 米/こめ kome is rice, and 券 ken is ticket / coupon / certificate.

I was fortunate enough to receive such a gift around Christmas and the New year. At first, I thought, “what???!” It seemed a bit strange. There is a national program set up where you can basically buy gift certificates for 1 kg of rice for people. You can use these tickets at pretty much any grocery store. I think it costs about 500円 to purchase these. But then you can give these out during holidays or special occasions. It is actually sort of convenient, and a nice gift in that you can choose your own rice, if you have a preference. Also, there is no expiration date!

In addition, many other places will accept these rice certificates; for my husband, one of these places is Joyfull restaurant. Instead of 1 kg rice, it can be used as 〜440円 discount on the bill. I had to read some blogs in Japanese to figure out the logistics of using it, and discovered some places will also redeem these, so I gave some to my husband so he could  eat cheaply. Not enough English blogs talk about using these okome-ken…

If you live in Okinawa, here are some places that will redeem rice tickets in addition to the grocery stores (grocery stores will have marked which rice can use okomeken, and when in doubt just ask): Makeman (home improvement store), Wafu-tei (restaurant), HottoMotto (bento store), Joyfull (restaurant), and some gas stations!

If you should want to purchase rice tickets (to give to other people), go to the service counter of a department store, and many of them will sell these.

This one is shamefully a bit crumpled from being in my husbands wallet. I should have kept the pictures from when it was brand new and perfectly smooth.

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Culture

Ishigantou: 石敢當

石敢當 Ishigantou (or ishiganto) are another common feature in Okinawan neighborhoods. They are stone tablets, talismans to ward off evil spirits: 石 ishi means “rock,”敢 gan means “a challenge,” and 當 tou means “to strike/hit.” You will see them on every intersection; they keep bad spirits from entering homes near intersections and weaken their power (because evil spirits can only go in straight lines, they cannot turn).

It is a tradition that came from China a long time ago, and is prevalent all over the islands. Walking around just my neighborhood it is possible to see dozens. Some are handmade, some are plain, and some even have fancy designs; you can purchase many types at the DIY home center (like Cainz, Makeman, Sakamoto, etc). Just like shisa, this is another traditional way to protect the home.

There is even one on our laboratory door at university.

 

 

Japanese foods, Local Foods

Shoyu: 醤油

醤油, or しょうゆ in hiragana, is shoyu (soy sauce for you non-Hawaiians). In Hawai’i, we use the Japanese word shoyu instead of the English word soy sauce, due to the large number of ethnic Japanese. In Hawai’i there are local brands of shoyu, like Aloha Shoyu.

Kikkoman is obviously  prevalent brand, but there are many others as well. Yamasa brand is also fairly popular (which is a brand I typically prefer, personally). Not only that, but there are many types of shoyu, and other sauces that are shoyu-based (and therefore many foreigners confuse them with shoyu, only to get home home and wonder what it is they bought… so always read the label carefully and look for the key kanji or kana!).

I find it is important to read the ingredients, to see exactly what type of shoyu you are getting, and if there any additives (like HFCS to the “sweet” shoyu). Another thing to remember, as with many things, you get what you pay for; higher quality tends to be pricier. I typically buy mid-range for everyday use, and occasionally get a pricier one for “special dinners.” There are some specialty food stores around that carry some of the high-quality stuff.

Here are some of the main types you see in the store:

  • koikuchi shoyu 濃口, こいくち: common shoyu. This is the type you see most often. Typically I buy a large bottle of this, since it is the one is most used. This will be the type of shoyu on probably 90% of the shelf in your average grocery store such as SanA.
  • usukuchi shoyu 淡口, うすくち: it means “light” taste shoyu, but actually has more salt/sodium. Popular in Kansai and has a lighter color. You can usually find a few bottles on the shelf in SanA or Aeon.
  • tamari 溜まり, たまり: somewhat thicker, stronger shoyu. Often used for sashimi, or teriyaki. Most people in the west think of this as a non-wheat shoyu, but this is often not the case, especially if it is made traditionally. Another reason why reading the ingredients is so important!
  • sashimi shoyu さしみ: some brands advertise specifically for sashimi, they are a bit smoother. Again, there are usually a few bottles easy to find in the average grocery store.
  • amakuchi shoyu 甘口, あまくち: “sweet” shoyu. Be careful, this often has added sugars of some type. It is difficult to find any in the store without artificial sugars or HFCS.
  • genen 減塩 /teien 低塩: reduced salt shoyu. This is just koikuchi but with less sodium content.

