Everything I Ate in Okinawa

Whether I travel alone or with a companion, I always plan my itinerary in a very food centric way. In other words, I go where the food is. It is, in my humble opinion, the best way to take in the culture of any given place.

Recently I had the opportunity to spend a full day in Okinawa, a place rich in culture and I was determined to eat it all! So here’s everything I ate in a day in Osaka and why you should too.

Agarasaa

Agarasaa is a steamed sponge cake, similar to castella, and a local specialty. It has a soft, moist and lightly chewy texture that I absolutely love and a toffee-like caramelized sugar flavor that tastes even better when it’s fresh out of the steamer. Traditionally, it is made with brown sugar, but you can also find it in other flavors.

You can buy them at markets and bakeries, but I bought mine from Ryugu Okinawan Sweets over in Heiwa-dori. They had just been made fresh that morning and it was the perfect way to start the day. It reminds me a bit of my favorite Korean rice cake, jeungpyeon (증편) or sultteook (술떡). Meaning I definitely wanted more.

Pro Tip: Check bakeries for their opening hours, so you can get them fresh out of the steamer. Also, some places make them in limited quantities, so it’s better to grab one early on in the day.

3 Chome-1-17 Makishi, Naha, Okinawa 900-0013, Japan (Google Maps)

Thick Pork & Egg Onigiri

Fukusuke Tamago was probably one of my favorite spots in Okinawa. They’re known for their thick 5-layered tamagoyaki (Japanese egg omelette) which is cooked with their special dashi broth, making it extra fluffy and flavorful. You can even watch them being made fresh at the front of the shop throughout the day.

These omelette slabs are then sandwiched between deep-fried pieces of spam, rice and wrapped in seaweed, making for the ultimate onigiri or riceball. Though truthfully it’s more like a sandwich or… rice taco? Anyhow, they come in a few variations, but you can’t go wrong with the original. It’s thick, savory and packed with flavor.

Pro Tip: These can lean a bit towards the heavier side of things, so if you plan to snack throughout the day you may want to eat half and save the rest for later. Or if you’re traveling with someone else, you may want to split one (though you will be tempted to get your own).

2 Chome-9-11 Matsuo, Naha, Okinawa 900-0014, Japan (Google Maps)

Okinawa Soba

Okinawa Soba was at the top of my list of things to try. It is a popular regional dish set apart by its thick noodles that are made with wheat instead of buckwheat flour, giving them more of an udon texture rather than a typical soba texture. It comes in a savory broth typically topped with pork belly, fish cake and green onion.

This dish can be found at street markets and restaurants alike, but this time I opted for the popular Okinawa Soba Eibun and it didn’t disappoint. I got a bowl of their signature Okinawa Soba. They have 4 different noodles to choose from, but I went with their original Eibun noodles that came in their pork bone and ichiban dashi broth and topped with green onion, fish cakes and the most flavorful and tender cuts of pork belly I’ve ever had. I also added in a marinated soft boiled egg for extra deliciousness.

Pro Tip: Okinawa Soba Eibun is a very popular spot and there will most definitely be a wait no matter when you go. The wait time will vary depending on the size of your party and they close by 4 pm, so plan your visit accordingly.

Japan, 〒902-0065 Okinawa, Naha, Tsuboya, 1 Chome−5−14 ボーボー屋ビル Google Maps)

Kasa Muchi

Muchi refers to “mochi” in the Okinawan dialect. Unlike mochi, which is typically made by pounding sticky rice, muchi is made by kneading dough made of powdered sticky rice and water. The mochi inside can also be flavored with brown sugar, purple sweet potatoes and other things. Once the “dough” is ready, it is wrapped in shell ginger leaf and steamed.

Muchi is often found on store shelves and in confectionaries during the winter. Traditionally they are eaten every year on December 8th of the lunar calendar, to pray for health and longevity. Luckily, I found some at Matsuhara Confectionary. I opted for their purple sweet potato which had the most unique sweet and spicy taste. The texture was insanely soft and sticky. It was definitely the most unique thing I tried on this trip.

