About food in Japan

Okinawa, the biggest local food spot, Makishi Kosetsu-Ichiba (food market)

We found our first post of Okinawa series got big attention of many food lovers on our facebook and twitter page. Thank you for those who share and do Like! on it. On this second post of Okinawa series, we introduce the most important spot to find local food of the region.

The most popular local food market is officially called “第一牧志公設市場” (the first Makishi public market). Simply it can be referred as “Makishi Kosetsu Ichiba” or “Kosetsu Ichiba”. The local food market is just off from the city’s main street, Kokusai-dori and is accessible by anyone including tourists. It won’t be difficult to find it through a indoor shopping arcade.

 

 

The food market has been loved by local people for over 60 years in central town of Naha, the capital of Okinawa.

With over 400 shops, it provides any kind of local food, from seafood, vegetables, fruits, meat to processed food, seasoning. In other parts of Japan, especially in Tokyo and surrounding area, such vital food market is rarely found nowaday, apart from Tsukiji market, and that sort of commercial facilities have been replaced by supermarkets. Because of the vital atmosphere and variety of local food demonstrated in Makishi Kosetsu Ichiba, it becomes popular among Japanese tourists as well.

 

On the second floor, large food court is available, where some of restaurants accept to cook food brought from the market shop with fee Yen 500 per piece.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So exciting to be close with such gorgeous seafood...

even though we can't take it to eat.

 

 

Fish in the sub-tropical ocean has beatiful colors!!

Rare to find even in Tsukiji market.

 

 

In Okinawa, every part of Pork become food.

This image shows that.

 

Around the main market hall, we can find some interesting food store.

    For example, Matsubara-ya Seika(松原屋製菓) provides tradtional local sweets.

I found some of them are similar to ones available in Europe or other parts of the world.

 

 

Place: Daiichi Makishi Kosetsu Ichiba (Makishi public food market)

Address: 2-10-1 Matsuo, Naha-city, Okinawa

Close: 4th Sunday, new year, Chinese new year etc

Businss hour: 8:00 - 20:00

Official website (in Japanese) : http://kousetsu-ichiba.com/ichibaannai.html 

大きな地図で見る

Okinawa local food collections

In Tokyo, the weather of the month February is chilly and hard. We feel that the spring is still far away. As you may know, Japan’s area is long from North to South. It means we can find many different culture, climate etc, when we move within this small Far East country.

Last month, the owner of About Food in Japan visited Naha, the capital of Okinawa prefecture, Japan’s southern the most island. As a series of blog post, from today we will introduce local food and related spots in Okinawa.

The first post here is introduction. A bit more about Okinawa(沖縄) region,

Okinawa prefecture consists of over 360 islands within the area of 1000km East-West, 400km North-South the Pacific Ocean. The capital city, Naha is located on Okinawa main land. It is 1500km away from Tokyo and accessible by air.

View Larger Map

 

The climate is in subtropical zone and the average temperature in winter season is 18 degree, much warmer compared with one in cities of Japan main land.

Situated between Taiwan and Japan main land, the Ryuku (Okinawa) kingdom was a prosperous for centuries as an important trading point. Because of such historical background and geographic characteristic, Okinawa has unique and different culture from other parts of Japan.

 For the unique culture, food is also not the exception, of course. As the first introduction part of Okinawa, here we list-up local specialty food in Okinawa.

 

*Pork

Pork meat is traditionally taken by local people and their local pork brand “Agu” is known as the top 3 best pork in the world with Iberico in Spain and Jinhua(Kinka, 金華) pork in China.

It can be served in many different style. 

For example, “shabushabu”

 

 

Or one of the Okinawa’s most known specialty “rafte” (ラフテー、simmered pork)

 

 

The local people use every parts, even ear, face skin, of pork as food.Foot is also popular ingredient and called “tebichi” in local dialect.

 Fried pork foot

 

 

*Seaweed

Two well-known local specialty of seaweed are...

Umi-budo (sea-grape, as looked)

 

Mozuku

Often served with sour sauce at everywhere from local casual dining to hotel breakfast. The style is also widely available at supermarkets in Tokyo, while tempura is rare to be found out of Okinawa. Actually Mozuku tempura is one of the best local specialties for me.

 

Mozuku tempura

 

 *Tofu

We found different version tofu and its cooking way in Okinawa. Tofu in Okinawa has less water inside and because of that, the texture is harder. Hence it is often cooked and fried with vegetable.

 

 

 

Atsuage – deep fried local style tofu

 

 

Tofuyo – fermented tofu

This is really like “cheese”!! With strong perfume and good match with alcohol drink.

 

Peanuts tofu – also popular side dish here

 

 

 *Goya

You may know goya or nigauri (bitter ground). The most famous Okinawa dish is Goya-chanpuru (fried goya, tofu, vege and egg etc). It is so popular and surely available at restaurants specialized in Okinawa dishes in Tokyo. So..we did not take this menu in Okinawa actually, while we were busy and full with other dishes not available in Tokyo. Then sorry no photo!!

 

*Drink(alcohol)

Awamori

Distilled sake made from rice.

We visited a distillery during the trip and will report it on a further post.

 

 

Orion beer – Local beer brand from Ishigaki island available

at most of restaurants in the region.

 

 

On coming several posts, as a series of Okinawam, we will introduce food markets in Naha as well as some local restaurants etc.

 

Event: Sukiyaki and Edo magic in Asakusa

Today we are going to introduce an ineresting event by our business partner.

If you are enough lucky to be in Tokyo on 15th February 2014 (Sat) and have free time in mid-day, this must be a good opportunity to enjoy nice Sukiyaki meal and Edo magic show at the same time at Chinnya, Sukiyaki restaurant with over a-century-long history in Asakusa.

Please contact the event organizer as below if you would like to participate in.

Advance reservation is required.

 

Title: Edo Tazuna (magic)@Chinnya by Shintaro Fujiyama

"藤山新太郎 江戸手妻の会 ＠浅草ちんや" 

Date: 15 February 2014

Start time: noon (12h00)

Place: Asakusa Chinya (established Sukiyaki restaurant)

Price: Yen15,000 per person (Sukiyaki lunch and magic show included)

First Sukiyaki (beef in hot pot) lunch will be served in a banquet room

After the meal, Edo magic show will be performed in the same room

*The event is taken place in Japanese. But the organizer can understand English.

Reservation: by 3days prior(12 February), 

Please send your request (in English) by email to 

e-mail:　reservation★shinnichiya.com (please convert ★ to @.)

If you understand Japanese, please refer the original information in Japanese and make a reservation as instructed on the site. 日本語での案内、申込先は下記のリンクです。

Original event information: http://www.shinnichiya.com/?p=2082

 

Asakusa Chinya:

A minute walk from Asakusa Kaminarimon (gate).

The restaurant is specialized in Sukiyaki for a century in Asakusa. 

Official website: http://www.chinya.co.jp/english/index.html

 

Edo magic show and Shintaro Fujiyama

He started his career as a magician at his age 12, award-winning magician who performed in front of some VIP guests. He will demonstrate "Edo Tazuna" magic in Japanese traditional style.

 

 

Don't miss this chance to have good quality sukiyaki dish as well as Japanese magic show at a time.

And again, advance reservation is necessary. 

To make a reservation, please contact to 

e-mail:　reservation★shinnichiya.com (please convert ★ to @.)