 

Things that look like shoyu but are different:

  • ponzu ポン酢 (also sometimes ぽんず): citrus flavored sauce with shoyu base. The citrus flavor often varies; here in Okinawa shikwasa (small lime) is popular, but other areas yuzu is more common.
  • tsuyu つゆ (also, hon tsuyu 本つゆ): this usually has either fish or konbu (seaweed) stock added to it, as well as other ingredients, such as mirin. Often used for mainland soba, but it is multipurpose and can be used for many things, such as oden, udon, and nabe.
  • dashi-shoyu だし醤油: similar to tsuyu, just a mix of dashi and shoyu. Often used for soup base, or simmered dishes. Dashi shoyu is usually seen as 昆布 konbu (seaweed) or かつお katsuo (bonito) types.

I could probably add more (I mean, seriously I have seen people buy straight up dashi, fish sauce and others with completely different coloring, thinking it was shoyu… ), but I feel like the ones I listed above are the not so obvious ones if you cannot read much Japanese, and they are often situated right next to the shoyu so it could be easily mistaken.

Other words to look for on shoyu or similar sauce bottles: this is just a small sample of some ingredients you may see, not a comprehensive list.

  • 有機 organic
  • 大豆 soy bean
  • 丸大豆 whole soy bean
  • 小麦 wheat
  • 塩 salt
  • みりん mirin
  • 酒 sake
  • アルコール alcohol
  • 砂糖 sugar
  • 甘味料 sweeter (usually in parenthesis it will tell what type is used: stevia, HFCS, etc)
  • キャラメル色素: caramel coloring… avoid this. Real shoyu does not need this coloring, usually if this is added, you are just buying colored salt water, not shoyu. Gross.
  • 無添加 additive-free
  • グルテンフリー gluten-free, though I have never seen any in person… gluten-free is not a trend in Japan.

 

Hopefully some of these tips help if you are shopping for shoyu in Okinawa or Japan.

I got this koikuchi shoyu posted below for free from a lucky drawing at an electronics store.

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**Note: If you wanna get serious about your grade of shoyu, there is the official government regulated labels from JAS (Japan Agricultural Standards):

特級 tokkyuu: special grade

１級 ikkyuu: 1st grade

標準 hyoujun: standard grade

Grading is based on measuring the chemical composition for amino acids and alcohol content. The Japanese Shoyu Association adds two more grades higher than “special grade”: extra select 特選 tokusen and ultra-extra select 超特選 choutokusen.

Japanese foods, Local Foods

Okara (soy pulp): おから

Okara おから is soy pulp; it is what remains after making soy milk or tofu. It is used in some traditional Japanese, Korean, and Chinese dishes, and gained some popularity with vegetarians. Many people do not really think to eat okara much anymore, but it is full of fiber, protein and some nutrients. Okara is often used for livestock feed.

So, in Okinawa, waste not want not, okara is seen fairly common in stores. It is very cheap to buy fresh okara. Of course, making your own tofu, okara is a natural by-product, and so I sometimes I need to find recipes for the leftover okara. It is common to see in all sorts of recipes, such as fillers for meatballs, vegetarian patties, stews, and even baked goods. My husband like to add it into his chili recipe, to cut down on the amount of meat he uses (this not only gives his meal a nutritional boost, but also helps cut down on the cost).

Keep in mind okara is pretty flavorless on its own, and sometimes it is a little gritty in  texture. But used in the right recipe, it can be good. There are a surprising number of recipes using okara out there; there is one blog with an astounding number of okara-based recipes, and it has definitely given me some ideas.

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Japanese foods, Restaurants

Hokkaido Uoman: 北海道魚萬

北海道: Hokkaido

Yesterday for lunch we went to a newly built complex made up of mostly some restaurants in Urasoe. We wanted to try this izakaya type place, called Hokkaido Uoman, which serves Hokkaido foods; it is open 24 hours, and although they have morning and lunch specials, you can order off the grand menu any time.

The interior is really fun, and has really interesting “fishing village” elements and decor. It does not feel like you are in Okinawa anymore, but transported up north (and perhaps back in time too). We got to sit in one of the booths that looks like a large barrel. I should have taken pictures but was too distracted looking around. I am easily entertained by the simple details, with the lanterns, the fishing bobs, and various wooden elements.

