A scenic drive around the main island! A delicious Okinawan local snack adventure

In Okinawa, you can find delicious food everywhere you go, but actually, you just don't realize it, but there's plenty of delicious food to be found along the way to your destination too!

So, this time, we're taking a drive around the main island of Okinawa in search of popular local snacks that are worth making a slight detour to visit during your trip!
We'll be compiling the snacks we find by region, and also introducing nearby tourist spots as a guide for your detours.

Now, let's begin our journey through Okinawa's local snack scene!

<Table of Contents>
1. [Southern Okinawa/Shuri] Piccolo Mondo | Apple Tongue Over
2. [Southern Okinawa/Yonabaru → Nanjo area] Bonheur | Ogura Cream Puff
3. [All over the main island] Mont Blanc Mountain | Condensed Milk Sandwich
4. [Chubu, Onna Village] Mitsuya Honpo | The Legendary Taste of Blues
5. [Northern Okinawa/Nago] EBISU Confectionery | Ebisu Manju
6. [Northern Okinawa/Nago] Bongoo Yamamiya | Cream Land
7. [Bonus] | Wheat Tempura
8. Searching for Okinawan local snacks you haven't seen yet.

1. [Southern Okinawa/Shuri] Piccolo Mondo | Apple Tongue Over

★Available in: Shuri (Naha)
★Nearby attractions: Shuri Castle

Let's start with a local snack that has been loved by the people of Shuri for generations.
This is an apple tan over from Piccolo Mondo, a bakery located in Ishimine, not far from Shuri Castle.
This is what you'd call an apple pie.

They cost 97 yen each (excluding tax), and they're palm-sized and cute!
It's popular not only as a snack, but also as a thoughtful gift.
In Okinawa, where people often gather, it's common to receive large quantities of apple tangerines—10 or 20 at a time—as gifts.

The thinly sugar-coated dough is wonderfully crispy!
The amazing thing is that it stays crispy even after being chilled in the refrigerator.
The mellow sweetness, reminiscent of apple jam, is also a plus.
Once you eat one, you reach for the next...

In addition to apple tandoori pastries, Piccolo Mondo is also popular for its scones and canelés.
And all of them are offered at surprisingly reasonable prices.
It's so delicious, I'm surprised it's priced so low!

There's also a covered eat-in area in front of the shop, which is a nice bonus as you can eat your purchases right there.
A shop you'll want to stop by when you're going to the area around Shuri Castle.

[Piccolo Mondo Ishimine Store]
■Address: 2-115-1 Shuri Ishimine-cho, Naha City, Okinawa Prefecture
■ TEL: 098-887-3730

2. [Southern Okinawa/Yonabaru → Nanjo area] Bonheur | Ogura Cream Puff

★Available in: Yonabaru
★Nearby attractions: Seifa Utaki (Nanjo City)

On the way to Seifa Utaki after exiting the Okinawa Expressway at the Haebaru Kita Interchange, you'll find the shop "Bonheur" in Yonabaru.
Located on a side street off National Route 331, this shop is easy to miss if you don't know about it.

At this Western-style confectionery shop that sells cakes and other treats, the popular local snack is the "Ogura Choux," priced at 108 yen (tax included) each! Bonheur is also famous as the original shop for this Ogura Choux, originating in Yonahara.

The shop is visited by all sorts of people, from families to tough-looking guys and the elderly. This is probably a scene you can only see at a local snack shop that's loved by the community.

The fluffy choux pastry is filled with plenty of red bean cream♪ The sweetness is mild, so it's recommended even for those who don't like things that are too sweet.

This is a shop worth making a slight detour to on your way to Seifa Utaki. But don't worry, it only adds about 5 minutes to the shortest route.

[Bonheur]
■Address: 538 Yonabaru, Yonabaru-cho, Shimajiri-gun, Okinawa Prefecture
■ TEL: 098-945-0545
■Regular closing days: 2nd and 4th Mondays and Tuesdays

3. [Closed] Mont Blanc Bakery | Condensed Milk Sandwich

★Available in: All over the main island, roadside stations, farmers' markets, etc.

Next up is a local snack from Mont Blanc Bakery, a bakery that makes sweets in Chatan.
This is a truly local snack that can be purchased at supermarkets, roadside stations, and farmers' markets on the main island.

As far as I could confirm, it was also found in Kunigami Village, the northernmost point of Okinawa Island. I witnessed a refined elderly woman buying a large quantity of Sannin Rolls!

Besides the items pictured, they also offer a variety of snacks, from Japanese sweets like karukan and purple sweet potato tarts to Western-style sweets. All are reasonably priced at around 100 yen.

"Condensed Milk Sandwiches" are neither bread nor cake; they feature a firm dough filled with condensed milk. The combination of sweet dough and sweet condensed milk is a dream come true for anyone with a sweet tooth.
Combined with the texture, finishing one without a drink is quite a challenge...

The basic stats of "Sannin Roll" are similar to those of "Condensed Milk Sandwich".
However, the refreshing scent of ginger lily might slightly reduce the overall sweetness. This scent is quite polarizing, but those who like mugwort or herbal scents will probably love it!

Both of the items I've introduced are great for replenishing your sugar levels while driving. Enjoy them with a refreshing drink like coffee or tea.

