The 3 ‘R’s to good eating – Restaurants,

Reviews & Recipes

A Tasteof

Okinawa8-page pullout

Satisfy your seafood and steak cravings at Sam’s by the Sea, the popular restaurant with a nautical-themed interior and exotic Hawaiian and Polynesian décor that was elected “Best Date Night Restaurant” in Stripes Best of the Pacific 2018. Take in the view of the ocean as you and someone special enjoy a tasty full-course dinner by candlelight. Delight your taste buds with our fresh lobster, King Crab, prawns, red snapper, mahi mahi, swordfish and oysters. And our top-quality juicy steaks will leave your mouth watering and your stomach satisfied. Our friendly staff promises to make it a memorable dinner.

Make it a dateat SAM’S!

Traditional Sweets highlight

food cultures of Japan

takiguchi.takahiro@stripes.com

STRIPES OKINAWA

A TASTE OF OKINAWA2

MARCH 14 – MARCH 20, 2019

If you have sampled the traditional sweets of Japan, you might have been surprised how different the tastes – and ingredients that include sweet potatoes, sweet beans and

rice - are from Western sweets. These sweets are not only savory, but generally extremely

fancy and beautiful. They usually are served with tea and are used for temple ceremonies, offerings and gifts. They also have a deeper meaning to the Japanese.

The traditional sweets supply nourishment to the heart, ac-cording to Mitsuo Yabu, managing director of Traditional Japa-nese Sweets Association.

“As you know, food is necessary for a man to live, but sweets are not,” he said. “But they enrich and encourage our heart with their delicious tastes and elegant looks. I think this is very important.”

“Souls exist in traditional sweets,” said Masae Arakaki of the traditional Ryukyu sweets shop Ara-

kaki Kashiten and descendent of the dynasty’s last royal chef, Arakaki Pe-chin Shukuku.

“I would like as many people as possible to be touched by these souls by enjoying these traditional sweets.”

Okinawa has its own group of traditional sweets called Ryukyu-kashi, developed under the influ-ence of both Japanese and Chi-nese during the Ryukyu Dynasty (1372-1879). “Ryukyukashi is the fruit of a Ryukyu Dynasty aes-thetic sense,” Arakaki said. “It is said that Ryukyu-kashi is 30 percent Japanese taste and 70 percent Chinese.”

According to Arakaki, exist-ing documents from that era show there were more than 230 recipes of sweets dur-ing the Ryukyu Dynasty, al-though most have been lost. The Ryukyukashi available today are mostly baked sweets, which include the famous Okinawan Cookie, “chinsuko,” and “hanabo-ru,” cookies shaped like Wisteria flowers.

While Okinawan sweets are hun-dreds of years old, the first form of Japanese sweets,

wagashi, was developed about 5,000 years during the Jomon Period. During this time, people started making food out of nuts, according to Yabu. “Smashing oak nuts into powder to make “dango” (dumplings) after removing the bitterness with water are fundamental processes for making wagashi,” Yabu said.

Another important part of wagashi is mochi, a chewy rice

cake. As rice can spoiled easily, ancient people invented a way of pre-serving it by making mochi.

“Rice cakes can be preserved for a long time without refrigera-tion,” Yabu said. “And once you cook it over a fire, it becomes very tasty.”

These two ancient sweets, dango and mochi, are mainstream wagashi today, with many popular shops specializing in them.

Various ingredients are used in wagashi, including rice, flour, sweet potatoes, beans, millet, chestnuts, sugar, seaweed and various fruit.

“As wagashi is made mainly from cereals, rice flour, nuts, beans and potatoes, the smell is very faint,” Yabu said. “Japa-nese traditionally prefer a faint smell for sweets.”

And until about 50 years ago, wagashi did not include dairy products nor eggs. However, today “most wagashi shops use these animal products for some of their sweets,” he said.

The biggest difference between wagashi and Ryukyukashi is oil. While wagashi almost contain no oil, Okinawans use a lot of oil in their sweets.

“A majority of traditional Okinawan sweets use lard for bak-ing and for flavor,” Arakaki said. “Chinsuko, for example, is a cookie using lard instead of butter, and that gives it a unique flavor.”

On the contrary, the use of oil is traditionally avoided when making wagashi, according to Yabu. “Adzuki beans are used quite often to make bean paste in wagashi, but soybeans have never been used because of the lipid,” he said. “An adzuki bean is only 2 percent fat while the soybean has 20 percent. The (veg-etable) fat makes bean paste sticky and spoils the flavor, which is why our ancestors avoided it.”