The menu has a lot of interesting food, and definitely specializes in seafood shipped in from Hokkaido. We ordered a few dishes to split, and everything was really good. The order of 唐揚げいか fried squid rings was enormous~~ my husband was so happy with how fresh they were. He also got the かにみそ crab innards, served in the shell; he said an interesting and tasty treat, though maybe just an occasional one. We also got some typical stuff like 漬物 pickles, cabbage salad, and Hokkaido seafood salt yakisoba. Although some items were a little expensive, our bill only came out to ~2500 yen! Next time we will come for dinner and spend a little more; more husband looks forward to having some of those huge scallops on the table-top grills, and maybe some more crab dishes since all the seafood was good quality here.

Although I have not yet made it to Hokkaido (in October I will fix this, as we have a fall foliage viewing trip planned already), I really enjoyed this restaurant. If you are living or staying in Okinawa and want a small taste of Hokkaido, I think this place is really nice, even though I have no idea if it is “authentic” Hokkaido taste, at least the much of the seafood is from there. The menu even has pictures and English words, so not to worry if your Japanese skills are low.

address: 〒901-2101 沖縄県浦添市西原2-4-1 (P’s SQUARE Building, 2nd floor)

Uncategorized

Free Stuff at the Japanese Conbini

As I mentioned in another post, conbini (Japanese convenience stores) often have campaigns of various types (see Snoopy towel).

Sometimes, campaigns are as simple as a small gift attached to the bottled drinks (pet bottles, ペットボトル, or often just shortened to “petto” ペット), such as teas, coffees, or sodas. Over time I have collected a fair number of these, from pet bottle covers with designs of Rilakkuma and Sailor Moon to cell strap charms of various character, refrigerator magnets, Moomin sticky notes, and even plastic cell phone stands (okay, this one was a bit odd). Sadly, yes this does in fact sway me to purchase certain drinks over others, due to my penchant for ultra-kawaii things clouding my better judgement.

I will work on uploading the whole gallery of random pet bottle gifts… but here are a few to get started.

Culture, Travel: Japan

Learning Hiragana & Katakana

Hiragana ひらがな: traditional phonetic alphabet, typically used for original Japanese words.

Katakana カタカナ: phonetic alphabet used for foreign words, although occasionally used for Japanese words.

For anyone living in Okinawa, or even just visiting for awhile, I think it really opens up the possibilities if you learn the basic alphabets. It enables you to read more menus and signs, even with limited vocabulary. Menus with western food (such as Italian, American, French, etc) will use a lot of katakana (because the dishes are foreign!) and by simply sounding them out, you will likely figure out the meaning.

How does one go about doing this? Well, memorization and practice. There are even some phone apps, like Dr Moku, to help you. I also find the cute (and cheap!) little books and posters in the Daiso/100円 stores are great tools; even though they are for Japanese children, they are fun and a great way to simply practice.

Honestly, I am surprised to learn of people living here and not giving it a go to learn the alphabets and some basic Japanese. Relying on places to have English menus or translations in stores limits you. Worse yet, those who rely solely on their phone translators… while the technology is improving, there ares still some issues with “lost in translation,” especially when it comes to handwritten signs or stylized scripts. Plus, you can gain some small respect from the local population for attempting to learn (you will often hear things like nihongo ojouzu desu ne! you speak Japanese well!). By learning the basics, a whole new Okinawa opens up to you.

 

 

Local Foods

Kariyushi Farmers Market: 軽便駅かりゆし市

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.

address: 沖縄県南城市大里字高平875-1

Restaurants

Giant Panda Chinese Restaurant: 大熊猫

大熊猫 ookumaneko means Giant Panda. Although honestly, I usually see panda simply as パンダ written in katakana, so today I learned a new word.

We were up in Nago, and trying to decide on lunch. My husband felt like eating Chinese food, so I checked Google Maps and after glancing through a few restaurant pictures settled on a Sichuan restaurant called 大熊猫. And, just as I like it, it was off a back road in a little neighborhood. It is located on the second story of an apartment building and a few parking spaces underneath on the first story (upper stories are apartments).

*Just as a quick note, especially for mainland Americans: Chinese food is quite different than the American-Chinese most people expect. I know some Americans complain about the Chinese food here in Japan (but it is the same style as in Hawai’i due to the significant Asian influence, so I guess I am used to it), and they just want the Americanized version “whatever-fried-with-sweet-sauce” (not that this is a bad thing– American-Chinese food has its place I suppose). The thing is, you just probably will not find anything like your typical American-Chinese here, except for maybe on the American bases. Now, Chinese food in Japan is not necessarily authentic or anything, but it is more similar in style to actual Chinese food, although often with a Japanese twist and usually a lot less spicy.

