June calendar download

June calendar download! hope everyone had a wonderful early summer.
Click and download the large size.

June 2011

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Okinawa Story on Flickr! http://www.flickr.com/photos/okinawastory/

Kajimaya Kokuto (brown sugar)

Posted by Maki Nako

Okinawa is also known for the production of quality brown sugar. My pick for this month is kajimaya kokuto, brown sugar wrapped in a pinwheel shaped package with a prayer for longevity.

  Why longevity? It’s because the package shape is based on a pinwheel celebration, or kajimaya in the Okinawan language. It’s a traditional event held in Okinawa for those who turn 97 years old. The colorful print is a bingata motif, a traditional resist dyed textile of Okinawa. The pinwheel package was awarded the President’s Award by the Okinawa Branch Office of the Japan Institute of Invention and Innovation at the Okinawa Industrial Fair in 1998.

When I went to Shurijo Castle to take some photos for this article, I heard an interesting story from the employee in the photo below.

One time she sent this kajimaya kokuto to her grandmother-in-law living in Kumamoto Prefecture. The grandmother-in-law liked the taste very much and asked her to send more to give it to her friends. Then she told me her grandmother-in-law is in her 90s and her friends are almost 100 years old! It means this brown sugar is not only tasty but also soft enough (or melts easily in the mouth) for aged people. Furthermore, brown sugar has far more minerals than white sugar; for example it contains calcium, potassium and iron, so it can be a healthy snack.

 One package contains three different flavors: original, sesame, and shikuwasa (a kind of citrus). There are fifteen bite-sized blocks per package; five of each flavor. In addition, this exclusive Shurijo Castle edition comes with sanpin (jasmine) tea, another taste of Okinawa.

A gift box version of two kajimaya kokuto and three sanpin teabags is also available.

Available at Kyuyo Museum Shop in the Hokuden (North Hall) within the paid zone of Shuri jo Castle.
Open from 8:30. Closing time varies depending on the season.

Imo Mochi

Posted by  Tsukasa Hellinger

I’m fortunate to work at a place where my co-workers come from a variety of backgrounds. In Okinawa when there is a hoji or a Buddhist service for the dead, people go back to their hometowns to offer food and drink to their ancestors. Recently, one of my co-workers had to attend one of these services and was kind enough to bring us back some mochi or rice cakes.

 However, these weren’t ordinary mochi. They 

were green! When I asked her why they are green, she told me that sweet potatoes are mixed in to the dough of the rice cake. This explains why they are called imo mochi; imo means potato. The outer layer has a texture that is a little less sticky than regular mochi, and the center is filled with a sweet bean paste. The bottom is covered with a getto or shell ginger leaf which gives it a nice spicy herbal aroma. My co-workers and I all love it!
A good feature of this sweet potato dessert is that you can wrap it with a plastic wrap and freeze it, allowing you to store it in case you want to enjoy it later. From my experience, it tastes great even after thawing it out in the microwave!
This product is unique to Ie Island, so you won’t find it anywhere. According to my co-worker, there are only two places that sell it; a store at the harbor of Ie Island and a store at the harbor of Motobu Town. Since there’s only a limited supply, if you want to get your hands on this rare item you’ll have to go there early. Otherwise, they will sell out!

May calendar!

May calendar download! hope everyone had a wonderful early summer!
Click and download the large size. Enjoy!

May 2011

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See previous calendar
Okinawa Story on Flickr! http://www.flickr.com/photos/okinawastory/

Family Gatherings on Traditional Holidays

Posted by Mari Rita Tobaru

Families gather directly front of the tomb for their Shimi “picnic”

Shimi (pronounced locally as “she-me“) is an official family gathering that takes place every year in April. The date of the event is based on the traditional Chinese calendar that is locally known as the “kyureki (old)” calendar. Clan tombs, during this time of the year, are full with people cleaning their tombs and preparing the area for lunch. Like the Obon gatherings, it is a time when families get together to offer food to their ancestors and pray. After the official rites take place, everybody enjoys their time exchanging and updating information about themselves while lunching together. 


This gathering is like a huge family picnic so many families choose a good weekend when the weather is warm and sunny. Since the gathering is relatively huge (one family can have as many as 15 to 20 family members or even more!), each family has its own task to do. Some may offer to participate in the cleaning (usually men) and some may help prepare the “picnic” grounds. Mothers or female elders of most families are mostly in charge of preparing the traditional “picnic” food.

Tradition is gradually changing, and some families also improvise by coordinating barbecues during this event. Whichever way this event is held, it is a special time with their ancestors.

As a foreigner, this event reminds me of the Christmas dinners I had with my families. Although I’m not blood-related at all, I get invited every year to a Shimi gathering. In my calendar, this event is labeled as a must-go event. Each year, the family makes sure that I know the date of the gathering and treats me like a real family member. In my heart, they are my family away from home.