About food in Japan

Sweets in Okinawa

Finally at the end of Okinawa series blog posts lasting for 2months, like as the last dish of course diner, we will introduce some SWEETS found in Okinawa.

 

Traditional Sweets

As introduced in our previous post reporting Makishi Kosetsu Ichiba (public food market), Matsubaraya Seika (松原屋製菓) provides traditional sweets of Okinawa.

It is outside of Kosetsu Ichiba on the main street of shopping archade. You will find many mounts of sweets piled at the shop. Most of them are uniquely available in Okinawa but some, for example almond cake, are a bit similar to ones available in Europe.

   

Traditional sweets by Matsubaraya Seika

So many different and unfamilar sweets are available there.

It costs around Yen 100-200 per piece.

It's a fun to choose some of them from the wide selection,

even if we do not know well what is inside and what kind of taste it is actually.

 

Popular local brand x local ingredient

Formost Blue Seal ice cream company was founded in Okinawa in 1948. Originally it came from U.S.A. and served in American base camp. Now the brand name of Blue Seal ice cream has been known even in Tokyo as one of the item to try in Okinawa. 

We had been almost given up to try it on the trip in winter actually, because many others were also on the list to try. But at the end we found the sign of Blue Seal at Naha ariport just before onboarding.

 

Soft cream purple potato flavor

Purple potato (紫イモ) is also one of the local specialty in Okinawa.

The strong purple color has big impact visually and is often used for local sweets for souvenir.

The taste of the potato is not so strong as the color has.

So simply we can enjoy the cool texture.

 

 

 

National brand x local specialty

Last two are the ones we found either at a supermarket or convenience store.

Japanese major sweets comapny provides local products in Okinawa, which are not available in Tokyo, even though we wish to have them.

 

 

Chinsuko Ice cream

"Chinsuko" cookies is one of the most popular sweets. 

It is Okinawa version "British Short bread" if we explain it.

Crunched Chinsuko is in vanilla ice cream, as it is for Cookie & Cream.

     

Easily can imagine, it is GOOD!!

 

 

Another local version product by Meiji is

Shiikwaasaa (citrus depressa) jelly

  

It has fresh rich citrus flavor.  

Amazing to be able to get it at very reasonable price

a bit over Yen 100 for 3 packs.

 

 

Well, this is really the end of Okinawa series.

We wish you have enjoyed and could get some ideas what we should try on the southern island and how it is different from Tokyo and other mainland cities.

Hopefully we will be able to start next series Hokkaido, the northern land from May 2014.

It must be a good chance to find a big contrast between south and north of Japan!!

 

 

 

 

Mizuho Shuzo, Awamori distillery, Naha - 瑞穂酒造, Okinawa

Our Okinawase series is now close to the end and today we introduce an Awamori distillery in Naha, which is accessible easily by public transportation.

First we will review what is Awamori(泡盛). It is local distilled alcohol drink uniquely exists In Okinawa. Awamori has been produced for over 600 years in the south islands since it was introduced from Thailand as the result of trading business between Rykyu Kingdom(current Okinawa) and South East Asian countries. The way to produce Awamori has not been changed since that time. Imported Thai rice is fermented with black east and distilled.

As Japanese distilled alcohol, Shochu (焼酎) from Kyushu region may be better known. Shochu, which is produced from Japanese rice, wheat or potato, is the one evolved from Awamori, after it was introduced to the region. 

Well, among 48 Awamori producers in Okinawa, the distillery we visited is called “Mizuho Shuzou”(瑞穂酒造). It is found in 1848 with over 160 years history and is the oldest distillery among 3 in Shuri (首里) Castel area. Mizuho shuzou welcomes tourists to visit its storage room located just a few minutes from a monorail station. (advance reservation required) It is also 2 stops from Shuri castel area.

Mizuho shuzou is just a few minutes walk

from Shiritsu Byoinmae （市立病院前） monorail station.

The sign says “Kusu (vintage Awamori)” is a treasure of Okinawa.

 

When we arrived in front of the distillery Tenryu-kura

(if we translate the name of storage “Dragon in the sky”),

it smelled awamori alcohol.

 

A staff welcomed us and explained about Awamori and Mizuho distillery, then introduced Tenryu storage.

 

 

Thousands of earthen pots occupies the storage on the ground floor, while 640,000L Awamori stays in several tanks on underground where the temperature can be kept consistent level even in the night and day, in winter and summer.

 

  

It means we stand out over Awamori. We could see that is true as the staff opened a cover on the floor and showed us inside of the tank.

Wow, it’s a pool of Awamor!!

Wanna swim here?!! Or drink directly?!

No, no we could not be too exciting and had to be calm down.

 

After all displayed and the underground tank were introduced,

we could have tasting opportunity.

 

 

Many bottles and small cups are on the table and we were told

“Help yourself as much as you want”.

 

 

Wow again,

exciting moment to try many different Awamori and other alcoholby Mizuho Shuzou.

 

What we should try is especially the ones called "Kuusu"(古酒), Awamori which is 3 years or older. Some have been kept long years, over 10 years (like this photo). It contains higher degree of alcohol and rich in taste and floavor, like vintage wine. 

We have to be careful not to drink too much and have to keep our brain enough clear and available to function so that we can go back to our hotel by monorail.

 Another good news abour Awamori is its advantage to good health. Awamori contains a certain type of enzyme that can disolve bloog clot much more than red wine and other alcohol. It's a good reason to take the local alcohol everyday little by little!!

 

 

Visiting distillery is free and available only on weekday. Advance reservation is required.

