7 Must-Try Local Cuisine from Okinawa

"Champuru" stems from the Okinawan term meaning "to mix," referring broadly to dishes where seasonal vegetables, pork, tofu and more are all stir-fried together. No matter what you mix and match, champuru made using Okinawa's iconic summer vegetable "goya" (bitter melon) stands out as a classic. The seasoning is pure and simple, using nothing but bonito flakes, soy sauce, and a pinch of salt, so that the natural flavors of the ingredients can shine. Dive in for a bite that tastes like the essence of Okinawa's local cuisine.

One way you’ll know you’re in Okinawa is that the noodles used in Okinawa Soba are made solely from wheat flour. The broth features a tasty medley made from pork bones, bonito flakes, and a seasoned blend of salt and soy sauce that sings with the rich umami of pork bones. Most commonly you’ll find your bowl topped with fish cake, green onions, and pickled red ginger, but when topped with stewed pork rib meat, it's popularly referred to as "Soki Soba".

Taco Rice typically comes with seasoned ground meat, lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, and other tasty toppings all layered over rice. Given its name and general taco-topped appearance one might mistake their bowl for a Mexican dish. Contrary to what it may seem, this all-original delight hails locally from Okinawa, loaded with all the delicious crunch of crisp vegetables that goes perfectly with the Okinawa heat.

Rafute is a dish where layers of pork skin, fat, and lean meat, commonly referred to as "three-layer meat," are braised together. Each bite is simmered in a blend of “awamori”, a traditional Okinawa distilled liquor, bonito stock, soy sauce and sugar for a sweet but decadent bite of pork so soft it nearly melts in your mouth.

Agu is the name for what you get when you crossbreed the extremely rare, indigenous Okinawan "Agu pig" with Western varieties. In Okinawa, it's managed as a brand meat, and efforts are made to carefully preserve the Agu breed. The pork sees wide acclaim for its unique marbling and unbeatable taste of sweet, umami goodness.

Umibudo, or sea grapes, are a type of seaweed known for their vibrant green color and the multitude of small beads that earned them their name. Their distinctive popping texture has also led them to the popular nickname “green caviar”. This particular dish is plucked from Okinawa's pristine oceans, packed with plenty of nutrients to ensure a tasty but also nutritionally-rich bite.

Ishigaki Beef comes from the Japanese black breed of cattle raised on Ishigaki Island, which lies even further south of the main Okinawan island. The cows here thrive in the warmer climate, living with a stress level so low it’s said to improve the quality of the meat. The result of this easy-going lifestyle is a more moderate marbling and taste that has a sweet but light profile.