4. [Chubu, Onna Village] Mitsuya Honpo | The Legendary Taste of Blues

★Available in: Onna, roadside stations, etc.
★Nearby attractions: Churaumi Aquarium, Nakijin Castle Ruins, Nago Pineapple Park

"Phantom Flavor Blues" (780 yen including tax) is a hidden hit product from "Mitsuya Honpo," famous for its sata andagi (Okinawan doughnuts).

"What exactly is this 'legendary taste'?"
"The overall picture is completely different from what you would imagine from the product name 'Blues'."

I still vividly remember the shock I felt when I first saw this. That day, with trembling hands, I took the blues to the cashier.

If I had to describe it in one sentence, it would be "the Okinawan version of Harajuku Dog."
If you can imagine the chewy texture and that fluffy, sweet, and slightly salty taste, I think you'll get pretty close.

The standard flavor is custard, but you can also find rare flavors like blueberry and strawberry in stores. They also sell "Blues' Ears," which are the end pieces of the ice cream that are great value!

It's delicious as is, chilled, or slightly warmed! It also has a long shelf life and can be carried around at room temperature, making it a great souvenir.
What is this legendary taste...? This is a dish you absolutely must try.

[Mitsuya Honpo]
■Stores: Onna Store / Onna no Eki Store / Michi no Eki Kyoda, etc. (See URL for details)
■Store Blog:http://mithuya.ti-da.net/

5. [Northern Okinawa/Nago] EBISU Confectionery | Ebisu Manju

★Available in: Nago, roadside stations, etc.
★Nearby attractions: Churaumi Aquarium, Nakijin Castle Ruins, Nago Pineapple Park

"Ebisu Confectionery" has several stores in Nago, in the northern part of Okinawa Island.
With a wide variety of options ranging from Japanese to Western, it's truly a "sweets factory." This is a localized version of "Cozy Corner" and "Chateraise," the Nago version!

My recommended snack that's easy to enjoy is "Ebisu Manju."
These bite-sized steamed buns are 20 pieces for 300 yen.
They used to be sold for 10 yen each, and were commonly known as "10 yen manju" (sweet buns).

The moist brown sugar dough and smooth red bean paste are a perfect match!
Because they're small, I can easily eat about 10 of them by myself.

In addition to the two stores in Nago City, they also have a store at the Kyoda Roadside Station where you can buy mochi and manju.

[Ebisu Confectionery]
■Stores: Nago City Miyazato Store / Nago City Tamata Store / Michi-no-Eki Kyoda Store (See URL for details)
■HP:http://www.ebisu-todoroki.com/f

6. [Northern Okinawa/Nago] Bongoo Yamamiya | Cream Land

★Available in: Nago, roadside stations, etc.
★Nearby attractions: Churaumi Aquarium, Nakijin Castle Ruins, Nago Pineapple Park

This is another shop located in Nago called "Bongoo Yamamiya." Their popular item is "Cream Land" (600 yen including tax), which features a chiffon cake baked in a bread oven and filled with fluffy custard cream.

Because there are "Cream Land" fans throughout the prefecture, if someone living in the southern part of the main island goes to the Nago area, they will often be asked to "buy some Cream Land for me!"

When you slice the cylindrical cake, you'll find it's filled with custard cream in the center.
The cream is whipped, giving it a light and fluffy texture.
The familiar taste of egg custard brings back childhood memories.

It looks like quite a large portion, but if you're a sweets lover, two people can easily finish it, and if you don't dislike sweets, three people can easily finish it. (※I can finish it by myself.)

This is completely irrelevant, but when you open the box of Cream Land, it's wrapped in plastic and paper. If you look closely at the paper, you'll see the words "Cream Cake" written on it.

The outer box says "Cream Land," and the paper inside says "Cream Cake."
I really like this kind of "te-ge" (which means "casual" or "easygoing" in the Okinawan dialect) feeling!

[Bongoo Yamamiya]
■Address: 2-22-25 Daito, Nago City, Okinawa Prefecture
■ TEL: 098-052-2039
■Closed on Sundays
■Other: In addition to the stores listed above, it is also sold at "Michi-no-Eki Kyoda" (Roadside Station Kyoda).

7. [Bonus] | Wheat Tempura

★Available in: All over the main island, roadside stations, farmers' markets, etc.

The last local snack is a bonus episode.
At first glance, it looks like sata andagi (Okinawan doughnut), but this is actually a snack called "mugi tempura" (wheat tempura). Because it uses whole wheat flour instead of wheat flour, it is more fragrant and chewy than regular sata andagi.

They cost around 100 yen each and can be purchased at roadside rest areas, farmers' markets, and supermarkets. In my experience, they are more likely to be sold in the northern part of the main island.

(*The item in the foreground of the photo is "wheat tempura," and the item in the background is "sata andagi.")

It probably depends on personal preference, but if you like sata andagi (Okinawan doughnuts) or donuts, it's worth trying! It's also perfect for a light snack.

By the way, I'm a fan of "wheat tempura"! I've become so addicted to it that I can't go back to sata andagi (Okinawan doughnuts) anymore...

8. Searching for Okinawan local snacks you haven't seen yet.

I traveled from north to south in search of delicious Okinawan local snacks. I'm completely full and satisfied!

I used to think Okinawa was small.
But this island still holds so many delicious things I haven't discovered yet! My next trip to find local snacks seems to be just around the corner...

Why not take a detour once in a while and try to find some hidden gems? We look forward to receiving your recommendations for local Okinawan snacks!