Chinpin is an Okinawan sweet often described as a pancake or crepe flavored with brown sugar.

You may have seen Ryukyu Glass on the shelf at shops. The colorful glassware is popular among tourists and locals as souvenirs or eating or drinking utensils.

Although the glassblowing workshop lasted for less than 30 minutes in total, I found myself tired and hungry when it was over. Lucky for me, right next to the workshop was Do~me Gohan Café.

Somen, or somin in Okinawan dialect, comes in different varieties, but an Okinawan favorite is to have the noodles stir-fried in somin champuru.

As the number of bars and pubs on the island indicates, drinking is a big part of life in Okinawa.

Kashi pan or “菓子パン” is a word that means “snack bread” in Japanese. Listed below are some of the Okinawan breads that I have been familiar with since my childhood.

Sata Andagi is an Okinawan donut that is commonly cooked at home. Meaning “deep-fried sugar,” Sata Andagi is a local favorite often served up during special occasions.

Growing up, I often helped my mother in the kitchen and shaved dried bonito fish, or katsuobushi, while she prepared dinner.

Yagiya Soba is a traditional Okinawan soki soba restaurant in Nanjo City. Okinawan soki soba is one of the quintessential Okinawan dishes and consists of stewed pork ribs in a noodle soup broth flavored with bonito, kelp and pork bones.

Heejaa (or Hiijaa) goats are valued as livestock in Okinawa. Locals commonly cook soup with heejaa bones and meat or eat it raw as (sashimi) as it is thought that the rich nutrition is an energy boost.