Whenever you stop by a souvenir shop, you'll inevitably see a section dedicated to "Okinawa soba." You'll find a variety of products, both in cups and bags.
If you're going to take home some delicious Okinawan soba as a souvenir to remember your trip, you'll probably want to bring back some memories, but when it comes down to actually buying some, it can be quite difficult to decide.
So, this time, we've taken a taste test and reviewed some of the most convenient Okinawan soba options: instant cup noodles!
All of these items can be purchased at convenience stores or souvenir shops. I hope this review will be helpful in your souvenir shopping!

<Contents>
1. The two major brands of Okinawan soba cup noodles
1-1. Myojo Okinawa Soba
1-2. Maruchan Okinawa Soba
2. A somewhat rare Okinawan soba cup noodle
2-1. Awase Soba (Okinawan fresh soba noodles)
3. Convenience store Okinawa soba that is a must-try for those who love authentic Okinawan food.
3-1. FamilyMart's morning soba is back!
3-2. Lawson's Easy Okinawa Soba (Prepared in the Microwave)
4. Okinawan soba that you'll want to take home

The two major players in Okinawan soba cup noodles are "Myojo Okinawa Soba" and "Maruchan Okinawa Soba." You can buy them at souvenir shops throughout the prefecture, as well as at convenience stores and supermarkets.
So, let's start by comparing two of the most popular brands!

1-1. Myojo Okinawa Soba

[Product information]
Noodle type: Fried noodles / Flat, thick noodles
Soup: Bonito and kelp, pork rib flavor
Ingredients: Meat, pickled ginger, green onions, shichimi spice
Price: 170 yen (excluding tax) *Reference price
Sales locations: Souvenir shops, convenience stores, and supermarkets throughout the prefecture
【evaluation】
Noodles: ★★★★☆
Soup: ★★★☆☆
Ingredients: ★★☆☆☆
Cost-effectiveness: ★★★☆☆
Overall: ★★★☆☆
Myojo Okinawa Soba, with its Bingata-inspired colors and Shisa design, is perfect as a souvenir.
The words "Okinawa exclusive" also get me excited!
■ Noodles
As the packaging says, it has a chewy texture.
If you were to ask me, "Is this like the Okinawan soba you'd eat at a restaurant?", I'd be a little hesitant, but I think it's perfectly fine as it is, in its own way, a cup noodle.
■ Soup
It has a strong bonito flavor. The bonito is prominent, and the pork bone flavor comes through afterwards.
Compared to the "Maruchan" product I'll introduce next, this one is overwhelmingly saltier.
■Ingredients
There was one large piece of meat (probably pork ribs), but overall it left a rather disappointing impression.
The pickled ginger was a big plus, but it's a shame the meat was cheap.
■総合
It was very tasty, but I couldn't shake the feeling that I was eating udon noodles, not Okinawan soba, until the very end... I think the soup might be the reason.
If you're expecting to be able to eat Okinawan soba at home, you might be a little disappointed. However, it's quite tasty as a cup noodle (and as mentioned earlier, the packaging is great), so it's perfect as a novelty souvenir!

1-2. Maruchan Okinawa Soba

[Product information]
Noodle type: Fried noodles / Flat, thick noodles
Soup: Bonito and pork rib flavor
Ingredients: Meat, pickled ginger, egg, green onions, shichimi spice
Price: 170 yen (excluding tax) *Reference price
Sales locations: Souvenir shops, convenience stores, and supermarkets throughout the prefecture
【evaluation】
Noodles: ★★★★☆
Soup: ★★★★★
Ingredients: ★★★☆☆
Value for money: ★★★★☆
Overall: ★★★★☆
This is also an Okinawa-exclusive product, and the packaging, featuring Shuri Castle standing against a blue sky, is beautiful: "Maruchan Okinawa Soba".
To put it simply, personally, I'm definitely a Maruchan fan over Myojo!!
Now, let's review it in detail.
■ Noodles
It looks similar to "Myojo," but this one is fluffier.
The noodles are the flat, thick, fried type often found in instant udon noodles, but when you eat them, they have a texture similar to the thin, round, straight noodles found in Okinawan soba.
■ Soup
The pork bone broth aroma is complemented by a distinct bonito broth flavor, giving it a very Okinawan soba feel!
My impression is that many Okinawan soba restaurants favored by locals tend to have a soup that's "less salty and has a strong broth," and in that sense, I think this soup is pretty good.
■Ingredients
The small pieces of meat, pickled ginger, and egg are reminiscent of Yaeyama soba. The colorful presentation is a big plus.
■総合
I think this is what Yaeyama soba, a type of noodle dish popular in places like Ishigaki Island, would look like if it were made into instant cup noodles!
The mild soup and slightly oily, fluffy noodles are delicious and similar to the "boiled Okinawa soba" that's a favorite in Okinawan households!
This is definitely recommended for anyone who wants to easily enjoy the atmosphere of Okinawan soba.

Of the two major Okinawan soba cup noodle brands, Maruchan (in my personal opinion) comes out on top.
Of course, in addition to the two major brands, there are other cup noodles that can be considered Okinawan soba, so I'd like to introduce them to you.