When we entered, a slightly surprised lady greeted us, and got us some iced tea. There were cute panda decorations all around, a counter and a few tables, a fairly small place but clean. It was just after 11 am, so we were the first customers that day.

The menu was fairly simple, a few items, plus some specials hanging on the wall. The mapo tofu (麻婆豆腐) was recommended (おすすめ osusume), so of course we ordered that, and another favorite for my husband the fried crispy noodles in sauce (五目あんかけ焼きそば). There were other items, such as gyoza, tantan men, sweet/sour pork, fried rice; all of which tempted my husband, he had a difficult time deciding what we should order. She seemed pretty excited that we were there and reading the menu in Japanese. Once we ordered she went to the back and we could hear her cooking.

After a bit, the food came out, piping hot and so delicious. Wow, probably the number one Chinese food on the island that I have had! It was spicy and so well flavored. We ordered the fried sesame dango (唐揚げゴマ団子) for dessert, yum. The best part– the total was less than 2000円 for everything, and we were completely stuffed full.

As we were eating, more people started coming in, so the secret must be out about the amazing food at this place in the neighborhood. If you are in Nago and wanting some good Chinese food, this place is a must.

address: 沖縄県名護市為又1219-212  https://goo.gl/maps/AGj4Z6catv32

 

 

Culture, Japanese foods

Karaoke: カラオケ

Karaoke カラオケ is a popular activity in Japan, and there are karaoke boxes all over. In Okinawa, there are several places try this beloved activity.

Karaoke in Japan is different than in the US… you do not sing in front of a crowd of strangers. You (and your party) are assigned a room, so you are singing with just your friends, coworkers… or by yourself!

Hitori-karaoke 一人カラオケ is 1-person karaoke. Maybe this sounds weird to you, but it is incredibly relaxing and a great way to get rid of stress. You can sing as loud and as long as you want, without caring who is around. Plus, you get to pick all the songs. I have done this quite a few times before, and I enjoy much more than I thought I would. I know some people who go to hitori-karaoke just to practice for the real thing!

When you rent a karaoke room, it is usually by the hour and size of the room. Usually places have special pricing plans. For instance it is always cheaper in the mornings and on weekdays, but you if you want to sing  a lot, they have all night deals, too. Often times you can get unlimited soft drinks bar with some of these deals. Some places even have fancier sound system upgrades.

Once you settle on your room, you will be given microphones and touchscreen tablets (most places this is multilingual now) to control the video screens and choose songs. You might be seriously surprised at the enormous selection of foreign songs… just use the search function to find artists, songs, genres. There will also be food/drink menus in the room, and a telephone to call the desk for ordering food. Sometimes as a foreigner it is a bit intimidating to use the phone to call in orders, but I usually do not have too much trouble with this.

Some places to try karaoke in Okinawa are:

  • Utamaru 歌丸
  • Tomato とまと
  • Big Echo
  • Croquette Club コロッケクラブ
  • Maneki neko まねきねこ

These are chains with a few locations, but there are several more smaller places, too many to list!

 

Local Foods

Potatoes of Okinawa: 芋

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.

Uncategorized

Sunflowers: ひまわり🌻

Himawari ひまわり means sunflower.

In Haebaru town, there is a place called Himawari-batake ひまわり畑 (sunflower field). Right now it is just past peak bloom, but it is still very cute to see so many sunflowers in one place. In May, they are planted by school children, and then in mid July they bloom in peak. Afterwards, the soil is then used to plant kabocha.

It is free to go see, and there is no real parking, just pull off to the side of the farm road and admire them. The field is in the midst of several other farm fields.

address: 〒901-1104 Okinawa Prefecture, Shimajiri District 南風原町宮平６９７

https://goo.gl/maps/wfGjNw7pAas

There is a second sunflower field in Kitanakagusuku that blooms much earlier in the year, ~March. Earlier this year we had bad weather and the flowers grew much smaller. I went 2 years ago and they were really nice. Hopefully next year they turn out well again.

Culture

Yukata: 浴衣

Yukata 浴衣 are the light summer robes, and much different than heavy, layered kimono 着物. Many people, men and women, wear yukata or jinbei 甚平 to the summer festivals (matsuri 祭り). You can also wear yukata to beer gardens, parties, or pretty much any casual outdoor “event” during the warmer months. Many people also wear them when staying in onsen towns.

In the Ryukyu kingdom, yukata would actually have much different designs than you see today at the summer matsuri. Today, most yukata in Okinawa are influenced by Japanese designs rather than traditional designs.