Climate also plays a part in differentiating the two tradition-al sweets. In mainland Japan, the sweets are seasonal.

“We know spring has come when kusamochi (rice-flour cake flavored with mugwort) is available in February,” Yabu said, adding that the shapes and colors of the sweets also vary from month to month. “Summer is heralded by mizuyokan (soft ad-zuki-bean jelly) and kuzuzakura (cherry-leaf-covered kuzu bun filled with bean jam), and for autumn, there are persimmon and chestnut sweets.”

Since there are not four clear seasons on Okinawa, the same sweets are sold throughout the year. “But we often shape our sweets in accordance with the season,” Arakaki said. “We shape chinsuko in a cherry-like figure in spring, and star-like for sum-mertime.”

So, exactly how popular are these traditional sweets?When the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries

conducted a nation-wide survey on Japanese sweets in 1978, Yabu said the data clearly showed a majority of younger people didn’t eat the traditional sweets, while those age 70 and older did. The data made those in the traditional sweets industry wor-ry that their products would fade into history.

“However, when the ministry did the same research 28 years later, the data was still the same,” Yabu said. “The data clearly shows that people enjoy the traditional sweets as they grow older, which made us very relieved.”

Wagashi Trivia

– Do you take off the leaf?

When you eat “sakuramochi” or “kashiwamochi” sweets,

do you remove the leaf wrapping, or eat it with the leaf?

According to Mitsuo Yabu, managing director of

Traditional Japanese Sweets Association, a famed television

announcer once told viewers that a true connoisseur of

traditional Japanese sweets should eat them with leaves on,

and many believed what he said.

“That is absolutely wrong,” said a notably perturbed

Yabu. “It took me a long time to correct the public’s

misunderstanding.”

According to Yabu, to fully enjoy these rice cakes, you

should enjoy the faint aroma

of cherry or oak leaves

first, then remove

the leaves just

before eating it.

“The salty

taste of the

leaves remain

on the rice

cakes, making

the sweets even

sweeter with a

delicate flavor.

STORY AND PHOTOS BY TAKAHIRO TAKIGUCHI, STRIPES OKINAWA

• SEE WAGASHI AND FOUR SEASONS ON PAGE 4

STRIPES OKINAWA

A TASTE OF OKINAWA3

MARCH 14 – MARCH 20, 2019

Kamisushi, Okinawa’s favorite sushi restaurant, is now conveniently located near Carnival Park Mihama. Our friendly staff awaits your arrival! You don’t have to go to the U.S. to get American sushi rolls. At Kamisushi, not only can you try traditional Japanese sushi, but you can also enjoy a variety of American sushi rolls – Cali-fornia, Dynamite and Caterpillar. Try our original Kami Rolls and Mihama Rolls by Chef Isamu Kamiya. You`ll be blown away by his sushi magic! Not a sushi eater? We also have a variety of Okinawan and Japanese dishes available to satisfy your taste buds.

Kamisushi opens uptheir new location

Kazoku Place is a family-friendly casual dining option in the Rocker Enlisted Club! Club members can take advantage of the Two for One Tuesday specials. Some of the options include: ribeye, chicken, pasta and a vegetarian plate. Kazoku also offers a mini breakfast buffet on Friday and Saturday mornings, as well as a big breakfast spread on Sundays from 8 a.m. - 2 p.m. Every holiday, Kazoku hosts a special dinner! This month try our St. Patrick’s Day meal of corned beef and cabbage. Kazoku Place is open to all ranks and services, so stop by and visit us today!

From our family to yours, see you soon!

STRIPES OKINAWA

A TASTE OF OKINAWA4

MARCH 14 – MARCH 20, 2019

Spring

Summer Autumn

Kusamochi (mugwort rice cake)

Kashiwamochi (bean paste rice-cake

wrapped in a salted oak leaf)

Mizuyokan (Soft adzuki-bean jelly)

Daifuku (soft rice cake filled with

sweet bean jam)

Sakuramochi (bean paste rice-cake wrapped in a salted

cherry leaf)

Kurikinton (sweetened

mixture of boiled and mashed chestnuts)

Ohagi(oval-shaped sweet

made from glutinous rice and covered with

adzuki bean jam)

Popular Wagashi (Mainland)DANGO - A sweet dumpling that comes

in an assortment of colors and is made from cereals and rice. Soy sauce and sweet bean paste are often used to flavor it. Applying sugar to a well-pounded dango can preserve it for long time.

