Nmya~chi tuna(@miyakojimalife_) (*’▽’)
This time, we’ll cover lunch options on Irabu Island, which you can reach by crossing the Irabu Bridge from Miyakojima.
Irabu Island was connected to Miyako Island by a bridge in 2015, and with low-cost carriers now flying into Shimojishima Airport, hotels and shops have been popping up all over the island.
Bonito fishing has long been a thriving industry here, and despite the island’s population of only about 6,000, it accounts for 80 percent of Okinawa Prefecture’s total catch.
On Irabu Island, “Obanmai” is a restaurant where you can enjoy fresh seafood bowls and sashimi set meals.
Please be sure to stop by when you’re sightseeing♪
O—Here’s the kind of shop we’re talking about
Obanmai is located on the first floor of “Inshā (Umi-bito) no Eki · Sarahama,” a marine industry support facility newly established in 2018.
To the right of the store entrance is a painting of bonito fishing that looks perfect for social media!
Miyakojima has strong UV rays, and I get the feeling it might fall into disrepair eventually due to salt damage from typhoons and the like…
An islander blogger who hopes things will somehow stay the way they are
The meaning of “O-banmai” is
The name “Obanmai” is used as the shop’s name, but its meaning is“Generous Treats”.
A traditional event held in Sarahama every year on the 4th day of the 5th month of the lunar calendar (Yukkanu-hi), held in conjunction with the Hari festival,
Slices of bonito are tossed from a fishing boat, and the crowd—holding baskets and Styrofoam containers—catches them overhead.
It’s truly a lavish event.
A restaurant where you can dine while gazing out at the ocean
The interior is bright and clean, and there are COVID-19 prevention partitions at each table.
Also, on the ceiling, you can see skipjack tuna—a specialty of Irabu Island—and yellowfin tuna, commonly caught off Miyako Island, swimming.
Soy sauce, wasabi, shichimi, sauce, vinegar, and other condiments are placed on the table.
I remember my grandmother often telling me when I was a child, “Sashimi is dangerous if you don’t add vinegar,” and pouring vinegar into my bowl until it was brimming.
My kids used to hate vinegar because it was too sour… (￣∀￣)
I recommend the counter seats.
If you’re visiting as a couple or on your own, we recommend the counter seats with a view of the ocean.
The historic Sarakami Port and the “Irabu Blue” sea create a lovely atmosphere.
O— A Delicious Menu
The sign at the entrance listed the tuna cutlet set meal as today’s recommendation.
This is believed to be yellowfin tuna from Miyakojima.
Here is the menu inside the restaurant
It’s a real treat to be able to enjoy seafood from Miyakojima, such as bonito, tuna, Japanese flying squid, island octopus, and sea grapes.
I love traveling too, and I often visit restaurants where I can enjoy local seafood and specialties.
Since you’ve gone to the trouble of traveling here, you’ll want to try the local food, right? ♪
Prices are slightly on the high side
As you can see from the menu, the prices are set slightly higher than average.
Although I thought it might be geared toward tourists, there were actually quite a few local customers as well.
When I think back to my childhood, I definitely don’t have any memories of eating seafood rice bowls or anything like that in Miyako.
While there are plenty of sashimi restaurants—a common sight—seafood rice bowl shops are rare on the island, so it made sense that they were popular with locals.
IslandI decided to order the octopus rice bowl.
My husband loves octopus, so he ordered the island octopus rice bowl.
That looks really delicious.(〃▽〃)
And the portions are huge… I was told that extra-large portions were free, so I ordered one on a whim, but it turns out that’s actually the standard portion size.
It’s more than just a “super-sized” portion… (A typical Okinawan thing)
In addition to the rice bowl, the meal comes with miso soup and a small side dish.
The island octopus is very tender and tastes great.
The tuna served alongside it has just the right amount of fat, making it melt-in-your-mouth delicious.
Is that “haraga” (a part of the stomach)?
I also ordered the fried shrimp and oyster set meal
My wife ordered fried oysters, which I’ve been eating much less of since returning to Miyakojima.
The shrimp are huge—it really gets me excited!
The set meal came with miso soup, a small side dish, kinako jelly, and a bonus serving of karaage♪
My wife said the fried dishes exceeded her expectations, and she mentioned she’d order the set meal again next time.
It was definitely crispy and very delicious.
The children said they wanted to eat Miyako soba, and they ended up eating a high-end bowl of soba that cost 800 yen…
Ayantsu is surprisingly interesting.
After you finish eating or while you’re waiting for your meal, we recommend checking out this booklet available inside the restaurant.
It appears to be published by the Miyakojima City Board of Education, and it provides an easy-to-read overview of Miyakojima’s historic sites and history, complete with photos and illustrations.
If you used to enjoy school reference books, you’ll definitely find this an interesting read.
A gift of sweets after a meal
After the meal, we were treated to some complimentary sweets, which made the children very happy.
It’s a scene you sometimes see at small, independently owned shops on Miyakojima, but I was a little surprised to find it here.
There are some sashimi restaurants that give you Peko-chan lollipops when you go with your kids.
It’s nice to have little services like this, isn’t it?
Thank you♪
O—How to Get to Banmai
Obanmai is located on the right side of Irabu Island, at the Sarahama Fishing Port.
After crossing the Irabu Bridge, you’ll come to a T-intersection; turn right there and continue straight ahead.
Open only for lunch
Business hours are from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. (last order at 2:30 p.m.)
We are closed on Tuesdays.
They’re open for only four hours, and if you go after noon, they’re almost always sold out, so I recommend going early.
I hope this article helps someone discover something delicious.
Thank you for reading to the end (っ_ _)っ
