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Okinawa is a tropical island paradise in Japan. Over 150 tropical islands, to be precise. Once known for the Battle of Okinawa and the subsequent US military presence for many decades, it is today known for great scuba diving, lush landscapes, and beautiful beaches.
Its location as Japan’s southernmost prefecture and the tropical climate, as well as its history, have shaped the food in Okinawa, which is unique in the world. What’s on the menu? Follow along for a little journey into the pots of Okinawa.
QUICK TIPS FOR YOUR Okinawa TRIP
Great hotels in Okinawa
- AIEN – Lovely hostel in Chatan with a fun bar/restaurant. Ask for a bed at the bottom – the bunks are big but hard to climb into.
- OMO5 – Great boutique hotel in Naha that is chic, modern, and affordable. They are part of the Hoshinoya Group, but without the price tag.
- The Moana – A favorite hotel in Chatan with rooms that are huge for Japanese standards. The come with comfy beds, a kitchenette, and even a washer/dryer.
Foodie activities in Okinawa
Practical things for your Okinawa visit
The public transport in Okinawa isn’t the best. You can take the Yuirail for some distances, the bus, or simply get an Uber. GO is another taxi app that works well; however, they add 200 yen as an international service charge, which is not worth it for short rides.
At the airport, you can get an OKICA, Okinawa’s IC card that works for many things. You can fill it up right then and there and get back whatever you don’t end up using when you return it.
Make sure to get an eSIM before you arrive so you can be mobile, order taxis, or use Google Maps to figure out how to get from A to B.
Famous Okinawa food
Similar to Cretan food, the diet in Okinawa is world-renowned for bringing longevity and health to its people. It is quite different from the diet in other parts of Japan and is based on vegetables and legumes. While the tropical climate of the island prefecture is perfect for fish and seafood too, the majority of the Okinawan foods are in fact vegetarian.
This includes a whole lot of kelp (Okinawa being an important part of the kelp route) and sweet potatoes. Overall, the diet is very anti-inflammatory and antioxidant.
So what should you try in Okinawa? Here are some famous things to eat:
Okinawa Soba – Of course, Okinawa has its own noodle dish simply named Okinawa Soba. It is, in fact, a mix between soba, udon, and ramen. The noodles are made from wheat flour and resemble udon in their consistency, and are usually served like ramen with a variety of toppings like pork belly, fish cakes, and green onions.
Agu – Okinawa loves its pork, and agu is a breed native to the islands. You can get it in many varieties, but the favorites are rafute, a boiled soft pork belly. The meat is cooked in soy sauce and fish sauce, and when done correctly, it should melt in your mouth.
Slightly different in texture is mimiga, thin strips of pig’s ears. The crunch of the cartilage is something to get used to, but the taste is great thanks to ponzu or peanut sauce.
Umibudo – Sea grapes quickly became my favorite – they taste and look like caviar but are, of course, vegan. You will usually just dip them in a bit of soy sauce and eat the whole thing, stems and all.
Spam Musubi – If you are wondering how spam ended up on the menu, ask the Americans. It is probably one of the least healthy dishes you will find in Okinawa, but people love it. Spam was introduced by the Americans after the war, and it is now a firm favorite, having found its way into typical Japanese dishes like onigiris. Try a spam musubi with tamago (egg) and spam in rice.
Beni Imo – Okinawan purple sweet potato that is full of fiber, high in antioxidants, and delicious. They are prepared in a variety of ways, like the haupia sweet potato pie or as a croquette.
Taco Rice – Another US left-over is taco rice, a medley of rice and taco ingredients like ground meat, cheese, salsa, and lettuce in a bowl.
Jimami Tofu – If you like tofu but don’t like soy, you can try Jimami, which is Okinawan peanut tofu. Unlike regular tofu, it has a subtle peanut flavor and more of a pudding texture. It is often served as a dessert with sweet soy sauce.
Sata andagi – For the travelers with a sweet tooth, this Okinawa donut is a must-try. You can usually find street vendors or get it at the Ishigaki Market. They are fried dough balls – like a donut without a hole, and quite dense with loads and loads of sugar. To be honest, mine tasted rather stale, and I didn’t give it a second try, but if you are a sweet lover, I reckon you should give it a go.
Food tours in Okinawa
With all these distinct dishes and ingredients, you would assume that food tours are dime for a dozen in Okinawa, right? Unfortunately, that isn’t the case. Not even my favorite Japanese food tour operator, Arigato Travel, was able to help, so I went into serious search mode overdrive.
