The traditional Okinawan dish "Nakamajiru" is a special dish that is indispensable at celebratory occasions. Widely loved from home to high-end cuisine, Nakamajiru is packed with the deep history and wisdom of Okinawa's food culture.

Let's explore the characteristics and history of Nakami-jiru.

Characteristics of Nakami-jiru

Nakami-jiru is a clear soup made with pork innards. Some people may think it is greasy, but it is carefully prepared. Fresh pork stomachs and intestines are thoroughly rubbed with soybean pulp and wheat flour, washed, and repeatedly boiled in water to remove excess fat and odor. This effort results in a refined and refreshing taste.

The key to its flavor is the clear soup, which is based on bonito and pork stock. Slowly simmering the pork innards in a clear stock brings out their natural flavor, and the dish is simply seasoned with soy sauce and salt. The addition of ginger and green onions adds a refreshing aroma and tightens up the overall flavor. Okinawa's unique spice "long pepper" is sometimes used, but ginger has become the standard these days.

The unique texture of Nakami-jiru is also appealing. The carefully prepared innards are cut into strips, giving you a soft, chewy texture with every bite. Dried shiitake mushrooms and konjac are added to give it a different texture, making it a delicious dish you'll never tire of.

Besides Nakami-jiru, there are many other dishes that use "nakami" on the Okinawan dining table. For example, "Nakami Soba" is Okinawa soba topped with nakami, and the flavors of the soba soup and nakami are exquisitely intertwined. Another popular dish is "Nakami Irichi," which is stir-fried with vegetables, and you can enjoy the warmth and rich flavor that only home cooking can provide.

The History of Nakami-jiru

In Okinawa, there is a deep-rooted culture of valuing pork, as seen in the saying, "eat everything about the pig except for its squeal." As pork was particularly expensive, the innards were not wasted and were used in a variety of dishes. Nakami-jiru is one such example. By taking advantage of the unique flavor of the innards and carefully preparing them to create an elegant clear soup, it has become a dish that allows you to enjoy the full deliciousness of the pork.

The origins of Nakami-jiru date back to the Ryukyu Dynasty in the 15th century. During this time, Okinawa had a rich trade relationship with China, Japan, and Southeast Asia, and as a result of this trade, a rich food culture was born. Nakami-jiru is a type of Ryukyu cuisine that developed as a "court dish" for diplomatic ceremonies at the royal palace and to entertain investiture envoys.

The high level of formality can be seen from the fact that the third course of the "Godan no Otorimochi", a celebratory meal for royalty and aristocrats, contained Nakami-jiru soup. This "Godan no Otorimochi" was a luxurious meal served at weddings and coming-of-age ceremonies for the upper classes in Naha and Shuri until the early Showa period, and was a lavish hospitality event with a diverse line-up of more than 30 dishes.

The Okinawan hospitality that has been passed down since the Ryukyu Dynasty places great importance on ties with relatives and the local community, and is also evident when entertaining guests from abroad. Nakami-jiru is a special dish that is made with great care and is served at celebratory occasions and important events, and it still symbolizes the "spirit of hospitality."

In the past, it was served on special occasions such as New Year's, celebrations, and memorial services, but now it is popular as a dish that can be easily made at home. It is served as a dish in kaiseki cuisine at Okinawan restaurants, and is also sold as a retort product.

Tourist spots in Okinawa

Okinawa has many attractive tourist spots. This time, we will introduce three popular tourist spots in Okinawa.

Cape Zanpa

Located at the westernmost tip of Okinawa's main island, Cape Zanpa is a scenic spot where you can feel the grandeur of nature with your whole body. The cliffs stretch for about 2km, about 30m high, and the blue sea and sky that spread out before you, as well as the pure white lighthouse, create a landscape unique to Okinawa. At dusk, the beautiful sunset paints the sea with a romantic atmosphere. The 8.75m-tall Zanpa Lion, a symbol of the area, is enshrined in the plaza on the cape, and it is also a popular spot for taking impressive commemorative photos.

There are also resort hotels, cafes, and barbecue facilities in the area, and you can even feed the goats. There is also one of the few climbable lighthouses in the country, from which you can see the surrounding islands on a clear day.

