Okinawa is a wonderful tourist destination that is home to both Natural and Cultural World Heritage sites! It also has a unique traditional culture, offering food that is different from the standard “washoku” Japanese cuisine. This article introduces Okinawa's charms, some tourist spots, and recommended restaurants.
What Is Okinawa Like?
Okinawa Prefecture, located at the southwestern end of the Japanese archipelago, is a popular tourist destination consisting of 49 inhabited and numerous uninhabited islands. Here, you can enjoy both the beautiful ocean and the unique traditional local culture.
Okinawa is temperate year-round, so the beaches are usually open for most of the year, from late March through October. However, the rainy season tends to last from May to June, and the prefecture is prone to typhoons between August and September, so it is best to avoid these months if you are looking to enjoy sightseeing.
Another unique appeal of Okinawa is that it has both Natural and Cultural World Heritage sites. Iriomote Island, which is a part of the Yaeyama Islands, and the Yanbaru area in the northern part of the main island of Okinawa (introduced further later in the article), are home to clear ocean views and a variety of flora and fauna in the sub-tropical forests.
The Nakagusuku Castle Ruins, a World Cultural Heritage Site, are a historic location that is connected to Okinawa’s Ryukyu Kingdom, which lasted from the 14th century to the latter half of the 19th century. The Ryukyu Kingdom, which had a flourishing trade with surrounding regions such as China and Southeast Asia, developed a unique culture different from that of Japan's at the time.
There is so much to see in Okinawa, but if you are visiting the main island, you should check out Yambaru National Park and Okinawa World!
At Yambaru National Park in the northern part of the main island, you can enjoy a variety of outdoor activities, such as canoeing among the mangrove forest of Gesashi Bay and trekking along the karst rock formations of Daisekirinzan. There are also numerous spots with stunning views, such as Cape Hedo, where you can see the emerald ocean spreading out beyond the precipitous coral reef.
Okinawa World is a theme park based on Okinawa’s nature, history, and culture. It is a great place to experience the many charms of Okinawa, with attractions such as the mystically beautiful Gyokusendo Cave, an area lined with traditional houses that are over 100 years old, and traditional performing arts shows.
Okinawa's Cuisine and Unique Food Culture
Okinawan cuisine not only adopted Japanese elements but also took strong influence from Chinese cuisine as well.
Vegetables that are unusual in other prefectures, such as "goya" (bitter melon) and "hechima" (sponge gourd), are often used, as well as broth made from bonito and pork. Goya is known for its bitterness, but it is delightful in "goya champuru" when fried together with eggs, "shima-dofu" (firm Okinawan tofu), and pork, with the bitterness stimulating the appetite.
Pork is used quite a bit in Okinawan cuisine. When traveling to Okinawa, be sure to try “rafute,” skin-on pork belly stewed for long periods in sugar, soy sauce, and awamori (a rich local alcohol made from rice). The tenderness of the meat and the way the skin seems to melt in the mouth are outstanding.
In Okinawa, every part of the pig is consumed, as reflected in the saying, “everything but the cry of the pig can be eaten.” This is based on the philosophy of “irui horui” from Chinese medicinal cooking, which teaches that pain or disease in a specific part of the body can be cured by eating the equivalent portion of a pig. There are dishes unique to Okinawa such as “ashi tibichi” (stewed pigs feet) and “chi irichi,” made by stir-frying and stewing blood with root vegetables and dry ingredients.
Another dish that is popular among tourists and commonly available at restaurants in Okinawa is “Okinawa soba.” It has thick noodles made by kneading wheat flour (not buckwheat) with "kansui" (lye water) that are served in a rich broth made from pork bone and bonito flakes with a topping of stewed pork belly.
Recommended Restaurants in Okinawa
Island songs and local cuisine Tobarama (Makishi)
The recommended dish at Island Songs and local cuisine Tobarama is [Nankotsu Soki Soba] (902 JPY) noodles served with “soki,” which is tender, stewed bone-in pork ribs. The noodles are fresh and chewy, and they go well with the soki.
[Mozuku Tempura] (759 JPY), made with the Okinawan specialty seaweed “mozuku,” has a wonderful texture that is crunchy on the outside and chewy inside.
Pork is a major ingredient in Okinawan cuisine, and not to be missed is the Okinawan brand-name pork, "Agu." [Agu Gyoza] (660 JPY), made with Agu pork, is so juicy that the liquid seeps out when you take a bite. It is a great dish to savor the rich umami flavors and light fat of Agu meat.
The live music performance with "sanshin" (a traditional Okinawan string instrument) that takes place every evening on the stage on the 2nd floor is also popular. Customers are invited to dance “Kachashi" (Okinawan folk dance) to the music.
Island songs and local cuisine Tobarama
Closed: We may be closed according to administrative policy.
Average price: [Lunch] 1,000 JPY
Access: 1-minute walk from Makishi Station on the Yui Rail
Address: 2-7-25, Makishi, Naha-shi, Okinawa Map
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Okinawa Local Cuisine Hateruma (Kenchomae)
Okinawa Local Cuisine Hateruma is a restaurant where guests can experience the relaxed vibes of Hateruma, the southernmost island of Okinawa, where time seems to pass slowly. The restaurant is designed like a traditional house, and the exterior, with its stone walls, is quite enchanting.
Not to be missed at this restaurant is the [Rafute (Stewed Pork Cubes)] (880 JPY), a type of royal cuisine in the Ryukyu Kingdom. The pork that has been prepared by carefully removing the fat is so tender that it seems to melt in the mouth.
The [Fu Champuru] (750 JPY) made with "fu" wheat gluten, eggs, and vegetables is also a signature menu item. The fu coated with eggs has a pillowy texture.
With private rooms that can accommodate 10 to 30 guests, this restaurant is great for large parties.
Okinawa Local Cuisine Hateruma
Closed: None
Average price: [Lunch] 1,000 JPY
Access: 7-minute walk from Prefectural Office Station on the Yui Rail
Address: 1-2-30, Makishi, Naha-shi, Okinawa Map
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