"Food Stories" to Learn About Miyako Island

On a sunny day after a major typhoon had passed, food director Sawano Megumi arrived on Miyakojima. She mainly does catering and runs an event called "Monogatari Shokudo," and this time she'll be creating dishes locally inspired by the ingredients and dishes she encountered on her travels. This will be the final destination of her journey.
She immediately headed to farm-fresh markets like "Atarasu Market" and "Waido Market."

"Because of the terrible typhoon, locals were saying the vegetable harvest and variety were limited, but the rows of vibrant vegetables and fruits had weathered the storm. The sweet aroma of Keitt mangoes filled the market, and I browsed fruits I'd never seen in Tokyo. I couldn't help but scream at the slender watermelons and winter melons that were bigger than a human face. I could really feel the energy of the sun in the produce."

Atarasu Market 1440-1 Nishizato, Hirara, Miyakojima City, OkinawaPrefecture Hours: 9:00 - 19:00 Phone: 0980-72-2972

Waido Market 551-4 Matsubara, Hirara, Miyakojima City, OkinawaPrefecture Hours: 8:30 - 19:00 Phone: 0980-72-7684

There are more ways to obtain ingredients than just buying them at the market.
Next, we'll go picking tropical wildflowers. Led by an expert on Miyako Island, and arranged by Hitotoki Sanpo, a walking tour guided by a local grandmother, we walked through the grasslands and sandy beaches of Irabu Island.

"I wonder what made people decide to try this for the first time? (laughs)" I said, tilting my head as I picked a green, heart-shaped leaf from the beach. In the banana fields, I was awed to see new sprouts, about 20 centimeters long, already sprouting from a stem that had been cut a week earlier.

"I was moved by how the plants of southern islands survive the harsh natural climate and continue the cycle of life. The appeal of these harvesting experiences is simple: first and foremost, getting to know the ingredients well. This was my first time seeing a dragon fruit trunk, its rugged, green, cactus-like trunk twisting around the stone wall like a dragon, bearing fruit. "Ah, that really does look like a dragon!" I thought.
Harvesting experiences like these enrich the ordinary act of eating.

Hitotoki Sanpo Tour Desk Planet Four Co., Ltd.Phone: 0980-73-7311 http://www.plannet4.co.jp/hitotokisampo/

After enjoying the harvest, we were invited to the grandmothers' homes to learn about the characteristics of the ingredients and how to cook them. We worked side by side in the kitchen, and were treated to a variety of dishes using local seasonings.

We ate a lot, played a lot. Embracing the true joys of travel, we went snorkeling for the first time, browsed Okinawa Island's folk art and pottery, and sampled as many local dishes as possible. Our favorite was RICCO's gelato, which offers over 60 flavors using Miyakojima ingredients, from mango, passion fruit, purple sweet potato, and banana to milk, black azuki beans, awamori, herbs, chinsuko, and soy milk.

RICCO 244 Nishizato, Hirara, Miyakojima City, OkinawaPrefecture Business Hours: 10:30 AM - 7:00 PM (May vary in winter) Phone: 0980-73-8513

And the day ends with a sunset on the sandy beach. The beautiful sunset, which is perfect for simply watching in silence, changes with each passing minute, quietly signaling the end of the day.

"Cooking time to wrap up the trip. We laid out the ingredients we'd bought and thought up recipes, carefully balancing the colors of the ingredients with the colors of the plates.

The end result was rice cake dumplings made with purple sweet potato, dragon fruit yogurt sauce, papaya and renbu salad, and a salad made with yushi tofu. The dishes were accompanied by a homemade mojito made with "Ao no Sora," a rum made from locally grown sugarcane, starfruit, mint, acerola, and ginger.
"The journey of this trip became a story, and I was able to express it in the food," says Sawano. Scenes from his trip came back to him as he prepared the food and served it on the table.

"An old lady from the island explained to me about sacred utaki (sacred shrines). Miyako Island is the island with the most utaki in Okinawa. Every shrine has a Kuba tree, a tree believed to house a god, growing on its premises. While there are no signs prohibiting entry, men are not allowed to enter these areas, and only women who have been assigned to perform religious ceremonies are allowed. It's important for tourists to learn about local customs, respect these sacred sites, and abide by the rules. It's travel etiquette."