I have both a yukata and a jinbei. Jinbei are shorts and a robe top, very comfortable and light. Mine has a design of Hello Kitty x OnePiece. Very adult, indeed. Jinbei are sort of like pajamas and pretty comfortable. Perhaps it is seen as a bit childish or tomboyish for a female to wear jinbei, but it is so easy and comfy. I think they actually look pretty cute.

Yukata are actually fairly easy to put on, with a little practice. My yukata has a green checkered and cat print on it, and the obi 帯 is green on one side and pink on the other. It is very cute. But the obi is not the pre-tied obi like you see in many stores these days– I must tie it myself. I am considered getting one of those fluffy “ribbon” obi that seem to be trendy lately; they look very easy to tie, just a simple bow. Although I must say, I did a pretty good job of tying the bunko-musubi (butterfly knot) for this recent matsuri I attended. I have fan that sort of matches it, that I bought at the 100円 store, and a pair of geta 下駄 (wooden slippers), though many people in Okinawa just wear island slippers. I have a kinchaku (drawstring bag) as well, but it does not match, as it is one that was used as gift-wrapping for a gift I received. I have some flower hair clips from Hawai’i and I bought a set of flower clips at the 100円 store as well. There are all sorts of little bits and bobs you can buy to accessorize a yukata, if you feel so inclined (hair clips, pins, rope ties, handbags, etc). There are special ties and clips and underthings you can get as well to help secure the pieces. These can really add up in price fast though…

The basic pieces you need for a yukata:

  • the yukata itself
  • tanktop or thin shirt, shorts to wear underneath (you can also purchase Japanese-style underclothes called hadajuban 肌襦袢)
  • obi 帯, specifically hanhaba obi 半幅帯 of any style/color
  • 2 pieces of sash to secure yukata before tying obi, called koshi-himo 腰ひも **I actually use a korin-belt コーリンベルト which has clips so it is a bit fancier but more expensive.

The “extras”:

  • fan! Folded is called sensu 扇子, round is called uchiwa 団扇 (うちわ)
  • wooden sandals, called geta 下駄 **in Okinawa is probably more common to see just rubber slippers (you could also pair tabi socks 足袋 with this, but usually yukata is without)
  • handbag, kinchaku (drawstring bag) 巾着 with kago (basket) 籠 (かご)
  • a fancy cord to tie over obi, called obi-jime 帯締め, with an obi-dome 帯留め (ornament threaded over the obi-jime)
  • decorative accessory for obi, called obi-kazari 帯飾り
  • hair ornaments, called kanzashi 簪 (かんざし)
  • a stiff belt to go underneath the obi and keep shape, called datejime 伊達締め

There are many places in Okinawa during summer and pre-summer months to find yukata. You can buy second-hand and save some money, or you can buy new. Second hand stores such as Manga Souko and Off-House (part of the Book-Off group) usually have a decent variety. Buying new, you can go to SanA, Aeon, Honeys, or UNIQLO for cheaper ones, or specialty yukata/kimono stores for more expensive ones. You can also find many on Amazon.jp! There are so many patterns and colors, it is so hard to choose. I really enjoy seeing all the colorful and beautiful yukata and jinbei when I go to the summer matsuri.

**Note on sizing: Most women’s yukata are just sold as “free size,” and are usually for women of 153-170 cm in height, depending on the maker. Others may be sold as small, medium, large, extra-large, or tall size (the difference is in the length height-wise of the yukata, and the length of the sleeves covering your arm). I am ~168-169 cm, so on the taller end of this. Free size yukata fit me decently enough, though the tall size is a little nicer looking! Most tall sizes will fit someone up to 175cm tall. Any taller and you may need to make a custom order!

 

 

Culture, Travel: Japan

Manhole Covers in Japan: マンホールの蓋

マンホールの蓋: manhoru no futa, means “manhole cover.”

If you travel Japan, you will notice many beautiful and artistic designs on manhole covers. Just about every town and city has its own design. Be sure to take the time and look for them.

Below is the one from my town, Nakagusuku. It has a classical Ryukuan poem about the town on it, as well as a full moon, a hibiscus, and ocean waves:

「とよむ中城　吉の浦のお月　みかけ照りわたて さびやねさみ」

In Okinawan the pronunciation would be: トゥユムナカグスィク　ユシヌウラヌウツィキ　ミカギティリワタティ　サビヤネサミ, fairly from the different than standard Japanese reading.