MONAKA - A wafer filled with adzuki bean paste. The paste can be made from sesame seed, chestnuts or rice. Most wafers are sqaure shaped in a square. Monaka is usually served with tea.

SENBEI - A Japanese rice cracker in various shapes, sizes and flavors that are usually baked or grilled, traditionally over charcoal. A typical senbei is flavored with soy sauce and mirin, and wrapped with a layer of seaweed. There also are salt- and sugar-flavored senbei.

YOKAN - The dark-colored sweets are one of the nation’s most popular traditional sweets. Yokan is made from adzuki beans, sugar and agar, a natural gelling agent made from seaweed. Yokan derives from an ancient Chinese recipe for lamb stew. When the dish came to Japan, Zen monks substituted beans for the lamb because they were prohibited from eating meat.

Popular Ryukyu-kashi (Okinawa)

CHINSUKO - An Okinawan cookie that originated during the Ryukyu Dynasty. It is made from wheat flour, sugar, and lard. It is baked until an appealing exudes. Chinsuko is one of the most important traditional sweets on Okinawa.

CHIIRUNKO - Often called “Okinawan kasutera,” Chiirunko is a brightly colored steamed cake topped with a smattering of peanuts that have been dyed red with citrus peels boiled in sugar syrup. The recipe includes plenty of eggs, which were scarce and thus highly prized during the Ryukyu Dyanasty era. It is said that this cake was eaten only by nobility.

SENJUKO - A pretty lotus-shaped cake with pastry on the outside filled with a mixture of sesame and peanut butter and refreshingly fragrant kippan.

HANABO-RU – A cookie made from wheat flour and egg yolk and shaped like a Wisteria flower. This Ryukyu-kashi requires the skilled techniques of an experienced patisserie chef. The Portuguese introduced this sweet to mainland Japan in the 1600s, and later it was introduced to Okinawa. Today this sweet is enjoyed only on Okinawa.

– Masae Arakaki of Arakaki Kashiten

Winter

Zenzai (thick bean-meal soup containing

sugar and rice cakes)

I n the 15th and 16th centuries, Spanish and Portuguese introduced Western sweets to Japan. A sponge cake was one of them. The Japanese digested it and remade it their own.

“Kasutera is one of very popular sweets in Japan and it really resembles Western sponge cake,” said Traditional Japanese Sweets Association’s Mitsuo Yabu. “But it is different. While Western sponge are made with baking powder, our ancestors made it by whisking eggs so that bubbles would make holes in the cake when baked.”

Okinawans have their own kasutera called chiirunko. “Different from Kasutera, chiirunko is a steaming sponge cake

with plenty of eggs,” said Masae Arakaki of Okinawa’s traditional Ryukyu sweets shop, Arakaki Kashiten. “Like kasutera, we don’t use

baking powder in chiirunko.” “When the Western food culture was introduced, our ancestors

did not accept them as they were. They modified them.” Yabu said. “I think their spirit is wonderful, and that shaped the core of our sweets, which has been passed down from generation to generation.”

Kasutera –Western sweet or traditional Japanese?

TRADITIONAL JAPANESE SWEETS ASSOCIATION

Wagashi and

four seasons

Make it yourselfThe following recipes of popular sweets enjoyed in mainland Japan and Okinawa.

STRIPES OKINAWA

A TASTE OF OKINAWA5

MARCH 14 – MARCH 20, 2019

Arakaki Kashiten

Arakaki Kashiten is known for its authentic tasting Chinsuko.

“The founder of this store, Arakaki Pe-chin Shukuku, served three kings during the Ryukyu Kingdom as a royal chef,” said Masae Arakaki of the shop. “We have inherited his legacy and expertise, and keep providing authentic Ryukyuan tastes from generation to generation.”

Arakaki Kashinten has cocoa and cinnamon chinsuko on its menu. Arakaki Kashiten has branches on branches near Shuri Castle (098-

886-6236)and one in Nanjo City (098-948-3943).

Open: Mon – Sat, 9:30 a.m. - 6:30 p.m., (Sun 9:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.) (Closed Jan.1-2 and during bon period)

Location: 1-81-8 Syuri Samukawacho, Naha City, Okinawa

URL: www.chinsuko.com/ (Japanese)

For more information: call 098-886-6236 (Japanese)

Okashi Goten

Okashi Goten is one of the largest sweets shops on the island and sells not only traditional sweets, but also wagashi and Western sweets. Its most popular item is “Beniimo Tart”, made from local purple yams. In the shop, you can sam-ple almost every sweet for sale. Okashi Goten has branch shops in Yomi-tanson (098-958-7333), Onnason (098-982-3388), Kokusai Street in Naha City (098-862-0334), Nago City (0980-54-8515), Naha Airport (098-859-7234) and Ishigaki Is-land (0980-88-0510).