 

Spot name : Mizuho Shuzo (瑞穂酒造)

Address: 4-5-16 Shuri Sueyoshi-cho, Naha city, Okinawa

Official homepage (in Japanese): http://www.mizuhoshuzo.co.jp

 

Okinawa, local style noodle at Ten to Ten (てんtoてん)

We covered two recommendable restaurants in Naha, the capital of Okinawa. Both are located in Kokusai-dori, very heart of the southern city. Momogami (百甕) features local distilled alcohol, Awamori, while at Gyuya (牛屋) local specialty branded beef and pork are available. Well, what else should we try in Okinawa?

One answer is today’s feature, Okinawa soba (沖縄そば). Soba (Japanese traditional noodle) in Okinawa is a bit different from what we see in the main land of Japan. Usually buckwheat is used as main ingredient for soba in other parts of Japan. Then the color of noodle is gray in many cases. On the other hand, soba in local style of Okinawa is made from flour that makes the noodle off-white color rather than dark gray. The soup for Okinawa soba is richer in oil compared with one used in the main land, because pork is used to take the stock soup.

Well, Ten to Ten (てんtoてん) is a popular Okinawa soba restaurants among locals as well as domestic tourists, even though it is situated out of central town. It is close to Shikina-en, a Chinese garden. It will be a good idea to take a stroll for about 10 minutes from the garden to Ten to Ten through a street having grave yards in local style along both sides.

To be honest, it was not easy even for a Japanese to find the popular soba restaurant for the first time. Please be noted but it is still worth to visiting it.
The small house completely!! covered in vines is the restaurant Ten to Ten. It is a block away from a busy street where local buses are going and running around.

  

The restaurant inside has an atmosphere like a local residence or an art gallery. You will find the cozy air there anytime, in any season. It will be a cool oasis with wind in summer and be a warm place with sunlight in winter.

As for the menu, we do not have to worry so much. It has a unique choice as main dish.

Mokkai Soba (木灰すば, written in local spelling) is solely offered as main dish. So it is what we should order anyway there. The word, Mokkai (木灰, wood ash) is rare to be found in Tokyo. Water taken from burned and soaked local species woods contains rich minerals and it is used to make the noodle by mixing it with flour. Anyway, the flat noodle looks hand-made (as it is) and like fettuccine in Italy. Otherwise it reminds us Kishimen(きしめん), another popular local noodle in Nagoya.

 

Well, let’s taste.

 

It provides rich oily soup with char-siu (sliced pork). Some might feel it more close to Ramen rather soba in mainland.

Surely it is a nice bowl of meal and is worth walking a bit from Shikinaen (識名園) garden or local bus stop.

Some Japanese would not like Okinawa soba but here we understand that is because they have not tasted the best one. We wish you agree with us.

Ten to Ten also offera interesting side dishes such as Kodaimai Onigiri (Rice ball with “ancient rice”) and very unique and impressive local style tea, buku-buku cha (bubbling tea). 

By the way, Shikinaen, a part of UNESCO world heritage, is also very nice garden to walk around and feel the season. It is a Chinese style garden whose original was created in 18th century. The area over 40,000 square meters is filled with trees, flowers, a pond and other pieces of nature as well as some traditional buildings. 
When we visited on January, we could see many spices of flower including Sakura!!

    

 

Restaurant name : Ten to Ten (てん to てん)
Address: 4-5-2 Shikina, Naha-city, Okinawa

 

Okinawa, Gyuya(牛屋) for local specialty beef and pork

Following our last post featuring “Momogami”, an Izakaya or local cuisine restaurant operated by a local brewing company in Naha, today we will talk about another restaurant recommendable to try local specialties of Okinawa in Kokusai-dori area.

If you visit the capital of Okinawa, Naha-city, you will surely find Kokusai-dori (国際通り) the main street of the town. We can find many types of service from Starbucks, Department store, to Kosetsu-ichiba (local food market) in the area. With the ample choices, it will be a bit hard to choose where to dine.

Beef and pork meat are also Okinawa’s local specialty. Beef bred in Ishigaki Island and Okinawa’s brand pork Aguu are a few of them. Then we can also easily find several steak restaurants such as 88 or Captain’s along the main street. But if you feel better to enjoy Okinawa’s meat in local and peaceful air rather than lively touristic atmosphere, we recommend today’s feature, Gyuya(牛屋).

 

 

Gyuya is also situated on Kokusai dori, relatively West side. If we see the location on a map, it is almost in-between two monorail stations, Makishi and Kencho-mae.

The restaurant’s entrance is on the ground floor and it will be easy to find with this sign. The name Gyuya represents “House of beef”. The trademark seems to come from it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What is good for Gyuya is the decoration inside. It looks like an old house in traditional style and like a storage house of Awamori (distilled sake, exclusively found in Okinawa)!!

 

On evening, it offers Okinawa’s local dishes like an Izakaya, while for lunch time Ishigaki beef steak and other meat main dishes are available as lunch set like a steak house. Considering the quality of food and volume, lunch sets at around Yen 2000 are good value.

 

My order was Hamburg steak with Ishigaki beef

 

Of course, as we can imagine from the decoration with bottles and pots fully placed around the counter, it is also a good place to enjoy local alcohol, Awamori. The restaurant offers “full” selections of Awamori from all 48 breweries in Okinawa.

 

However, this is just tap water for lunch time,

although the logo on the glass shows my favorite Awamori brand

from Miyako Island.

 

Whether it is for lunch or dinner, enjoy Okinawa’s local specialty, especially Ishigaki beef and Aguu pork with Awamori there.

 

Restaurant name : Gyuya (牛屋)
Address: 2-5-12 Matsuo, Naha-city, Okinawa