The poem describes peacefully viewing the beautiful and peaceful moon from the castle towards (what is now) Yoshinoura Park, and there seems to be no worries about accidents or sorrow; this area was the place where Lord Gosamaru held moon-viewing feasts (tsukimi 月見) during the Gusuku era.

IMG_5888

Here are a few others located in various places of Okinawa and Japan; I can’t upload all my pictures, but maybe one day I will put them in an imgur album:

Culture, Experiences, Local Events

Tug of War: 大綱引き

綱引き Tsunahiki means tug-of-war.

You may also see the kanji written as 大綱曳 or 大綱挽 for the Great Tug-of-War events here in Okinawa. It became a tradition for every village in Okinawa to hold these tug-of-war events at the end of summer, beginning of autumn. In the lunar calendar, it is traditional to hold tug-of-war in the 6th or 8th month, although that is not always the case today. Originally it started as a way to pray to keep away the insects from damaging the crops, for rain, and for a good harvest.

Enormous ropes woven from straw are created for each team. Preceding the event are processions on each side with large banners on decorated poles (called hatagashira 旗頭), people in colorful costumes, and eisa dance/music or chanting, known as gaaee ガーエー, meaning something like “winner’s triumphant shout.” Basically it entails guys carry a large, heavy bamboo pole decorated with flags and flowers and other decorations, called hatagashira 旗頭. Hatagashira are an example of the traditional Okinawan culture. They are symbols created to represent a the success of a village. Supposedly, during the pole competition, the gods land on the top of the hatagashira and assist in the tugging of the rope during the tug-of-war.

To start the event, each team (divided into “East” and “West”) will bring their ropes together and a “pin” is inserted to keep the two looped ends together. Then the tugging will begin, with cheers and shouts on each end, the leaders of each team encouraging their side. After the time is up, they will determine who pulled the furthest and declare a side the winner. Afterwards, it is good luck to take pieces of the rope home with you and turn them into decorative charms to protect the household. You see a lot of people bringing their own scissors or pocket knives to cut of pieces as soon as the tug of war ends. Officially, only authorized people are supposed to have knives for rope-cutting, but… I don’t that stops most people.

There is the largest event in Naha every year, the Sunday before Sports Day (a national holiday in October). I went once and found this one to be really too crowded; now I much prefer the tsunahiki in Yonabaru town, usually occuring before Obon at the very end of July or beginning of August. It is still a large event, but less tourists and more locals. There is also a large event in Itoman every year on the 15th day of the 8th lunar month, a day known as Juugoya/Tsukimi (again mostly locals, not so many tourists). There are even several small tsunahiki events, one is held in my village every year (related post here). It is still a rather large rope but not nearly the size of the larger events. These events are great fun, so if you are in Okinawa be sure to participate in one of them!

Images from Yonabaru 2015:

More images, from Yonabaru 2016: https://imgur.com/a/RI5zO

Culture, Holidays, Japanese foods, Local Foods

Summer Gift-giving: 御中元

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.

Cooking, Japanese foods, Local Foods

Yonaguni-jima recipe: Sakuna shiraae サクナの白和え

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.

img_8499
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.

If you enjoyed this, try the second in the series, a special dish from Ojiki-jima in Nagasaki prefecture.

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…

IMG_8722.JPG

**For anyone who was directed here looking for more info on “Bizarre Foods in Okinawa,” I have created a special post: here.

Restaurants

Cafe Gacchina: ガッチーナ

This small coffee cafe is hidden off Rt 34 in Ginowan. It is clean, modern, and relaxing. This was the perfect choice for a rainy day. 

There are a ton of coffee options, hot sandwich sets, and a few other miscellaneous. There is also free (and fast!) WiFi. The food coffee are really good and not too expensive, especially compared to some other places here. I had the egg-mayo, although you can choose 2 different types if you wish… but I am boring. It came with kabocha soup andfresh  green salad. I also got a cafe latte, and for dessert the Okinawan brown sugar pound cake. The baked good rotate constantly, and everything homemade. 

There is also a study room off to the side, available for anyone’s use. The owner speaks some English and the menu is in both Japanese and English. 



address: 〒901-2225 沖縄県宜野湾市大謝名３丁目６−１０

Culture, Local Drinks

Non-alcohol Beer in Japan

0.00% alcohol beer is actually more common here than you would imagine. I feel like in the US, this was a bit unheard of. But here in Okinawa, Japan it is rather common.