Gyokusen Cave

Gyokusendo Cave in Nanjō City, Okinawa, is a mysterious limestone cave created by nature over the course of approximately 300,000 years, and is the highlight of Okinawa World. Okinawa World is a tourist spot where you can enjoy Okinawan culture and nature, including tropical fruit gardens, traditional craft experiences, and the Super Eisa Show.

Gyokusendo Cave is one of the largest in Japan, boasting a total length of 5,000m, and even in the 890m area that is open to the public, more than one million stalactites attract visitors. The stalactites grow slowly, growing only 1mm every three years, so their beauty can be felt as the result of many years of existence. The Blue Fountain inside the cave is fantastically lit up, and you can enjoy a mystical atmosphere along with the sound of trickling water.

Bios Hill

Bios Hill is an experiential theme park where you can experience Okinawa's nature with your whole body, and interact with subtropical plants and animals. There are also restaurants where you can enjoy local delicacies such as Okinawa soba and taco rice, making it a tourist spot where you can have fun all day long.

Within the park, you can enjoy a variety of activities, such as cruising the lake on the popular "lake observation boat" while admiring the subtropical plants and orchids, or exploring the lake surface on a canoe or SUP, which even beginners can enjoy with peace of mind. Another attraction is that you can take a leisurely stroll through the tranquil park on a leisurely buffalo cart. You can experience the blessings of nature by getting some exercise on the 5m-high extra-large swing and the giant jungle gym, or observing small animals and ferns.

How to get to Okinawa

To get to Okinawa's main island, it's convenient to take a direct flight to Naha Airport, which operates from all over the country. Here is an introduction to the flight time for direct flights. The flight time varies depending on the season and weather.

From Hokkaido/Tohoku area to Okinawa main island (Naha Airport) ・Approx. 3 hours 45 minutes from New Chitose Airport ・Approx. 3 hours 15 minutes from Sendai Airport

From the Kanto area to Okinawa main island (Naha Airport) ・Approx. 2 hours 45 minutes from Haneda Airport ・Approx. 3 hours from Narita Airport ・Approx. 3 hours from Ibaraki Airport

From the Chubu area to Okinawa main island (Naha Airport) ・Approx. 2 hours 30 minutes from Chubu Centrair International Airport ・Approx. 3 hours from Niigata Airport ・Approx. 2 hours 45 minutes from Komatsu Airport ・Approx. 2 hours 45 minutes from Shizuoka Airport

From the Kinki area to Okinawa main island (Naha Airport) ・Approx. 2 hours 15 minutes from Kansai International Airport ・Approx. 2 hours 15 minutes from Itami Airport ・Approx. 2 hours 15 minutes from Kobe Airport

From the Chugoku area to Okinawa main island (Naha Airport) ・Approx. 2 hours from Okayama Airport ・Approx. 1 hour 45 minutes from Hiroshima Airport ・Approx. 1 hour 45 minutes from Iwakuni Airport

From Shikoku area to Okinawa main island (Naha Airport) - Approx. 2 hours from Takamatsu Airport - Approx. 1 hour 45 minutes from Matsuyama Airport

From Kyushu area to Okinawa main island (Naha Airport) ・Approx. 1 hour 45 minutes from Fukuoka Airport ・Approx. 1 hour 45 minutes from Kitakyushu Airport ・Approx. 1 hour 30 minutes from Kumamoto Airport ・Approx. 1 hour 30 minutes from Nagasaki Airport ・Approx. 1 hour 30 minutes from Miyazaki Airport ・Approx. 1 hour 30 minutes from Kagoshima Airport ・Approx. 1 hour from Amami Airport ・Approx. 50 minutes from Okinoerabu Airport ・Approx. 40 minutes from Yoron Airport

Location of Okinawa Prefecture

summary

The traditional approach of using every last bit of pork and the painstaking cooking method for the pork broth show gratitude for the ingredients and a spirit of hospitality.

You may be a little surprised by its appearance, but the soup is made using simple ingredients, carefully simmered pork innards combined with a refined broth to create a dish that offers a rich, nutritious flavor.

If you visit Okinawa, be sure to try Nakami-jiru.

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