2-1. Awase Soba (Okinawan fresh soba noodles)

[Product information]
Noodle type: Fresh (boiled) / Straight thin noodles
Soup: Pork bone and bonito
Ingredients: Green onions
Price: 415 yen (tax included) *Reference price
Where to buy: Souvenir shops in the prefecture, etc. (I bought this at the "Washita Shop" on Kokusai Street.)
【evaluation】
Noodles: ★☆☆☆☆
Soup: ★★★★☆
Ingredients: ★☆☆☆☆
Cost: ★★☆☆☆
Overall: ★★☆☆☆
Instant noodles from Awase Soba, a long-established Okinawan soba restaurant, that you drain the water from.
Since I'm giving it two stars, let me say upfront to avoid any misunderstandings: the Awase Soba is delicious. Really!
Knowing how delicious it usually is, I'm incredibly disappointed with this instant noodle...and so, let's begin the review.
■ Noodles
It's a type of fresh noodle that you prepare by draining the water...
The dry, crumbly texture reminds me of the soft noodles I used to eat in school lunches.
I like soft noodles, but I couldn't help but think, "This doesn't quite work for Okinawan soba." I was really disappointed, especially since I had high expectations based on the name "Awase Soba." I guess it's unavoidable since it's instant...
■ Soup
The light-colored soup has a rich pork bone broth flavor, yet it has a clean aftertaste and is delicious. Truly impressive!
However, the noodles have absorbed a "soft noodle smell," which has ruined the flavor of the soup.
What a waste...
■Ingredients
Only green onions. For this price, I would have at least expected some pickled ginger.
■総合
Compared to the two major brands, it's more expensive, so my expectations were high, which led to a rather harsh review.
Considering the effort involved in draining the water, I don't think buying pre-packaged mixed soba noodles would be much more troublesome.
I gave it a harsh review because I was so disappointed to think that my first bowl of soba noodles might have been this instant noodle. (Sorry!)
Incidentally, there is also a "Soki Soba" (pork rib soba) in the instant version of Awase Soba.
The Okinawa soba I mentioned earlier now comes with a ready-made meat packet and costs 534 yen (tax included, reference price). This meat is genuinely delicious!
If you're looking to try an instant version of Awase Soba, this might be a better option.

For those staying in Okinawa for an extended period or staying in a hotel without meals included, I recommend trying the Okinawa soba sold at convenience stores.
It needs to be refrigerated and doesn't keep well, so opportunities to eat it are rare, but if you like Okinawan soba, it's a delicious dish that's worth trying at least once.

3-1. FamilyMart's morning soba is back!

[Product information]
Noodle type: Boiled/Straight noodles
Soup: Bonito and pork bone broth
Ingredients: pickled ginger, green onions
Price: 115 yen (excluding tax)
Sales locations: FamilyMart stores in the prefecture, and some supermarkets.
【evaluation】
Noodles: ★★★★☆
Soup: ★★★★★
Ingredients: ★★☆☆☆
Cost: ★★★★★
Overall: ★★★★☆
This product is perfect for Okinawa soba lovers who want to eat "suba" (soba noodles are called "suba" in Okinawa) with every meal.
Just add hot water and you're good to go! The contents are super simple too!
■ Noodles
The deliciousness is unimaginable considering how easy it is to prepare—just add hot water and wait 10 seconds. The noodles, typical of Okinawan soba, are slightly firm and pair perfectly with the soup.
■ Soup
This is a light and refreshing ramen with a bonito base. It's perfect for breakfast. It pairs well with Okinawan soul food like pork and egg onigiri and juicy (Okinawan mixed rice).
■Ingredients
The simplicity of just pickled ginger and green onions is refreshing. Perhaps the simplicity is good because it's meant to be eaten as a soup rather than the main dish of a meal.
■総合
It's similar to the feeling you get when you eat a really delicious bowl of stand-up soba noodles. Convenient, simple, cheap, and delicious!
The portion of noodles is small, so it won't fill you up on its own, but it's perfect as an extra dish to go with rice. Depending on the store, it often sells out by lunchtime, so if you want to try it, go buy it in the morning.

3-2. Lawson's Easy Okinawa Soba (Prepared in the Microwave)

[Product information]
Noodle type: Thin and straight
Soup: Pork bone and bonito
Price: 379 yen (excluding tax)
Sales locations: Lawson stores within the prefecture
【evaluation】
Noodles: ★★★☆☆
Soup: ★★★★☆
Ingredients: ★★★★★
Cost: ★★★★★
Overall: ★★★★☆
This is a microwaveable Okinawan soba noodle product sold at Lawson convenience stores throughout the prefecture.
I think it scores very highly in terms of ease of use and satisfaction!
■ Noodles
My first impression was, "Convenience store noodles have gotten so much tastier lately!"
Both the noodles and the soup are quite oily, giving it a somewhat ramen-like feel, but you can enjoy firm, chewy noodles even after heating it in the microwave.
■ Soup
The slightly pale soup, as its appearance suggests, is a bonito broth with a strong pork bone flavor.
It's a bit salty, as you'd expect from a convenience store drink, but it's so delicious that I can't help but drink it, even though I know it'll raise my blood pressure...
■Ingredients
As expected, or perhaps I should say, the generous amount of toppings is easily number one, to the point that it would be unfair to even compare it to instant noodles.
It also contains two slices of pork belly, making it quite satisfying. Be careful not to overcook it in the microwave, as the kamaboko (fish cake) will become soggy.
■総合
If it had pickled ginger in it, I might have given it 5 stars. It's a little oily, but that means it's very filling.
If you missed the chance to visit an Okinawan soba restaurant during your trip, be sure to eat this before boarding your flight home! This often sells out by lunchtime, so get there early.

4. Okinawan soba that you'll want to take home

Did any of the Okinawan soba cup noodles catch your eye?
When you try different Okinawan soba restaurants, you'll be surprised at how each one is completely different, and the same is true for instant cup noodles.
This review is based on my own personal opinions and biases, but people's preferences vary greatly.
That's right, "Seeing is believing."
On your next trip to Okinawa, try buying some Okinawa soba as a souvenir and compare the different kinds at home!