Open: 8:30 a.m. - 9 p.m.Location: 657-1 Uza Aza Yomitan-son, Nakagami-gun, Okinawa URL: www.okashigoten.co.jp/ (Japanese)For more information: call 098-958-7333 (Japanese)

Popular Okinawa sweet shopsToday, you can buy some popular Ryukyu-kashi in any supermarket or even convenience stores. But

the following two businesses are known for their quality and authentic Ryukyu-kashi.

Popular Ryukyu-kashi (Okinawa)

DorayakiIngredient:• 3 pcs of eggs• 90-130 gram of sugar• 1 tbsp of honey• 180 gram of flour• 1 tsp of baking powder• 80 cc of water• 180 gram of sweet red bean paste

Directions:1. Combine flour and baking powder in a bowl2. In another bowl, whisk eggs, sugar and honey together. Add

water and mix well3. Combine 1 and 2 and whisk until batter becomes smooth.4. Heat non-stick fry pan with small amount of oil. At medium low

heat, drop 1/8 of a cup of batter onto the fry pan. Cook for about 2 minutes. Flip over and cook for 1 more minute.

5. Transfer to a plate.6. Take 1 cake and place a tablespoon of bean paste and cover with

another cake. Wrap with plastic and press.7. Remove wrap before serving.

Kuromame (black sweet bean) DaifukuIngredient:• 24 pcs of black sweet beans• 2 pcs (100 gram) of cut mochi• 2 tbsp of sugar• 3 tbsp of water• Cornstarch

Directions:1. Use paper towel to remove excess liquid from black beans.2. Put cut mochi in a bowl. Add sugar and water. Cover with plastic

and heat in microwave (600 W) for 1 minute to 1 minute 20 seconds. Take out, mix well with moistened wooden spatula. Again, this time without cover, heat for another 1 minute. Mix thoroughly till soft.

3. Dust a tray with cornstarch. Pour the mochi. Dust your hand with cornstarch and spread the mochi out. Divide it into 4 equal parts.

4. Take 1 piece, spread into your hand removing excess starch. Put 6 pieces of sweet beans on top and wrap the mochi around it, stretching and pulling, then pinch to close.

5. Repeat procedure 4 to the remaining mochi.6. Serve with hot green tea. They should be eaten fresh or on the day they are cooked.

STRIPES OKINAWA

A TASTE OF OKINAWA6

MARCH 14 – MARCH 20, 2019

Get a taste of Hawaiiat Hale Noa Cafe

The Hale Noa Cafe in Chatan may have had a grand re-opening in January, but it has been serving its cus-tomers since 2015. With its Hawaiian vibe, Hale Noa serves up the some of the best of the 50th state’s fa-vorite foods. Enjoy Macadamia Nut Pancakes, Hawaiian Bowl, Grilled Salmon and more! Hale Noa’s fluffy French Toast with berries and crème brulee sauce is to die for! Afterwards, wash it all down with one of our healthy and homemade smoothies. At Hale Noa Café, we are always adding new items to our all menu, so stay tuned!

Gen a real gemon Okinawa

Offering authentic Japanese and Okinawan cuisine at a reasonable price, Gen was recognized in Stripes’ Best of the Pacific 2013 as the best restaurant to expe-rience the local culture on Okinawa. Owner and Head Chef Naoki Tsukayama highly recommends the “Fish Garlic Butter Combo,” a popular dish among American customers. Tsukayama and his staff make you feel at home, so stop by and enjoy a delicious meal. Gen is lo-cated across from Camp Foster’s fire station. Just look for shi-shi dogs on a traditional Okinawan tile roof outside Foster’s Fire Station Gate.  

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A TASTE OF OKINAWA7

MARCH 14 – MARCH 20, 2019

The city of Matsue in Shimane Pre-fecture is famous for its tea cul-ture. One of three major tea culture

centers in Japan, rumour has it that con-sumption of matcha green tea in Matsue is five times that of the national average. The traditional tea ceremony in Japan is enjoyed with wagashi, a traditional Japa-nese sweet, so it comes as no surprise that Matsue is also renowned for this delicate confectionery.

