Updated: 2023.3.27
This is the list of the best Okinawan tropical fruits you should try!
The yellow or pink outside skin looks pretty wild -- and definitely is distinctive. Inside, the fruit can be white or pink, and is dotted with tiny black seeds.
Dragonfruit's popular because of its high antioxidant properties -- and some fancy restaurants use it for its unique taste and exotic beauty.
It's also versatile -- you can eat this tropical fruit fresh, turn it into juice or jam, or use it in everything from ice cream to cocktails.
Available in pink and yellow, the passion fruit's seeds are crunchy and covered in a sweet slimy film. Passion fruit is a beneficial fruit with a healthful nutrition profile. It contains high levels of vitamin A, which is important for skin, vision, and the immune system, and vitamin C, which is an important antioxidant.
Atemoya is sweet subtropical fruit which is known as the "ice cream of the forest" because it is meltingly sweet. It is a rare and fancy fruit variety in Japan and is not commonly found in supermarkets, but it has an unforgettable taste once tried.
This Okinawan citrus fruit called shekwasha (flat lemon) in Japanese is used like such other citrus fruits as kabosu, yuzu, and lime, but is tarter. It's consumed as juice and mixed with spirits.
Peeled before it's eaten, the juicy, golf-ball-sized fruit inside is a translucent white, and tastes both sweet and tart. Because of how the outside looks, the lychee is also known as the alligator strawberry.
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Updated: 2023.3.23
Kudaka Island, where the entire island is regarded as sacred land is said to be the first place created by the legendary ancestor Amamikiyo, who is attributed with creating the Ryukyu Islands.
The people living on Kudaka Island believes the land of the island to be "borrowed from God" and live in a way as to preserve its shape. That is why, as an island with remnants from the distant past, you can enjoy the true landscape of Okinawa on Kudaka.
While there are various theories as to why Kudaka Island became a place of faith, the most famous is based on the of Niraikanai, a belief that God comes from the utopia of Niraikanai which lies beyond and deep under the sea. Also, Sefa Utaki, one of the most notable sacred places on the main island Okinawa is also believed to have built to worship Kudaka Island.
It is home to many utaki, a sacred place where gods were enshrined. They use utaki for religious ceremonies, festivals, and rituals. In the era of Ryukyu Kingdom, the island's men would become fishermen, and the women would become priestesses.
There are many sacred area's on the island, including areas where people are forbitten to enter. One beach in particular, Ishiki-hama, is said to be the place where the deities descend in their ship from a celestial place where all life origintes.
If you do choose to tour the island, please remember the entire island is considered holy.
ACCESS
6times a day go and return Azama Port (Nanjo City) -- Kudaka Island, Tokujin Port
Around 15 minutes by High Speed Boat, Around 20 minutes by ferry
Area:1.38㎢ / Population:260 people
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Updated: 2023.3.16
Have you tried Awamori?
Another name for Awamori used in Okinawa is "Island Sake" (島酒, Shima-Zake), or you only say Shima for short.
Awamori is an alcoholic beverage indigenous and unique to Okinawa, Japan.
It is made from long grain indica rice, and is not a direct product of brewing (like Sake) but of distillation (like Shochu).
The majority of Awamori made today uses indica rice imported from Thailand, as the local production is largely insufficient to meet domestic demand.
The most popular way to drink Awamori is with water and ice. My favorite is adding a few drops of Shikuwasa (Okinawan lime). Indigenous offentimes mixing it with Coffee. Traditionally, Awamori was served in a Kara-kara, a small earthen vessel with a small clay marble inside. The marble would make a distinctive "kara-kara" sound to let people know the vessel was empty.
In general, the price of Awamori increases with the beverage's age. When Awamori is aged for three years or more, it is called Kusu (古酒, "old liquor). Before the Battle of Okinawa during World War 2, 200- and even 300-year-old Kusu existed, but most of the oldest Kusu were lost in the battle. However, the Shikina Distillery in Shuri own 100- and 150-year old Kusu which are thought to be the oldest surviving. There are ongoing attempts to once again produce 200- and 300- year old Kusu.
Koregusu is a type of hot sauce made of chillis infused in Awamori and is a popular condiment to Okinawan dishes such as Okinawa Soba.
You should try Awamori when you're in Okinawa!
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Updated: 2023.3.16
A lush paradise of flora and fauna.
The Yanbaru region (山原) makes up the northern part of the Okinawa Mainland. Compared to the urbanized, southern part of the island, Yanbaru is significantly less developed and more rural.
The region contains an abundance of subtropical forested hills and endemic wildlife. In 2016, the Yanbaru National Park was established here as the 33rd national park in Japan.
Yanbaru's subtropical evergreen forests, mangrove trees, and limestone mountains are an important habitat for many species of rare flora and fauna.
There are over 1,250 species of plants in the area, and rare endemic creatures including the flightless Okinawa rail, and Japan's largest beetle, the Yanbaru long-armed scarab.
Much of this biodiverse region is protected within Yambaru National Park, which encompases subtropical forest, tidal flats, and dense mangrove forests.
As of 2021, this area is part of the UNESCO Natural World Heritage sites in Okinawa, that includes the northern part of Okinawa Island and Iriomote Island (as well as Amami-Oshima and Tokunoshima islands).
Best healing area in Okinawa, let's deep breath here.
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