I succeeded and found two needles, or should I say chopsticks in the haystack…
Market tour in Naha
I stayed at OMO5, a modern design hotel in the center of Naha that is part of the Hoshinoya group. The affordable part, I should add. The rooms are small (as all Japanese rooms are) but well-appointed, and they have a very nice co-working lounge and great lobby with a cafe. The staff is also incredibly friendly, and they offer some great activities for their guests. One was a tour to the Makisihi Public Market with a food tasting for the unbelievable price of 1000 yen (about $7).
During my stay, the tour was conducted in Japanese, but the guide had prepared an English booklet for me and was so sweet using Google Translate all the time. At the market, we tried the famous peanut tofu, fish cakes, and kelp, and had a whole demonstration to shave our own katsuobushi which we added to some miso broth.
Our guide also explained more about the history of the kelp route and the traditions around eating fish cakes, and pointed out other specialities during our walk. Afterward, we got to stay and browse – the perfect opportunity for sashimi breakfast at the market!
Sadly, the market tour in Naha is only open to guests of OMO5. I recommend you book yourself a room, and you can book the tour afterward, either through their website or once you arrive.
Alternatively, I found these market tours that will also take you through the Makishi Public Market and seems to have a similar concepts.
Naha Bar Hopping Tour in Okinawa
If you don’t want a market tour but rather visit various Okinawa restaurants, choices are even slimmer, but ended up joining this Naha bar hopping tour. And to be fair, it was a great mix between a food tour and a grown-up bar crawl.
You will visit a few different local restaurants where you get to try various Okinawa dishes and bar snacks. In addition, you get plenty of drinks and can try local favorites like Awamori, a spirit made from rice and black koji mold. That sounds worse than it is, though, because it is often used in delicious and refreshing cocktails. A more daring option is habu-shu – snake liquor, always served from a big jar with, yes, you guessed it, a snake inside.
I had my guide all to myself, which was great, though I had to give up at our third stop – you will not go hungry or thirsty on this tour ever!
Restaurants in Okinawa, Japan
Giving tips for Okinawa restaurants is a bit tricky because even the main island is pretty big, so it will depend on where you are staying.
I stayed in Naha and Chatan, both on Okinawa’s main island, while I was diving. While the following places are by no means the best restaurants in Okinawa, I did enjoy my meals there.
Okinawa Soba Den is a tiny hole-in-the-wall restaurant in Naha. As the name implies, all you will get is Okinawa soba prepared in a variety of ways. I opted for the dry soba, which came with all the trimmings: meat, dried prawns, and spring onion, as well as a raw egg. It was delicious, inexpensive, and went down nicely with a cold Orion beer.
Manjumai was one of the few Okinawan restaurants close to OMO5 in Naha. It is as authentic as it gets, though they do have an English menu for foreigners. They offer great and affordable lunch sets with Okinawa soba, rice, and sashimi. I also ordered some extra sea grapes that were kept in a little aquarium, though I will say, they are quite pricey when you eat out.
I had my first meal in Okinawa at Marugame Seimen Chatan when I arrived in Chatan. They are a chain restaurant, known for their good homemade udon. Since it was sweltering outside, I ordered cold udon with seafood as well as some delicious crab leg tempura. You order at the counter, pay, grab your food, and take a seat. Tea and condiments are free.
They are also known for their udonut, donuts made from udon dough, in case you are in the mood for something sweet.
Ryukyu is probably not going to win any prizes for its sushi, but sometimes eating rolls with tempura prawns and lots of mayonnaise is just so comforting. At Ryukyu, the menu is just that, plus inexpensive plum wine on the rocks.
You can even pay with US dollars, so you know you’re in a tourist area. However, honestly, the portions are generous and fresh, and the prices are low – what’s not to love?!
The American Village is an Americana fever dream where never-ending Christmas and the Wild West meet. It is as kitsch as can be, but I found that to be part of its appeal. If you are in the area, you may as well check it out.
There are plenty of American Village, Okinawa restaurants, though when I went, most had quite a wait. Wanting something other than Japanese, I ended up at Jetta Burger Market. I ordered a burger with egg, cheese, and jalapenos, along with a pineapple margarita, and both hit just the spot.
More Japan itineraries:
- A MATCH*A MADE IN HEAVEN.
- VISIT JAPAN’S MOST CHARMING CITY – A 2 DAY ITINERARY FOR KYOTO.
- 3 DAY ITINERARY IN TOKYO
- IS HIROSHIMA WORTH VISITING? MY SURPRISE FAVORITE IN JAPAN.
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