Made with shiratama flour (refined rice flour) with a sweet tsubu-an (red bean) filling, the wagashi is intention-ally sweet to balance out the bitterness of the matcha. Wagashi come in many intri-cate shapes, but craftsmen are usually in-spired by natural forms like flowers and fruits, seeking to emulate and reproduce their beauty through the confectionery. Blessed with four seasons with unique flora and fauna to represent each of them, seasonality in Japan has become an im-portant theme in wagashi, and the sweet is often designed in anticipation of the

arriving season.

MEIMEI-AN TEA HOUSE Discover the history of tea

ceremonies in MatsueIt all began with Lord Matsudaira Fu-

mai, 7th Lord of the Matsudaira family that governed Matsue for a long time dur-ing the Edo Period. A highly cultured rul-er, Lord Matsudaira’s benign governance

and deep appreciation for tea ceremonies quickly spread amongst his citi-zens and caused Matsue to forever more be associated with this culture.

Meimei-An was designed by Lord Mat-sudaira himself, and the original teahouse was restored in 1966 in commemoration of the ruler. You can visit the original tea house, learn about how tea ceremonies were conducted in the past and then par-take in a tea ceremony yourself in a beau-tifully constructed adjoining tea pavillion.

KIHARU KISSA, MATSUE HISTORY MUSEUM Wagashi freshly-made by

a national treasureMatsue History Museum is a great

place to go to learn about the history of the city. At the same time, it also features a quaint tea house Kiharu Kissa, where you can have tea and wagashi while en-joying views of a beautiful stone garden right outside.

Uniquely, you can watch the master craftsman at work here, creating master-pieces right in front of your eyes. I did not know it then, but the craftsman here is Mr Itami Tsugio, who has been awarded the official title of ‘Contemporary Master Craftsman’ by the royal family and has represented Japan in overseas sympo-siums. I should’ve known, however, judg-ing by the groups of appreciative fans qui-etly watching the master at work.

KARAKORO ART STUDIO Learn to make your own wagashi

right here in MatsueIf you would like to try your hands at

creating wagashi, look no further than Karakoro Art Studio. This handicraft stu-dio offers lessons in wagashi-making that is popular with locals and tourists alike. The lessons are easy to follow, whether you know Japanese or not, because the master will carefully explain while making the

wagashi along with the class. Of course, you will be able to bring your handmade wagashi home with you, which makes for an awesome and delicious souvenir.

The wagashi-making lessons are avail-able daily with the exception of Wednes-day. There are two sessions a day, at 11:00AM and 2:00PM. Reservations are required so that they may prepare the necessary ingredients, but need not be made exceptionally early. Personally, I called just 2 hours ahead and the studio was able to accommodate me with no problems.

Besides the above must-visit spots, Matsue is home to many other master craftsmen whose amazing techniques are responsible for some of the most exquisite wagashi found in the entire country. Many wagashi shops are available all around the city so you are never far from a piece of this edible art. If you are visiting Shimane be sure to head to Matsue for a relaxing day of delicious tea and beautiful wagashi.

The contact infomation within this ar-ticle is for the Matsue History Museum, where Kiharu Kissa is located. For Kara-koro Art Studio, please visit the linked ar-ticle.

STORY AND PHOTOS BY LESTER GOH,JAPAN TRAVEL

Perfect city to appreciate the beloved Japanese sweetA WAGASHI ADVENTURE IN MATSUE

Matsue

STRIPES OKINAWA

A TASTE OF OKINAWA8

MARCH 14 – MARCH 20, 2019

Four Seasons teppanyaki steak house in Okinawa City has been dazzling customers and their taste buds since 1972. Watch as our talented chefs slice, dice and cook up your entrées right at your table. It’s more than a meal, it’s an event! Located near Kadena Air Base’s Gate 2 on 330 Street, our restaurant is the perfect place relax, unwind and simply enjoy some fun with your food. If you haven’t had the pleasure of enjoying Japanese teppanyaki, come in for a visit! Reservations recommended. Private rooms available for groups of 5 or more.

Serving up tasty food with a flair

Four Seasons sizzlingwith scrumptious fun

Our teppanyaki steak house in Mihama is the perfect place to enjoy tasty food and have fun doing it with family and friends. Watch as our talented chefs slice, dice and cook up your entrées right at your table. It’s more than a meal, it’s an event! Located in the popular American Village, our Mihama branch offers a casual atmosphere where all ages are welcome. If you haven’t had the pleasure of enjoying Japanese teppanyaki, you need to come to Four Seasons. Please make reservations as sometimes we are full. It depends on how busy we are. Thanks for understanding.