So what is the point you ask? Well, drinking culture is rather heavily entrenched in the Japanese social environment. Sometimes you need a break in between drinks, or maybe you have to get up early the next day, perhaps you are the DD, or maybe you are just a real lightweight– whatever the case, there is an alternative that allows you to feel included in the party, but not suffer from excess drinking. This alternative is alcohol-free beer. Usually, you hear people just drink soda or juice as the alternative; but that would be no fun, and plus, all your coworkers/boss or social club members would know you are not actually drinking, and this can put a damper on things (remember I mentioned drinking is heavily entrenched in building social connections?).

Anyway, alcohol-free/zero alcohol/non-alcohol beer actually is not so bad; the taste is not quite as refreshing and good as real beer, but it is a decent substitute for when you cannot or should not drink actual alcohol. And the good part is, many are actually calorie-free, so sometimes it is nice just for that. Pretty much every beer label here makes at least one if not multiple alcohol-free beers. Just look for the 酒0.00% which is marked clearly on the label. But be careful– some beers are marked 0/zero or free for things other than alcohol, so make sure to look for some keywords or you will pick up the wrong one:

ノンアルコール: non-alcohol

酒 0%: alcohol 0%

アルコールフリー: alcohol-free

I often go for the Orion Clear-Free with the blue label, although the regular Asahi dry zero is pretty decent, too.

At every social event, BBQ, and bar/izakaya I always see the alcohol-free options. You will see plenty of people picking up a case at the grocery store, too. Recently, I danced in a luau; before the show many of the members of my group were drinking alcohol-free beer, to set the mood but not be affected by alcohol! Non-alcohol beer is not just for prudes, tee-totalers, religious folk, etc; it is really for everybody.

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My preference.

Some other types of non-alcohol beer, all easily found in grocery stores and conbini in Okinawa:

Culture, Travel: Japan

Shuri weaving: 首里織

Shuri-ori 首里織 is a type of Ryukuan textile woven on a loom. One of the most common patterns is Shuri Hana Ori (hana means “flower”), and there is a simple flower pattern that appears in the fabric. Another pattern is Shuri Roton Ori, which has raised vertical treads.

You can try your hand at shuri-ori (and other Ryukuan crafts) at the Traditional Handicrafts Center in Naha, near Kokusai-dori.  My husband and I made our own coasters awhile ago, and it was a lot of fun. There are several other types of traditional crafts you can try here as well.

I have also received a few gifts of small shuri-ori items; the size of table mats and coasters. The patterns and colors are simple, yet quite nice, and really look elegant. If you just want to purchase, not weave your own, there are several shops around Shuri and Naha.

Culture, Folklore, Holidays, Local Events

Tanabata, “Star Festival”: 七夕

七夕 Tanabata is known as the “star festival” in Japan.

In Okinawa, it is observed during the lunar calendar (like many other holidays…) instead of the solar calendar (more typical in mainland Japan). It occurs on July 7th in many parts of mainland Japan, and the 7th day of the 7th lunar month in Okinawa, usually around August, just before Obon begins. It is the precursor to Obon; mostly it is the day to clean the ancestors’ grave, put flowers, beverages and incense in front of the grave to guide the ancestors’ spirits to come to one’s house. It is a time 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.

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In present day, Tanabata in Japan is typically celebrated as a school event; students decorate bamboo branches with ornaments and hang strips of colorful paper with their wishes written on them, called tanzaku 短冊. Ornaments made of origami paper are made into shapes such as windsock, stars, lanterns and nets. They all have a meaning; for instance, the net-shaped paper represents a river. Several retail stores and community centers will put up Tanabata trees with decorations, and leave blank slips of paper for you to write your wishes on to hang on the tree.

The story of Tanabata, based on a Chinese legend of the “weaver star” (known as Vega in English) and the “cowherd star” (Altair): There once was a young woman named Orihime (Vega), who was good at weaving cloth and worked very hard to the please her father. But, as she worked very hard she became afraid that she would never fall in love and marry. Her father, Tentei (Sky King), who was a god, arranged for her to meet a hard working cattleman Hikoboshi (Altair) who lived across Amanogawa River 天の川 (literally, heavenly river, the Milky way) on the eastern side, while Orihime and her father lived on the western side.
The two fell instantly in love and married, but subsequently she forgot about weaving and he let his cattle wander all over on both sides; this made Tentei angry. He ordered the two to separate and each to live on a separate side of the river. His daughter wept and pleaded, however, so Tentei relented a little, and allowed the two to meet once a year, on the night of the seventh day of the seventh month.