Pro Tip: If you happen to come across kasa muchi, purchase it right away! These rice cakes are made in small quantities daily and they tend to sell out by the afternoon. I was super fortunate to get my hands on one because they sold out as soon as I bought mine.

2 Chome-9-9 Matsuo, Naha, Okinawa 900-0014, Japan (Google Maps)

Sata Andagi

While at Matsuhara Confectionary, I had to try their popular sata andagi aka Okinawa donuts. Sata andagi are most like old fashioned donuts, crunchy on the outside and pillowy on the inside. Unlike donuts, the batter is made without any milk or water, but rather with plenty of eggs. It’s then deep-fried at a low heat, so that it cooks through to the middle, but maintains a longer shelf-life of up to one week.

They can be found in a variety of flavors like white sugar, brown sugar, red sweet potato and pumpkin. And in a variety of sizes like mini, standard and big, which is about the size of asian pear. I opted for the standard sized brown sugar donut and it was perfection! In fact it was so good I bought a bag of mini donuts to take home for my husband to try.

Pro Tip: These donuts keep for about a week. So, if you fall for them the way I did, be sure to pick up a bag to take home with you on your last day in Okinawa.

2 Chome-9-9 Matsuo, Naha, Okinawa 900-0014, Japan (Google Maps)

Okinawa Ice Cream

Blue Seal is the most famous ice cream in Okinawa, as it was established back in 1948 on a US military base. That why their tag line is “born in America and raised in Okinawa.” At the time, dairy products were a luxury and ice cream was expensive, and yet it still quickly gained popularity among the locals.

Over time, the recipe changed to suit the hot and humid climate of Okinawa and the flavors expanded to incorporate local Okinawan ingredients. I got the Ryukyu Tea Warabi Mochi, which is an Okinawan black tea ice cream with swirls of brown sugar syrup and chewy pieces of warabi mochi. It was so rich, smooth and just melts in your mouth. It’s the perfect flavor for any tea lover.

Pro Tip: There are lots of flavors to choose from, but you should definitely try the flavors unique to Okinawa like their popular Okinawan Salt cookies, Okinawa Ta-imo Cheesecake, Shiiquasa Sherbet or Beni-imo. 

3 Chome-1-1 Makishi, Naha, Okinawa 900-0013, Japan (Google Maps)

Shrimp Tartar Onigiri

Due to Okinawa’s American influence, spam is crazy popular and has become a prominent part of the culture. It’s used in many different dishes and you can even find all kinds of spam merch in local stores. In fact, the spam and egg onigiri (rice ball) is a comfort food specific to Okinawa.

Pork Tamago Onigiri is said to be THE place for Okinawa’s best onigiri, both traditional and a bit more elevated. So, I decided to try something off their special menu. Their Shrimp Tartar comes with shrimp tempura, radish sprouts, spam, egg omelette and tartar sauce sandwiched between rice and seaweed. Each rice ball is made to order, so they’re always fresh and full of flavor.

Pro Tip: Items on their “special” or “limited” menu are for seasonal onigiri or onigiri limited to certain locations, so definitely be adventurous and take advantage. If you’re a fan of tempura, I highly recommend the Shrimp Tartar.

2 Chome-8-35 Matsuo, Naha, Okinawa 900-0014, Japan (Google Maps)

Golden Bubble Milk Tea

KOI Thé is actually not Japanese, but rather a Taiwanese bubble tea (boba) chain. I love bubble tea, and even managed a bubble tea shop back when I was in college. So while this place isn’t exclusive to Okinawa, we don’t have it in Korea and that was more than enough reason to earn it a spot on this list.

Their signature drink is the Golden Bubble Milk Tea, so of course I had to try it. The golden boba has the same soft chewy texture as regular boba, but the taste was definitely different. It was sweet and light, kind of like honey. The tea was pure perfection. It was a rich, flavorful assam black tea that made me wish we had this chain in Korea.

Japan, 〒900-0013 Okinawa, Naha, Makishi, 3 Chome−1−1 角尾ビル 1階 (Google Maps)