Ishigaki Island in Okinawa Prefecture is an island in the south of Japan with a clear blue sea, blue skies, and tropical vegetation.
Nature is the biggest attraction of Ishigaki Island. However, the island's fresh and delicious ingredients and cuisine that makes the best use of them are also popular among tourists.
In this article, I would like to introduce three very popular restaurants that I recommend in Okinawa Prefecture that use plenty of ingredients from the island and are so popular that they are considered Ishigaki Island specialties.
I recommend you to enjoy a trip to Ishigaki Island with delicious meals as the main attraction, as it is a different way to enjoy the island!
1. Tofu Higa (arrive early before they sell out!)
One of the most famous restaurants on Ishigaki Island where people line up from the early hours in the morning is Tofu Higa.
The store opens at 6 am and closes at 3 pm, but they often run out of tofu in the morning because they close as soon as they run out.
The place is so popular that customers line up outside before the place opens. The store is located in a sugarcane field on an unpaved farm road.
The specialty of Tofu Higa is yushi-dofu (ゆし豆腐).
Yushi-dofu is a soft and fluffy tofu, made by adding bittern to soy milk before it hardens. The hardened product would become shima-dofu, an Okinawan variant of tofu.
Enjoy the fluffy texture of this special tofu!
At Tofu Higa, you can enjoy freshly made yushi-dofu.
The menu also includes set meals, soba, miso soup, and other dishes, all reasonably priced at less than 1,000 yen.
The portions are large enough to fill you up, so the cost is excellent!
Another great point is that soy milk is always served as a set, and the yushi-dofu is very gentle on the early morning stomach.
Tofu Higa is very popular among the locals, and on some days they sell out and close as early as 8 am.
They do not accept reservations, so stick around and get there early!
▼Tofu Higa
Address: 570 Ishigaki, Ishigaki City, Okinawa, Japan
Hours of operation: 6:30 am - 3:00 pm
Closed: Sundays
Parking: Available
2. Shun Ya Banchan (fluffy dashimaki tamago)
Shun Ya Banchan is a restaurant open from early in the morning, where you can enjoy a luxurious morning meal.
Shunya Banchan's specialty is its fluffy dashimaki tamago (だし巻き卵: egg rolls infused with broth).
It is incredibly soft and sweet, and almost all of the customers who visit Shunya Ban-chan come here for the fluffy dashimaki tamago.
The menu consists of only one set meal called the "Banchan Gozen."
For the main dish, you can choose from three options: dashimaki tamago, nankotsu soki, and ma-su steamed island fish. (*Nankotsu soki is a type of pork rib dish, and “ma-su" means "salt" in the Okinawan language.)
The ingredients are sourced from local farmers, and vegetables from the island are used in abundance, making this dish a delight for both the body and the soul.
The dessert is also delicious, with a gentle, sweet flavor!
The wait staffs are very polite and comfortable, and the ocean is spread out near the restaurant, so you can feel the nature of Ishigaki Island.
Shun Ya Banchan is by reservation only; you can make a reservation online one month in advance, so be sure to make a reservation in advance!
▼ Shun Ya Banchan
Address: 13-1 Shiraho, Ishigaki City, Okinawa, Japan
Business hours: 8:30 am-3:00 pm
Closed: Wednesdays and Thursdays
Parking: Available
3. Re:hellow Beach (everything is colorful!)
Re:hellow Beach is a famous cafe representing Ishigaki Island.
It is a cafe facing the ocean where you can enjoy tropical cuisine with plenty of island vegetables.
The menu, the exterior, and the interior all have an energetic Hawaiian taste. You can fully enjoy the tropical atmosphere.
The menu is rich in colorful island vegetables, and the appearance makes you want to take pictures, making it a perfect place for sharing on social media.
In addition to vegetables from Ishigaki Island, there are also dishes using black rice from Iriomote Island and brown sugar from Hateruma Island, allowing you to enjoy the bounty of nature of the Yaeyama Islands!
There is also an original goods corner in the store, where you can buy T-shirts, caps, accessories, and other items with a tropical taste, which are recommended as souvenirs or memories of your trip.
Reservations are recommended due to the store's popularity, but are not required.
▼Re:hellow Beach
Address: 192-2 Maesato, Ishigaki City, Okinawa, Japan
Business hours: 10:00 am- 8:00 pm (varies depending on the season)
Closed: No regular holidays
Parking: Available
Visit Ishigaki for the wonderful specialty food!
As you can see, there are many unique and delicious restaurants in Ishigaki Island.
Going to a foreign place just to visit a certain restaurant is another wonderful way of exploring the world.
Please come to Ishigaki Island to try the specialties that you can only eat here!
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