So, if you look up into the evening sky on July 7 and it is clear, you can see the two stars reunited. But if it is rainy or cloudy, know that they will try to meet again next year. Some children will even make teru teru bozu てるてる坊主 to wish for good weather such that the lovers will meet again!

In Okinawa, the Tanabata story is usually a little different, and actually refers to the Celestial Maiden Legend (Hagoromo), which is believed to have occurred at Mori-no-kawa in Ginowan. The Ginowan summer matsuri is themed around the celestial maiden legend; even the city mascot is the celestial maiden! So, to conclude, Japanese tanabata is celebrated quite differently from Okinawa tanabata. While you may see a few wishing trees up at department stores or community centers and cute tanabata-themed packaged snacks, there really is not much public tanabata celebration in Okinawa like there is in mainland Japan. One day I hope to make the Sendai Tanabata festival held August 6-8 (not quite using the lunar calendar, but close…).

Typically in Okinawa, the only 2 places with “events” around July 7th Tanabata are Okinawa city 1st street shopping arcade in Koza, and the Itoman Peace Memorial Park.

 

Interested in more? Read Tanabata 七夕 & Somen そうめん

 

Culture, Folklore

Ryukuan Legend of the Celestial Maiden

森 mori: woods

川 kawa: river/water spring/well

There are many locations in Japan and even Korea where the “celestial maiden” (or also known as “heavenly maiden”) myth takes place; one such place happens to be in Ginowan 宜野湾, Okinawa at Mori-no-kawa 森の川 (also written as: 森川). Tennyo 天女 mean “heavenly maiden” in Japanese. Tennyo-chan also happens to be the city mascot for Ginowan, so you see her image quite a bit in the area.

**In Ryukyuan language 森の川 is actually pronounced “Mui-nu-kaa” ムイヌカー. Though I have honestly never heard anyone call it that, I have only heard the Japanese pronunciation.

Mori-no-kawa Spring is surrounded by a small forested park, with a few monuments explaining the heavenly maiden legend. The spring (known as a ヒージャーガー hiijaagaa in Okinawa language) is considered somewhat of a sacred place where people would gather water for cooking, drinking, laundry, etc; often in Okinawa you will see small altars here. Sacred spots are called utaki 御嶽 in Ryukyuan language, and are oftentimes located at a water spring, mountain, woods, cave, or other natural geologic feature.

In Mori-no-kawa park, you will see a stone wall with a gate leading to the woods– do not try to enter this area, it is an utaki! It is considered sacred, and only priestesses are usually allowed in there. Oddly, it is also right next to the border with Futenma military base, which actually protects it from potential land developers who would mow it over for a luxury resort, high-rise apartment, or golf course. The wall and gate kind of reminds me of a “secret garden” entrance, sort of mystical and such, with all the thick forest behind it.

I have heard rumors that Mori-no-kawa is both a “power spot” and a “haunted spot.” Perhaps I will post the ghost stories of this location sometime. Either way, it is indeed has the air of a spiritual place.

The Legend of Hagoromo (羽衣 hagoromo: celestial robe): A long time ago a farmer (in other stories he is a woodcutter) named Ufuya Okuma was on his way home when stopped by the Mori-no-kawa (spring); to his amazement he saw a beautiful woman, a celestial being, bathing in the water. Not too far away was her celestial robe (called “hagoromo”) hanging on a tree branch. The farmer decided to take her heavenly garment and hide it. When the celestial maiden discovered her robe had mysteriously vanished she was upset since she could not return to the heavens without it. Ufuya returned and came to the “rescue” of the distressed woman, clothed her, and took her into his house, basically tricking her. Since she could not return home to the heavens, she became the farmer’s wife and later gave birth to two children, a boy and a girl. Legend says that one day the maiden heard her little daughter singing a lullaby, “Don’t cry baby. Toubins-hanin’s (angel’s wings) are hidden in the storehouse under the millet. Don’t cry baby.” The maiden rushed to the storehouse and there she found her hidden celestial robe. She immediately left to return to the heavens, never to return again.

What became of her daughter is not really certain, but legend is that the son grew up and became a great king, King Satto, a once great king of the Chuzan region, the central area of the Ryukyu Kingdom during the 14th Century. This is the Ryukuan legend of the celestial robe.

Every year in Ginowan, during the summer, is the Hagoromo matsuri, in part celebrating the legend, but also the culture of the town.

address: 1 Chome-20-6 Mashiki, Ginowan, Okinawa Prefecture 901-2224
https://goo.gl/maps/aSURx8ii8dG2